By several measures and based on multiple conversations, 2011 is shaping up to be a better year than 2010. Of course, that’s not saying much as all of aviation was slow last year and in 2009. When you’re near the bottom of the well, everything starts looking up. With those thoughts in mind, we present […]
Touring Jekyll Island in an AirCam
My good friend and Air-Cam developer, Phil Lockwood, likes to hold fly-outs for his customers. More than 160 kits have been delivered and built; each fly-out has attracted several of these owners. Phil and his Lockwood Aircraft associate George Weber have invited me several times but I’ve had to miss earlier gatherings for owners of […]
The perfect storm
At this year’s AOPA Aviation Summit, EAA and AOPA jointly announced they will pursue driver’s license medical privileges for pilots wishing to operate GA airplanes with less than 180 horsepower with only two persons on board in day VFR. Combined with ongoing events in the LSA industry, it seems a “perfect storm” is brewing. The […]
A busy October concludes
For years, the aviation calendar used to go something like this: Oshkosh (now known as AirVenture) ended in the first days of August. Later that fall we had the AOPA and NBAA events and that appeared to be largely the end of shows until a new season launched. In fact, it was a rather long […]
LSAs at AOPA Summit
At the AOPA Aviation Summit I spent time in the Lockwood Aviation booth, which gave me a chance to speak with a few RV-12 builders. Van‘s has reportedly sold approximately 600 RV-12 LSA, of which 150 may be flying, making RV-12 by far the most successful Experimental LSA. RV-12 would among rank high among all […]
Fall brings opportunities and challenges for LSA
AOPA’s Aviation Summit concluded late last month in Hartford, Conn., in what many view as the final aviation event of the season. Yet as winter approaches in the northern states, the southern states will host events every weekend in October. The LSA Tour series that has seen success in Florida, Georgia, and Colorado will move […]
What’s going on at the top?
Earlier I wrote about several changes of leadership at LSA producers. Here’s a similar story, one I find quite amazing for its breadth. Consider this: The following organizations — some of the biggest and most influential in aviation — have seen longtime leaders depart: EAA, Sun ‘n Fun, Sebring Expo, and a couple years ago, […]
Best bargain in a ready-to-fly airplane?
Many pilots speak of airplanes they cannot afford. Indeed, $150,000 Light-Sport Aircraft are priced beyond common budgets. One way to solve this is through a partnership or fractional ownership… and I will be writing about partnerships later this year. Another way involves a ready-to-fly aircraft for under $15,000. You read it right: $14,995 for a […]
Out-cubbing the Cubs
The folks at Sportair USA think the American Cub replicas are rather expensive, with at least one model topping $163,000. So, what if you’d love a Cub-like aircraft yet you haven’t won the lottery? How about iCub? (Or how about a Rans S-7LS Courier? It also carries a much lower price and flies wonderfully well.) […]