www.PSFmagazine.com | December 2017 | 13 of lives have been spared by their use giving pilots one more option if things go badly aloft. Yes, Cirrus adopting parachutes certainly helped popularize these systems, but they didn’t lead the parade. 5—Engineers have introduced new concepts in lsa powerplants. Engines lead by market leader Rotax brought concepts like liquid cooling, geared output, high efficiency (with much smaller displacement engines, Rotax nonetheless produces the same power as an O-200). Lighter, smaller packages made aircraft design easier and sleeker. Most recent developments include the electronically-controlled, fuel-injected 912 iS, iS Sport, and 915 iS engine (which also incorporates a turbocharger and intercooler). Next: electric propulsion, which will work best on light aircraft like ultralights and lsa initially. 6—lsa promoted use of modern materials. Today Boeing’s Dreamliner is a current example of hightech material use. Cirrus is another modern success story. Their SR-series used composite but limited carbon fiber. lsa have been using carbon for years; some have more than 90% of the superstrong, lightweight material. Sky Arrow is the leader in hand control aircraft helping disabled pilots take to the air. 7—lsa benefit their local communities in several important ways. Despite some losses, the lsa safety record has been described by the faa as “acceptable” …high praise from a regulatory agency. Once lsa manufacturers got used to the system of astm standards, manufacturer compliance was good and safety followed. Training systems were improved to aid transition (driven by insurance, not faa, by the way). lsa are environmentally friendly, demonstrated by low fuel use thanks to high-tech, electronically-controlled engines with fuel burns of most engines in the 4-6 gph range. Modern electronic engines will soon also allow upload of data to help pilots discover engine issues before the problem even shows itself in flight. Finally, lsa are quieter with low noise signatures. You may not care abut that too much but airport neighbors certainly do! If we want to base closer to city centers and don’t want a long drive to fly our lsa, we must be accepted by the community. Can we go further yet? Yes we can, in fact we may be at the beginning of greater developments. Why do I think this? My belief stems from my work with the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association and its four initiatives being lobbied to faa: • Gyroplane slsa — given their popularity the time has come for factory-built aircraft • Single Lever Control (slc) — an idea to provide in-flight adjustable props to gain a potent safety advantage with zero pilot workload, thanks to modern engines and new development work • Electric propulsion for 103 ultralights soon and possibly for lsa in the near future • Aerial Work for lsa — this could be big for builders and users of lsa; some commercial applications are reasonable and lsa are excellent candidates for specific kinds of aerial work. All these initiatives are still a work-in-process, but lama and its partner the U.S. Ultralight Association have seen growing interest from faa decision makers. I hope that I have been convincing with these claims. I think lsa enthusiasts need to recognize the considerable accomplishments of this industry in only 13 years. I know I’m impressed with the dedication and inventiveness of entrepreneurs in the light aircraft industry. I hope you are, too. As you visit an airshow in 2018 and check out all the shiny objects of your flying fancy, please know that when you examine Light Sport Aircraft you may be witnessing no less than a rebirth of aviation. This is the Triumph of lsa! Rotax’s line of 9-series engines continues to increase the standard for piston power for aircraft.
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