Light-Sport Aircraft manufacturer Flight Design reports that an FAA audit was closed successfully in late 2015. The three-day audit was conducted at the Flight Design headquarters facility in Kamenz, Germany, by a team of three auditors from different sections of the FAA. “Given our goal to ensure the highest quality aircraft meeting customer safety requirements and government […]
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Global growth phenomenon
Now that 2015 has entered the history books, we will slowly begin to see statistics for the year. My guess is that most aviation media will completely miss one of the big picture perspectives. This oversight does not represent a knowledge failure, but instead reflects a U.S-centric focus on general aviation. In the world of […]
Merlin PSA makes U.S debut
Just introduced to the U.S. is the Merlin PSA, a single-seat Personal Sport Aircraft. The all-aluminum aircraft features a cantilevered wing and a 120 mph cruise speed. Price is under $35,000, which includes the builders’ assistance program in Florida, according to company officials. The Merlin PSA is available now as a quick-build Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft. The design was created on 3D CAD/CAM […]
Flying Icon’s A5 LSA seaplane
The Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) sector is aviation’s newest and most prolific with numerous outstanding aircraft available from Europe and the United States. Europeans seemed to own the category at first because regulations on the other side of the Atlantic permitted companies to fully build very similar aircraft. When the FAA caught up by releasing the […]
Quicksilver closing factory, but…
Aviation news outlets and social media are buzzing with the news that Quicksilver Aeronautics is closing its factory. For example, one online news source is calling the event a “dissolution.” This is not incorrect as it comes directly from a document previously issued by Quicksilver’s lawyers (see more below). However, letters from lawyers often portray things in very […]
Four LSA under $96,000
Yet if you think $65,000-95,000 is still too much, I can identify several aircraft that sell brand-new, ready-to-fly for less than $49,000, but that will be an article for another time …
Electric aircraft … Going mainstream?
Can electric aircraft truly become part of the national or worldwide fleet? You might discount the possibility, but then consider Airbus. When I was a youngster, I remember a TV commercial with a song jingle that went, “Electricity does more for you each day.” (Despite the decades that have passed, the tune still plays in […]
Midwest LSA Expo set for September
Plans are underway for the upcoming Midwest LSA Expo, being touted as “the place to be for Sport Aviation this fall.” The Expo is slated for Sept. 10-12 at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (KMVN) in Illinois. Admission and parking are free. According to organizers, attendees will be able to see more than 40 Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA), including […]
AirVenture news: LAMA President’s Award, new Rotax engine
During AirVenture, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association gave a press conference to a full house. LAMA officials reported the association enjoyed a terrific opening day in its mission of advocacy for Light-Sport, light kit, and ultralight aircraft. Partnered with the U.S. Ultralight Association (USUA), LAMA participated in two very productive meetings, one with EAA’s advocacy […]