Planning for the 11th annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo is in full swing, with new and returning sponsors committing their support to the event and exhibitors finalizing their contracts. Closing date for contracts is Sept. 15. Set for Wednesday through Saturday, Jan. 14-17, 2015, on the Sebring Regional Airport (SEF) in Florida, the Sebring Expo is the […]
sport pilot
The next decade of LSA innovation
At AirVenture Oshkosh this year, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) mounted a very visible celebration of Light-Sport or Sport Pilot-eligible aircraft. The exhibit drew dense traffic throughout the week by offering a large cross section of the aircraft types and configurations available since the FAA loosened its control over the process of approving new aircraft […]
Van’s debuts Dynon Skyview touch panel for RV-12
Just in time for EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Van’s Aircraft and Dynon Avionics have introduced the dual-screen Dynon Skyview Touch option for the factory-built RV-12, available Sept. 1. The dual-screen option provides a larger view of mapping, the ability to share information across screens, and redundancy in the rare event that one of the screens fail, company officials said. […]
All-metal folding-wing Groppo Trail now available in U.S.
The Italian Groppo Trail is now available in the U.S. The high-wing light-sport or amateur-built kit features tandem seating, all-metal construction, and wings that are foldable in less than five minutes by one person. Experimental Light-Sport (ELSA) and amateur-built kits are available starting at $28,250. The ready-to-fly Special Light Sport (SLSA) Trail is available for $79,900. […]
Is this the new GA?
The word “legacy” is often used to refer to products that are dominant today but threatened by disruptive influences. Legacy airlines, for example, are today’s largest carriers but ones burdened with aircraft bought earlier and with labor contracts negotiated years ago. Legacy connotes power, but also vulnerability. The same logic can be applied to general […]
SkyCraft finishes ASTM compliance, opens new factory
SkyCraft Airplanes has declared to the FAA that its SD-1 Minsiport is compliant with all ASTM regulations for Light-Sport Aircraft one year after publicly announcing it would be producing the airplane ready-to-fly. SkyCraft now awaits an FAA audit, after which it will be able to make its first aircraft deliveries. The FAA has scheduled SkyCraft’s audit […]
Searey expands to China
Progressive Aerodyne has opened its newly established sales office in Shanghai, China, to support the sale of Searey light-sport amphibious airplanes. The Searey was first presented to the China market at airshows in 2009. The company is working with Chinese aviation authorities to gain certification of the Searey. The Shanghai office will manage all marketing and sales and […]
A quarter century of power
In 1989 something remarkable happened. You might remember the fall of the despised Berlin Wall that separated Germany. Certainly that was a remarkable event in human history, but it wasn’t the only noteworthy occurrence that year. Not far away in Wels, Austria, something else happened that, for pilots, was also important. In 1989, Rotax Aircraft […]
Flight testing completed for SD-1 Minisport
After a long winter and spring dodging the Utah weather, SkyCraft’s SD-1 Minisport has completed flight testing, meeting all the performance requirements needed for S-LSA certification, according to company officials. The plane was found to have good longitudinal and latitudinal stability and exhibited no issues with flutter, vibrations, or dangerous stall/spin tendencies, company officials noted. […]