www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 3 2 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying We have the new improved Rotax 912 oil filteRs in stock. Benefits include improved filtration during cold start up and new anti back-flow valve. $19.95 Part # 825 012 laRge inventoRy of Rotax parts and accessories with same day shipping on in stock orders placed by 1:00 pm EST. Call 1-800-laRotax Parts: 863-655-5100 Service: 863-655-6229 www.lockwood.aero Phil lockWood Shopping for ROTAX just got easier Visit Lockwood Aviation’s newwebsite at www.Lockwood.aero We’ve revamped our website to take advantage of the latest in internet innovations and technology. More than 4,000 of our parts and supplies are now available for OnLine ShOpping! Using more than 2000 photos of engines, airframe parts, tools and supplies, our customers can completely configure and purchase Rotax Aircraft engines online — including the new 912 iS! USER FRIENDLY REAL-TIME ONLINE INVENTORY FLYWHEEL Balance Masters BALANCE MASTERS ROTAX 912 and 914 E n g i n e B a l a n c e r Balance Masters are Manufactured By: Sun-Tech Innovations Northridge, CA Sun-Tech@sbcglobal.net • BalanceMasters.com TEL: 818.882.8431• For Help Call 1-800-786-8324 Balance Masters-Rotax-912-ads Executive Editor Subscriptions Classified Sales Vickie Betts (800) 867-5430 E-mail: vickie@easyflight.com Web site: www.psfmagazine.com Technical Editor Layout & Design Display Ad Sales Roy Beisswenger PO Box 38 Greenville, IL 62246 800-867-5430 roy@easyflight.com Publisher Sport Aviation Press, llc 16192 Coastal Hwy Lewes, DE, 19958 Photography Valerie Layne Jim Smith Cliff Tucker Graphic Artist Tim Dilliner FeatureWriters Zen Boulden Kai Bode Dr. Bruce H. Charnov John S. Craparo Phil Dietro Jeff Goin Greg Gremminger Michael Hudetz Jeff Hamann Geoff Hill Dan Johnson Doug Maas Ira McComic Jim Smith Jim Sweeney Willi Tacke © 2020 Sport Aviation Press llc Powered Sport Flying™ Magazine is published monthly by Sport Aviation Press llc, PO Box 38, Greenville, IL 62246, (800) 867-5430. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorials. Statements/opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Sport Aviation Press llc: Powered Sport Flying™ Magazine disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors. Periodicals Postage Paid number 000228 at Greenville, IL, 62246 and at an additional mailing office. postmaster: send address changes to: Sport Aviation Press, PO Box 38, Greenville, IL 62246. Volume 27, Number 1. Subscription Rates Annual subscription rates: $36.95 U.S. $48 Canada $90 International All monies US Funds Subscribe online at: www.PSFmagazine.com For more information call: (800) 867-5430 It’s been quite a long while, but welcome to another issue of Powered Sport Flying Magazine! You can read about the main cause for the delay in the Final Approach column in back. Computers are great when they work, but lately they have been causing me rather a lot of stress! We will, of course, be extending your expiration dates in order to make up for the missed issues, as we do for every combined issue. This issue is ultra combined, and please accept my apologies! As you know by now, unless you’ve been under a rock for the last two months or so, two of the three major air shows for 2020, as well as many smaller ones, have had to cancel due to the pandemic currently disrupting our lives. Dan Johnson has some words on the subject. Dan also has a report on the progress that lama has been making with faa. The timeline on that effort is still a long one, but the good news is that progress IS being made! If you plan to get an Experimental Light Sport or Amateur Built aircraft certified, then we have just the article for you. Arnold Holmes is a dar (Designated Airworthiness Representative), and he explains what you can expect from a dar visit, and what you need to do to prepare. From Dave Unwin across the pond, we have a review of the Spacek SD-1 Minisport. This is the plane that’s on the cover of this issue. Tom Delaney was able to cross off of his bucket list a flight to the Bahamas in his Magni gyro. Stephanie Gremminger has a report on the adventure. Speaking of adventures, poor Intrepid Explorer Jeff Hamann had a nightmare of a trip! In Part V of his flight in his ppg around the coast of Colombia, Jeff got some stunning pictures, but it sounded like he had to put up with a lot of unpleasantness in order to get them! We do, of course, have much more inside for your reading pleasure! And now that Spring is finally putting in an appearance, you can take your magazine outside and enjoy the budding trees and blooming flowers. Hopefully, you’re all doing well, with boredom (and possibly a desperate need for a haircut!) the worst that you’re having to endure. Moral Support Canine Alec and I are both needing that haircut, but otherwise we’re obeying the “shelter in place” order and show no signs of being sick. Let’s hope that by the time the next issue of psf comes out, the worst of this will be behind us, and we can return to our extended families, friends, and jobs. And air shows! Editorial
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 5 4 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying FREE CATALOG! 1-877-4SPRUCE www.aircraftspruce.com 7 7 7 8 2 3 ROTAX 912 iS ROTAX 914 UL TURBO ROTAX 915 iS ROTAX ENGINE HEADQUARTERS CALL 1-800-247-9653 • WWW.CPS-PARTS.COM California Power Systems | 225 Airport Circle | Corona, CA 92880 | 951-549-7786 | 24-Hour Fax: 951-372-0555 Press Pass Dealing with COVID19 Flight training, aircraft rentals, and charters are all looked upon by the California government (and other agencies) as being critical businesses during the covid-19 crisis. With that, keeping those aircraft clean and free of disease between instructors, students, renters, and passengers has become a critical concern for aircraft operators. To help meet that concern, Aircraft Spruce is now offering RealClean© products for aircraft interiors. RealClean© Aerocide Aircraft Interior Disinfectant provides sanitation of hard and soft surfaces throughout your aircraft. The disinfectant is available in a 32 oz. liquid mist spray bottle and as pre-saturated wipes with 160 per container. In light of recent health concerns, RealClean© stated, “this product has demonstrated to be an effective sanitizer against certain bacteria and viruses” To use Aerocide to sanitize the interior of your aircraft, RealClean© recommends using the pre-saturated wipes for disinfecting hard surfaces such as tray tables and galley areas. Use the spray bottle for disinfecting soft surfaces such as fabric and leather seating, carpeting, and textiles. For more information, contact Aircraft Spruce at (877) 477-7823 or (951) 372-9555. Aircraft Spruce’s complete product line is can be seen at www.aircraftspruce.com as well as in the company’s free 1,000+ page catalog. On October 19th & 20th 2019, South St Louis eaa Chapter 331 celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a fly-in held at Sullivan Field in Valmeyer, Illinois. In August at eaa-64’s Fly-in event, Charlie Becker of eaa Headquarters presented Travis Roberts the President of the Chapter 331, with a plaque commemorating their milestone. In 2017, Travis lead the merge of the defunct Gateway Area Ultralight Association with eaa Chapter 331, a union that welcomed all kinds of aviation to the local community. Since then, they have had several Fly-ins, both at Sackman Field in Columbia, Illinois and at Sullivan Field, both of which they call home. Their future plans include starting a builders workshop for adults and kids alike, and also a young eagles program. If you would like more information about eaa Chapter 331, please visit their website at 331.eaachapter.org. Clubs Merge and Celebrate a Milestone
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 7 6 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft by Dan Johnson Thinking Positively About A Post-Coronavirus 2020 — Pilots Still Want to Fly “This, too, shall pass…” said my neighbor, Bill Chernish, who flies for Southwest Airlines. His industry is unusually battered by the coronavirus pandemic. His calm and forward-looking view is refreshing amidst the fear seen, well… everywhere. For everyone around the globe, the word “coronavirus” or the clumsier “Covid-19” disease it causes, has been the major topic of conversations. Rarely have we seen one theme so dominate all the peoples of the planet. What comes afterward? I have no crystal ball but two recent posts online gave me a lift. Perhaps you can feel similarly. Psych up A recent Facebook post showed a pilot flying solo, clearly enjoying himself with a caption something like: “I find many of my favorite hobbies involve social distancing.” I grinned at his use of the new ubiquitous phrase but in the background of his image, the sky looked beautiful and his joy at being aloft was a welcome change of pace from the nonstop bummer news. Another great online comment was posted by Jabiru importer Scott Severen, who reasoned that flying your Light Sport Aircraft (or Sport Pilot kit or 103 ultralight) is a better way to have a look at the countryside. Same for traveling while the airlines are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Faster lsa are good for covering some distance and flying yourself sure beats waiting in tsa lines that have stretched to seven hours in some extreme cases, or getting on an airliner with hundreds of strangers (though seats are not all full now, by a wide margin). Scott’s hopeful expressions included: “Industry might see an uptick as small aircraft are terrific for regional travel.” He says they can be a time saver (think: no tsa). Further, he notes, “Traveling by lsa is more ‘point-to-point ’ with local airports generally closer to the destination. Our smaller aircraft can access most every airport in the usa.” Even in this tough period, when I called Scott for permission to use his words, he was completing a Jabiru sale. Finally, Scott observed, “Lower interest rates are opening the selection of aircraft for those looking at an acquisition… aircraft buyers [can help] stabilize the economy.” I love the point of Scott’s comments, which might be summarized as: When all you have are lemons, make lemonade. What to do, now You can do aviation-oriented things after you’ve worn out self-quarantining, social distancing, incessantly washing your hands, searching in vain for masks and hand sanitizer (and toilet paper), and perusing infection rate charts. Since nearly every media outfit is publishing advice about how to stay healthy (that’s good!), we want to encourage you to stay happy as well. Here are some ideas: • Read more websites like ByDanJohnson.com, which we guarantee is 100% coronavirus-free. • Watch more YouTube such as The Ultralight Flyer channel and the ByDanJohnson.com YouTube channel; no virus there either.
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 9 8 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft • Go fly! You’ll be out-of-doors, which is good. You’ll get aloft, which is even better. Skip taking anyone with you; flying solo is great fun and you can’t be exposed. • Now might be a great time to buy (as Scott hinted above; he’s making sales this week!). • Go to your shop and work on your aircraft kit, or to your hangar to pull some maintenance. • Be aeronautically active in ways that don’t spread infection… good for the local, state, and national economy. Is this too solitary? Hmmm…? Flying often takes place solo anyway. For years the aopa published a statistic that the average occupancy of a GA airplane — usually with four seats, sometimes more —was 1.6 persons. To reach that figure, a significant majority of all flights must have only the pilot inside. To average 1.6 in all aircraft when some may have four people on board, lots of flying has to be solo. Nothing wrong with that, in fact, I almost prefer solo, when I don’t have to be concerned with the other party joining me. The stats prove that it is not unusual to go flying on your own and it certainly meets the cdc’s advice that you practice social distancing. Notice that nowhere on that list do I mention attending airshows. Postponing is as common as social isolating Delay, postpone, or cancel — that seems to be the question organizers of events faced in the current pandemic scare. Some, like the Twelve Hours of Sebring endurance auto race (not the former Sebring Sport Aviation Expo) or the Sun ‘n Fun airshow, elected to postpone and announce alternative dates in 2020. Sebring quickly checked for a calendar opening and rescheduled for November, which presently looks safe. Sun ‘n Fun initially postponed until May 5-10, which everyone hoped would be post-coronavirus. Seeing that China’s infection rates were for the moment rapidly declining gave hope that the American situation could start to improve in the weeks ahead (I once wrote hopefully). More soon about that. Aero Friedrichshafen postpones Europe’s best show until 2021 One of the first to adjust to the new normal was Aero Friedrichshafen. “Our world has been turned upside down,” stated longtime Aero Friedrichshafen lead organizer, Roland Bosch. “Nevertheless,” he continued, “ it is still imperative for Messe Friedrichshafen (the exhibit operator’s business name) to look to the future.” “Since the coronavirus forced us to postpone the Aero Friedrichshafen scheduled for April 1 to 4, 2020, we have considered many possible options for rescheduling the event to take place at a later date,” Bosch explained. The result of these deliberations is that the next edition of the leading trade fair for general aviation will take place from April 14 to 17, 2021. “Neither the calendar of Messe Friedrichshafen nor the events taking place within the industry would have allowed easy rescheduling to the summer or fall of this year. After considering all the pros and cons, we found that a date in 2021 would be the only reasonable and acceptable way forward for the entire industry,” concluded Bosch. Like tens of thousands of others, I so enjoy this event and was looking forward to the show. I was able to back out of most booked travel and will start planning for the 2021 event. And then there was Sun ‘n Fun… My first thought was, “Relax, folks. We’re not going anywhere fast.” Across all industries, shows and events have been “ falling like dominos,” as publisher Ben Sclair put it when I first called to discuss Sun ‘n Fun 2020. I knew Ben would be watching very closely as his company produces the daily show paper. Then, the Twelve Hours of Sebring — attended by 150,000 race fans — ‘delayed’ their event, although in an extraordinarily deft move on their part, Sebring Raceway already rescheduled for November. This is impressive planning on short notice that reportedly came only after interacting with other scheduled racing events to find an open place on the calendar. New dates announced, but not for long Sun ‘n Fun 2020 Version 2 was first moved to May 5-10. Then in March, both of the giant Florida theme parks, Disney and Universal, announced they would close through the end of the month. Since then, Disney has announced that they will stay closed and don’t yet have a reopening date scheduled. Universal Studios is still planning an April 20 reopening. These Orlando-area businesses along with other theme parks draw 75 million visitors annually with a $75 billion economic impact, said officials, so even a few weeks of closure is a serious decision. In mid-March, Sun ‘n Fun leadership was heads down, in meetings, and consulting with others as they sought a direction amid the coronavirus turmoil. I am filled with empathy for the SnF crew. They were deep into planning plus physical actions with many people on the grounds for weeks as they prepare for the event. A lot of money had been spent that probably cannot be refunded. The organization said, “With the full support of Polk County, the City of Lakeland, Lakeland Linder International Airport, and the faa, at this time we are planning to postpone the 2020 Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo until May 5-10. We appreciate the unwavering support of our airport and community and hope everyone will make plans to join us here this May.” Then by the first of April, with strong recommendations for social distancing as well as Florida county-by-county shutdowns, it became obvious that wouldn’t work, either. Officials at Sun ‘n Fun finally announced that, “This year, we will serve (aviation professional, recreation, and teaching) communities by assisting in the defeat of the covid-19 pandemic. We stand with our local, state, and national leaders in supporting the social distancing and other health practices that will bring this outbreak to a halt as quickly as possible. Unfortunately supporting these initiatives will mean that the 2020 sun ‘n fun Aerospace Expo will be unable to proceed as originally planned. Our website, www.flysnf.org, will soon have complete details for ticket holders and event partners.” But not all is to be lost. Officials still want to host the event, even if it is in a far different way. As part of their announcement, they said, “We will be utilizing digital technology to bring you exciting events and content online in new and innovative ways. While we are of course disappointed that our traditional show must wait until 2021, we are invigorated and excited to announce several things to look forward to in the coming weeks in our brand new “sun ‘n fun at Home” Series. Please visit www.flysnf.org for details.” While these event closures are unfortunate, perhaps the pause in action will give them a chance to reinvent the events for 2021. Either way, event closures hopefully won’t keep you away from your own airplane. In fact, why are you still reading and not headed out to the airport? I have my keys in my hands; see you aloft— at a distance. Support Our Advertisers
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 11 10 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft Mechanically-Minded — Rainbow Starts Light Sport Repairman Training in Missouri Coronavirus or not, departures from the Golden State of California continue unabated. Before this novel virus ‘plague’ brought isolation around the world, one of our top Light Sport Aircraft service companies picked up sticks and moved more than halfway across this big country to Kingsville, Missouri (about one hour southeast of Kansas City). I recall this husband and wife team coming to eaa headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. At the time I was consulting to the organization as they prepared for the arrival of the new regulation. Brian and Carol showed up at eaa to brief them on their plans. That was 16 years ago and today Rainbow is the leading supplier of repairman classes. As the new rule was announced back in 2004, one aspect was the Light Sport Repairmen section, including lsr-inspection and lsr-maintenance privileges. The former, covered in a two-day weekend class, helps an owner perform an annual condition inspection on an lsa they own. To perform more involved work or to work on other people’s lsa for hire, a more intensive class was needed. Centrally-based Rainbow Aviation After training more than 5,000 students from nearly every U.S. state and from more than 20 different countries, Rainbow Aviation’s Light Sport Maintenance training programs have become internationally known as the premier light sport aviation maintenance training program. Their two principal offerings include the two-day Light Sport Repairman Inspection (lsr-i) course and the Light Sport Repairman Maintenance Certificate (lsr-m) course. If you aren’t sure which is right for you, read Carol Carpenter’s explanation at www.rainbowaviation.com. The lsr-i classes are taught across the entire country as well as internationally and allow students to obtain an faa-approved Light Sport Repairman Certificate to complete an annual condition inspection on an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft that they own. Once you have this certificate, it does not need to be renewed. The typically weekend class provides a lot of great information to an aircraft owner. Rainbow’s 15-day Light Sport Repairman Maintenance Courses are taught in their new home facility in Kingsville, Missouri. These courses allow the students to obtain an faa Light Sport Repairman Certificate with a Maintenance Rating (lsr-m), giving them the equivalent privileges of an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) with an Inspection Authorization (IA), but limited to light sport aircraft. Unlike the simpler, shorter lsr-i course, a person completing the longer, more involved lsr-m course may perform maintenance and inspections on anyone’s Special lsa or Experimental lsa and may charge for their services. No prerequisites are needed for the lsr-m course. A Repairman with a Maintenance rating does not need to be a pilot and the Repairman may also keep a portfolio of his work and apply for authorization to take the A&P written and practical exams for general aviation after working in the field for 30+ months under his or her own supervision. That represents a significant privilege and opportunity for lsr-m certificate holders. In addition, the lsr-m certificate may also serve as a stepping-stone to the dar (Designated Airworthiness Representative). This faa designation covers those who go inspect new slsa to provide them the certificate every Special lsa needs before it enters the aircraft fleet. Therefore, demand is good and this can provide earnings for the certificate holder while serving the consumer by making this essential service easier to obtain. What can you do if you take the 120-hour (15-day) lsrm Maintenance Program? • Operate commercially, earn money for providing maintenance and repair services • Work on Special Light Sport Aircraft • Work on Experimental Light Sport Aircraft • Perform annual inspections • Perform 100-hour inspections • Perform routine maintenance on slsa and elsa • Perform major repairs on slsa and elsa • Do avionics installations • Gain a pathway to an faa-issued A&P Certificate Rainbow graduates are all over the usa. Visit www.rainbowaviation.com to find one near you. Years ago at the very beginning of Light Sport Aircraft and Sport Pilot, Rainbow Aviation entrepreneurs Brian and Carol Carpenter started what would become the nation’s largest and most productive repairman training courseware provider. Rainbow’s lsr-m class is an faa approved workshop and an faa certificate will be issued after successful completion. You do not have to own an aircraft. You do not need to be a pilot. You may charge for your services. The fee for the lsrm course: $4,195 or $3,995 (if paying in cash) which, considering that you can earn money afterward, represents a good bargain. Classes before June this year are full, so the next opportunities are June 15 to June 30, 2020 and August 31 to September 15, 2020. What can you gain from the 16-hour (2-day) lsr-i Inspection Course intended for lsa owners? • Work on Experimental Light Sport Aircraft • Annual your own aircraft • Improve your safety • Reduce your maintenance problems • Gain a greater awareness of your aircraft Classes for the lsr-i course are offered across the country featuring top-notch instructors. Contact Rainbow Aviation for more details or to sign up for classes. Fifteen students took Rainbow Aviation’s first class at their new home in Kingsville, Missouri. Support Our Advertisers
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 13 12 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft FAA's Proposed Regulation (mosaic) — LAMA's Spring 2020 Update Report In recent months many light aviation enthusiasts have been asking about progress on faa’s proposed rewrite of the Light Sport Aircraft regulations. Following a lengthy teleconference in 2019, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is pleased to provide a further update for the agency’s work on mosaic, or Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification. This update is one of a continuing series. As time passes and faa progresses toward its goal — of issuing a nprm, Notice of Proposed Rule Making — lama requests a teleconference or in-person visit to learn the rule writers’ latest concepts and language decisions. This progress report identifies new discoveries and clarifies previous statements that may now be better understood. Some key messages faa is moving forward on the rulemaking project, yet everything remains in progress while the agency gathers internal assessments. What follows is as accurate as possible at this time but changes will occur. Nor can faa personnel guarantee that current proposals, as discussed in this progress report, will appear in the nprm. lama will continue asking faa for greater clarification until the agency enters “ex parte,” a quiet period when they can no longer discuss the project. That period remains in the future at this time. Common question — when? Almost everyone wants to know when this is coming, especially after an early (incorrect) statement that the change was coming by a date now well in the past. mosaic is not coming soon. Even though rule writers are progressing, this will take many more months. faa generally agreed with our back-calendar estimate that the nprm may be forthcoming in late 2021 or early 2022. This was based on the perceived amount of work remaining. The nprm must be released about that time to allow faa to have a finished regulation by the end of 2023. The 2023 date is a deadline set by the U.S. Congress as part of approving faa’s budget — called the faa Reauthorization Act of 2018. While changes in wording are inevitable, it is the big changes on which we will focus here. Please remember, mosaic encompasses more than lsa, but lama’s focus remains entirely on matters of interest to the lsa producer community, to other businesses that serve that market, and to the recreational pilot community. faa functions under the Department of Transportation. dot approved this project for rulemaking under its Fall 2019 Unified Rulemaking Agenda. faa advised that interested parties can go to this link: https://www.reginfo.gov/ public/do/eAgendaSimpleSearch and enter the following code in the field labeled “rin” — 2120-AL50. This action by the Department of Transportation does not mean an nprm will follow soon. FAA proposals under consideration What lama Originally Requested: • slsa (fully built, not kit) Gyroplanes • Aerial Work/Commercial Use • Electric Propulsion • Single Lever Control (in-flight adjustable prop) More Changes Under Consideration (to present-day lsa): • Increased weight (see below) • Four seats • Retractable gear • Maximum stall speed • Capped horsepower • Increased airspeed • Hybrid propulsion Questions raised since lama’s last progress report: • Will Sport Pilot-certificate holders be allowed to fly four-seaters? • Can Sport Pilots do aerial work or commercial use flying? • What changes will be made to lsa mechanics, specifically lsr-m? • What about turbine powerplants? faa’s Goals Remain the Same: • lsa of the future should remain “safe, simple, and easy to fly.” • “We want to be less prescriptive… to leave more for industry to decide.” • “lsa has been a successful development” (lsa experience was key in the rewrite of Part 23). • faa sees “opportunities to safely expand this sector of aviation while decreasing burden on the industry” and seeks to “make this a positive for industry.” Questions answered Airspeeds — Referring to maximum horizontal and never-to-exceed speeds (Vh and Vne), faa said, “These may be higher than in the current rule, but will still be limited.” At present, faa has given no specifics on speed, but reading between the lines, lama expects maximum flight speeds could be 140-150 knots. Pilot and Mechanic Certificates — Related to faa’s ultimate decisions about what a Sport Pilot is allowed to fly and for what flight missions, what about mechanics? Specifically, what changes are coming? faa is examining what type of mechanics (lsr-m or A&P) can do what kind of work on specific systems of aircraft. As an example, will a lsr-m be allowed to work on an in-flight adjustable prop, retractable landing gear, or electric/hybrid propulsion systems? These questions are still being evaluated, but faa acknowledges that the issue may work itself out through the industry consensus standards process as it has for similar maintenance issues. FAA general comments on sport pilot and mechanic questions Most of lama’s work has been with the Aircraft Certification division of the rule writing staff. That focus is of keenest interest to those designing and manufacturing aircraft. However, matters regarding operation of lsa falls under Flight Standards, the people who manage Part 61 (airmen certification) and Part 65 (mechanics). Because mosaic is such a wide-ranging rule, various other faa departments will address areas of their expertise. Note that this is a central reason why the regulation will take all of the next two years to fully develop. faa is evaluating what type of mechanics (lsr-m or A&P) can do what kind of work on specific systems of aircraft but maintain their focus on the consensus standards process to sort out maintenance issues. More on weight increase and the Power Index Perhaps the greatest amount of interest focuses on proposed weight changes. Repeating, faa will not specify a particular aircraft weight (as it does not do so for Part 23 certified aircraft of today). Instead, faa may employ something called the Power Index (basically a formula) to determine the size of an aircraft. Nonetheless, aircraft weight will increase, perhaps rather dramatically. Indeed, weight may rise to 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms). If faa will not set a specific weight, how do we know weight will increase and what can provide wise limits? faa may use “Power Index.” (Words like “may” are frequently used because this regulation is only a proposal at this time; however, faa personnel have seen what we are reporting here and offered clarifying suggestions to our language.) For those more technically oriented, at the bottom of this article is an engineering analysis by Powered Sport Flying publisher — and engineer, plus lama board of directors member —Roy Beisswenger. A number of pilots and aircraft developers, surprised by the large potential increase in weight, have wondered what will keep these aircraft from becoming very large. If faa will not specify a weight, what will prevent lsa 2023 from becoming heavier aircraft beyond the scope of lsa and the Sport Pilot certificate? Like the original Sport Pilot rule, MOSAIC is likely to touch many areas of the Federal Aviation Regulations, including certification, pilots, operations, mechanics, and with the addition of unmanned aerial systems.
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 15 14 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft TECHTALK “Power Index Explored More Deeply” by Roy Beisswenger The FAA is loath to have prescriptive weight limits in MOSAIC. Instead, they are working with other kinds of formulae to describe limits without specifically calling out the actual weight of the aircraft. One idea floated within the FAA was to use a calculation called a Power Index or Ip. It is described by the formula: Ip = {(W/S)/(W/P)} 1/3, where: W = maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) in pounds, S = wing area in square feet, P = maximum rated power in horsepower at sea level and standard temperature. If the Ip value worked out to be less than 1.2, it was proposed at one point that the aircraft would fit within the definition of a Light Sport Aircraft. This formula would only work for airplanes, not applying to rotorcraft, powered parachutes and weight shift control trikes. Earlier, an Excel spreadsheet escaped from the FAA that allowed a user to plug in different values for maximum gross weight, wing area, and maximum horsepower and it would instantly calculate the Power Index value. Industry people played around with the spreadsheet, putting in different values. Soon they found that no matter what value they put in for the weight of an aircraft, it never changed the Ip. This became a topic of vigorous discussion. However, there is a very simple explanation for the lack of sensitivity of the formula to weight. And in fact, the explanation comes from algebraically simplifying the equation itself. When you do that, you find that even though weight appears in the original equation, it quickly drops out since it is in both the numerator and the denominator. So let’s start with the original equation: Ip = {(W/S)/(W/P)} 1/3 If you divide by a fraction, that means that you are multiplying by the inverse of that fraction. (The inverse meaning that you switch the numerator and denominator.) Doing that, you get this: Ip = {(W/S) * (P/W)} 1/3 That means that the weight is being divided by the weight, which works out to 1. The equation then solves to: Ip = {P/S} 1/3 That means that weight has no influence on the Power Index. Instead, the power index is essentially a ratio between the power of the engine in horsepower and the size of the wing. Now that the equation is simplified, we can do something else interesting. Let’s solve for Max Power: Ip = {P/S} 1/3 Ip³ = P/S Ip³ * S = P In other words, the larger the wing, the more power you can use. That certainly makes sense from a safety point of view. Solving for Max Wing Size: S = P/Ip³ That says the same thing. The more power you have, the larger your wings need to be. Let’s see what that looks like with some real world numbers. If you have a 100-hp motor (for example, the very common 100-hp Rotax 912uls) then for an Ip of 1.2, your smallest possible wing size is: S = 100/1.4³ = 57.87 square feet As an example, the wing area of a Flight Design ctsw is 107.0 square feet, indicating that it is considerably larger than the minimum 57.87 square feet defined by an Ip of 1.2. This probably means that an Ip of 1.2 is unlikely to be the only way that a light sport airplane will be defined with MOSAIC. Perhaps a smaller number will be used or perhaps it is only going to be one way of defining a light sport airplane (see above constraints). Perhaps a minimum stall speed (above) may also be included. That way a maximum gross weight won’t be cooked directly into the regulations, but will still end up being a consideration for airplane designers. The Flight Design CTLS is a light sport aircraft under the FAA current rules and would fit easily in the definition of a light sport aircraft under MOSAIC using the power index value proposed. In addition to the Power Index concept, here are methods to describe and constrain unlimited weight as learned in lama’s last conference with faa: • 200 horsepower hard point —As with other parts, this is not fully determined yet but 200 horsepower may be a cap • 50 knot stall — presumably with lift devices; such as flaps or leading edge devices deployed • 1.2 Power Index (still being devised; please do not assume this is a final value faa will accept for rule making) — See “tech talk” in the panel to the left. • Thus, aircraft that fit the criteria will likely weigh less than 3,000 pounds (≈1365 kilograms) This report is current and was reviewed in March 2020. It is as accurate as we can make it at this time, but it bears repeating one more time: this is a regulation still in process. Many changes may occur. Despite that caveat, the report shows where faa is generally headed with mosaic. Keep your seat belts fastened! Support Our Advertisers
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 17 16 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft Flyer Bites the Dust An aircraft I tried hard to go fly for a review (I failed, despite a strong inside connection)… is going away forever. I refer to the Kitty Hawk Flyer. This single-seat aircraft, nicely upgraded from its first awkward-looking configuration, had its electric-charger plug pulled when the company discontinued the one-place multicopter. The following information and quotes come from a recent article in Forbes online… “Flyer [is] a single-seat, battery-powered aircraft intended to be a low-altitude fun machine for use over water, like a jet ski on rotors.” The writer is clearly not an active pilot but his reporting appears consistent with other details I’ve heard. In 2017, Kitty Hawk started taking deposits, promising to deliver Flyers to willing buyers by the end of that year. Supported by the deep pockets of Google’s Larry Page, Kitty Hawk was able to hire engineers, machinists and designers to create cutting-edge aircraft. However, Bogaisky noted, “The company faces the same problems as any aspirant in the field: the poor energy density of the current generation of batteries severely limits the flight times and carrying capacity of electric aircraft.” He added that “Building a functioning prototype is faster and easier than turning it into a reliable product that satisfies aviation regulators’ safety requirements.” The technical issues proved quite difficult. “The latest prototype was breaking down frequently,” Bogaisky wrote. “[Flyer] needed regular troubleshooting and repair by engineers, three former employees said.” He reported one employee saying, “This thing would break every few hours and need service.” One observation I add…Even with seemingly unlimited funds and a well-paid staff, Kitty Hawk cannot yet make Flyer a viable product. Perhaps they will and maybe, just maybe, they will continue with the single seat, supposedly-Part 103 Flyer. Regrettably, I won’t be holding my breath even though I am very intrigued by multicopter-type designs. For now, I guess I’ll look elsewhere to take a flight in one of these new-style aircraft. • Flyer upgraded version— photo from CNBC.com The original Flyer, as seen at AirVenture 2017 Support Our Advertisers “Two years later, however, Kitty Hawk’s promise to bring personal flying to the masses has failed to take wing yet amid technical problems and safety issues with Flyer and unresolved questions about its practical use, according to four former Kitty Hawk employees who were among six who spoke to Forbes on the condition of anonymity due to nondisclosure agreements.” Aerospace & Defense reporter Jeremy Bogaisky wrote, “Kitty Hawk confirmed to Forbes that, after unveiling a more polished version of Flyer last year, it has decided not to sell the one-seater to individuals and has returned deposits to would-be buyers. Behind closed doors, Flyer encountered problems, including frequent breakdowns and fires involving batteries, electric motors and wiring, two former engineers said. Last year, the Mountain View Fire Department was called to put out an early morning blaze at the Flyer building, city records show; former employees said the fire at the Google-owned building involved damaged batteries that had been pulled out of a Flyer that had crashed the previous day in flight testing under remote operation.” Bogaisky noted that no one had been injured in the crash or fire. Kitty Hawk’s Flyer “conducted 26,000 test flights with over 100 prototype vehicles,” said Shernaz Daver, an advisor to Kitty Hawk. “No person has ever been harmed or exposed due to undue risk.”
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 19 18 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying Tips from a DAR An Introduction to Experimental Aircraft Certification I get many questions about the process of certifying an experimental light sport or amateur built aircraft. I am always happy to assist people as they prepare their aircraft and paperwork for a visit from a friendly Designated Airworthiness Representative (dar). The first thing I always tell people is to not be nervous because generally speaking, the process can be painless if you are prepared. First, however, let’s talk about your options for certification and who you can use. What I am going to describe in this article are certifications that are applicable to this audience. There are many different types of certification but I will only cover what readers of this article are likely to encounter. There are two different folks who can certify your aircraft. Obviously, you can call your local faa Flight Standards District Office (fsdo) or alternatively the Manufacturing Inspection District Office (mido). Aviation Safety Inspectors (asi) in either office are able to complete your aircraft certification. There is at least one upside to this approach in that the certification services they provide are free. The downside to this approach is that the faa offices are heavily loaded with work and do not generally put your experimental aircraft certification at the top of the priority list. It is not uncommon that you will wait many months for an faa inspector to come out. Secondarily, many faa inspectors do not have the in-depth training regarding experimental aircraft necessary to conduct a thorough inspection. This is why dar’s exist. A dar is an industry expert with a high level of experience gained through many years of exposure to the type of aircraft he or she is called upon to certify. Part of qualifying to be a dar requires that you have built at least one aircraft that has been certificated and flown a minimum 100 hours, and also be an A&P mechanic. These qualifications should provide you with a dar that has a level of experience far greater than the faa office personnel. The difference with a dar is that they charge for their services. When you contact your local dar he or she will tell you how much they charge. You should expect something between $500.00 to possibly $1000.00 if lengthy travel is involved. You can use the “find a dar” search on the faa website to find a person in your area. For this article we will concentrate on the two most common certifications. These would be Experimental Amateur Built (e-ab) and Experimental Light sport (e-lsa). e-ab is simply any type of aircraft that has been built from plans or a kit where the builder has completed at least 51% of the tasks required to finish the aircraft. There are several ways to determine if your aircraft qualifies for e-ab. First, you can use the Appendix 8 checklist from Advisory Circular AC 20-27G to evaluate if you have done enough to meet the 51% rule. You would use this checklist if you have built a highly prefabricated kit that is not listed on the National Kit Evaluation list (nket). nket is the second way you can determine if you qualify. The nket list can be found by going to the main faa website and entering nket into the search box. If your kit is shown on this list you will also find an approval letter; you should print this off and submit it to your dar. This approval letter essentially says that the kit you have built has been evaluated by the team and they have determined that if you built it according to the directions, you will have done at least 51% of the tasks required. You will submit to your dar one of two documents with respect to the 51% rule, either the Appendix 8 checklist or the nket approval letter. There is an Appendix 8 checklist for airplanes, gyros, helicopters and weight shift vehicles. Pick the one that applies to your aircraft. Now let’s talk about e-lsa. An e-lsa certification can take two forms. First, if you buy an e-lsa kit from an established s-lsa manufacturer and you build it strictly in by Arnold Holmes accordance with the manuals then you are eligible for an e-lsa certification. It is important to understand that you are required to build the aircraft exactly as the instructions tell you to, with absolutely no deviations allowed. Your completed aircraft must be a carbon copy of what the company builds in its factory. To make a point, an e-lsa kit cannot exist if an s-lsa factory-produced model does not exist. In this case, when you buy your kit the factory will provide you with a form called the 8130-15 Light Sport Aircraft/Kit Statement of Conformity. You will be required to submit this form to your dar. It will already be filled out by the factory; there is nothing for the applicant to do besides provide it to the dar. The second type of e-lsa certification is where an applicant owns a currently flying s-lsa aircraft and wishes to convert it to e-lsa. The reasons for this are varied but generally most people do it because they want the freedom to change things without needing factory approval. One word of warning, however: once you have converted to e-lsa, there is no going back. You cannot return to s-lsa ever again. Now, what does it take to be prepared? The best place to start is with an aircraft that is ready for flight. Do not schedule your dar to come visit if your aircraft is not ready for flight. With the exception of having cowlings off and inspection panels open your aircraft should be ready to push out of the hangar and go fly. My method for the visit is as follows: Meet and greet, general walk around of the aircraft just to get an eyeball on the big picture and to also look for obvious issues. Next, we sit down and complete any necessary paperwork. Following that comes the inspection. I start with the engine and work my way around the aircraft. I ask the applicant to demonstrate engine operation, external lighting, controls, etc. If I find discrepancies then I give the applicant time to correct them. If they cannot correct them during my visit then we discuss a return visit; keep in mind that return visits cost more money. If the aircraft passes inspection, I issue an airworthiness certificate and the applicant is then free to install inspection panels, cowl engine and start testing. Some of the more commonly missed items are the easiest, things like forgetting to put the N number on the aircraft or not installing the passenger warning/experimental (or light sport) placard or forgetting the aircraft ID plate. I provide my applicants with some guidance before I arrive and I also heavily recommend the eaa package that they sell for aircraft certification. An important note to remember. You cannot start certification until you have a N number assigned to your aircraft. Many people reserve an N number but never have it assigned. You must have it assigned before any certification paperwork can start. There is a lot to do turn your project into an aircraft and a good dar can help you get there. • Some aircraft, for example like most gyroplanes, can currently only be certificated as experimental -amateur-built.
www.PSFmagazine.com | March-April 2020 | 21 20 | March-April 2020 | Powered Sport Flying USUA News Setting a Record If you are in the United States and would like to set an aviation world record, you should first read the current FAI Sporting Code. For Microlights, it is called Section 10 and can be downloaded for no charge from the microlight section of www.fai.org For Rotorcraft, the part of the Sporting Code you need to refer to is Section 9. It can also be downloaded for no charge. Then, contact the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) to learn more about how you can set your own record! Visit them at www.na a.aero Gyroplane • Sub-Class: E-3a / Autogyros: take-off weight less than 500 kg • Category: General • Group: 1: piston engine • Type of Record: Speed over a recognized course • Pilot: James Ketchell (United Kingdom) • Aircraft: M 16 / Magni powered by Rotax 914 • Previous Record: No records set yet. • Claim Number: 19087 • Course/Location: Kulusuk, Greenland (Denmark)–Reykjavik (Iceland) • Performance: 140.26 km/h (87.15 mph) • Date: 09/06/2019 • Previous Record: No record set yet. and... • Claim Number: 19088 • Course/Location: Reykjavik (Iceland)– Vagar, Faeroe islands (Denmark) • Performance: 151.14 km/h (93.91 mph) • Date: 09/09/2019 • Previous Record: No record set yet. and • Claim Number: 18973 • Course/Location: Popham, Basingstoke (United Kingdom)–Nome, Alaska (USA) • Performance: 4.4 km/h (2.7 mph) • Date: 06/06/2019 and • Claim Number: 19086 • Course/Location: Iqaluit, Nunavut (Canada)– Nuuk, Greenland (Denmark) • Performance: 148.24 km/h (92.11 mph) • Date: 09/02/2019 • Previous Record: No record set yet. World Records and Attempts FAI has ratified the following Class E (Rotorcraft) and Class R (Microlights) World records. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the National Aeronautic Association, the United States Ultralight Association and Powered Sport Flying Magazine all congratulate the Pilots on their splendid achievements. Gyroplane • Claim Number: 19101 • Sub-Class: E-3a / Autogyros: take-off weight less than 500 kg • Category: General • Group: 1: internal combustion engine • Type of Record: Speed around the world, Eastbound • Course/Location: Popham, Basingstoke (United Kingdom) • Performance: 10.23 km/h (6.36 mph) • Pilot: James Ketchell (United Kingdom) • Aircraft: M 16 / Magni powered by Rotax 914 • Date: 09/22/2019 • Previous Record: No record set yet. FAI has received the following Class R (Microlights and Paramotors) World record claims. The details shown above are provisional. When all the evidence required has been received and checked, the exact figures will be established and the record ratified (if appropriate). Airplane • Sub-Class: ral2t / Microlights: Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal Engine • Category: Not applicable • Group: Not applicable • Type of Record: Speed over a straight course • Course/Location: Marzaglia, Modena (Italy) • Performance: 337.51 km/h (209.72 mph) • Pilot: Alberto Rodolfo Porto (Italy) • Members: Elisa Tomasi (Italy) • Aircraft: Risen / SEA powered by Rotax 914 • Date: 12/15/2019 • Current Record: 323.82 km/h (201.21 mph) (12/16/2015) Airplane • Claim Number: 19199 • Sub-Class: ral2t / Microlights: Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal Engine • Category: Not applicable • Group: Not applicable • Type of Record: Speed over a closed circuit of 50 km ( miles) • Course/Location: Marzaglia, Modena (Italy) • Performance: 288.33 km/h (179.16 mph) • Pilot: Alberto Rodolfo Porto (Italy) • Members: Elisa Tomasi (Italy) • Aircraft: Siren / Porto Aviation Group powered by Rotax 912 • Date: 12/15/2019 • Current Record: 274.8 km/h (170.8 mph) (12/15/2011) Powered Parachute • Claim Number: 19208 • Sub-Class: rpl1t / Paramotors: Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with one person / Thermal Engine • Category: Not applicable • Group: Not applicable • Type of Record: Distance over a closed circuit without landing • Course/Location: Madrid (Spain) • Performance: 252.82 km (157.10 miles) • Pilot: Martin Carpio Garcia (Spain) • Aircraft: Explorer Rocky / Airfer • Date: 12/28/2019 • Current Record: 222.4 km (138.2 miles) (06/11/2017– Cesar dos Santos Medeiros, Brazil)
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