Electric ultralights and battery science

Posted on September 28th, 2010 by

Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, is an expert on Light Sport Aircraft. I am not alone in thinking Part 103 ultralight aircraft are the ideal platform for initial development of electric powered aircraft. Sure, someday you’ll... Continue Reading →

It’s show time for the Midwest LSA Expo

Posted on September 23rd, 2010 by

Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, is an expert on Light Sport Aircraft. The second annual Midwest LSA Expo is set to launch. The exhibitor count is up from last year’s inaugural event, according to main organizer... Continue Reading →

How to count training by a Sport Pilot instructor

Posted on September 20th, 2010 by

A gentleman at Oshkosh asked me a question about Sport Pilot instructors and I’m afraid I gave a misleading answer. Even though I inhabit the Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft space all day, every day, it isn’t hard to get a detail... Continue Reading →

IFR ‘certification’ for LSAs

Posted on September 19th, 2010 by

Lately the subject of flying IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) has occupied my time and lots of editorial space. The debate centered on flight into IMC . Although I spend 100% of every day on the subject of Light-Sport Aircraft and... Continue Reading →

Landing on water…with wheels down

Posted on September 16th, 2010 by

Landing on water with your wheels down is a confirmed aviation no-no. Land planes that try it often get flipped over and upside down, when escaping the cabin becomes a real concern. Every seaplane pilot I know has a mantra... Continue Reading →

LSA sales continue…slowly

Posted on September 7th, 2010 by

While most of the LSA industry — as with most of aviation — endures unprecedented slow sales in 2010, at least two companies are showing reasonably good performances. Washington-based CubCrafters is the clear market leader for the first seven months... Continue Reading →

Go (mid)West, young man

Posted on September 6th, 2010 by

Summer is about to flow into fall, which is often a beautiful time of year to aviate for recreation. Temperatures moderate from summer’s heat, yet winter’s icing and other hazards are still well off in the distance. That big celebration... Continue Reading →

A raging debate: IFR, IMC, VMC, and LSA

Posted on September 2nd, 2010 by

In the last month, I’ve received many calls and e-mails from more than a dozen flight schools. Here, I will try to reduce the confusion — and some alarm — regarding IFR (flying by instrument reference) and LSA. Continue Reading →

Flying Car frenzy

Posted on August 10th, 2010 by

Call them flying cars, flying motorcycles, flying dune buggies, or roadable aircraft. Regardless of the correct term, a growing wave of these car-to-airplane machines are in various stages of development. Continue Reading →

‘We’ve got a plane for that!

Posted on August 9th, 2010 by

SportairUSA, run by proprietor Bill Canino, has long been an innovator in the LSA business. His company doesn’t build airplanes, but Canino has triggered several interesting add-ons: He was one of the first (along with Flight Design USA) to install... Continue Reading →