www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 3 2 | January/February 2021 | 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 618-410-8206 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 © 2021 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 28, 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 Welcome to another edition of Powered Sport Flying! This is another late issue, for which we apologize. And after a lot of thought, we’ve made a big decision. You can read about it in Roy’s column at the end of the magazine. One thing he forgot to mention, though, and it’s very important. For those of you who have already subscribed prior to this issue, your expiration dates will not be affected – you’ll still get the number of issues for which you’ve paid. This change will go into effect with all subscriptions from this point forward. And please know how much we appreciate the patience that you’ve shown us over the years as the two of us have tried to accomplish what nearly all the other magazines in the world do with a lot more staff! On a personal note, now: as many of you know from FaceBook, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2020 and have been dealing with that. So very many of you have sent cards, personal messages and texts, and notes on the FB posts, and your support has been much appreciated! This hasn’t been easy, but I’m doing well and continuing to do what I can for the recreational aviation community. Again, thank you for the support! Dan Johnson has some good information for you in this issue, including a short article on the Mt Vernon, Illinois, Midwest lsa Expo, one of the few events to take place last year. I was there and it was a good event, with Chris Collins and his team of volunteers putting on a good show for us! In this issue, we have a review from Dimitri Delemarle of the Lite Gyro Pagotto, an Italian machine. This is a nice little single-seat version. In Roy’s Top 10 article, he shares some of the things he’s learned over his many years of giving flight instruction. While he talks about powered parachute training, a lot of this is also relevant to training in any kind of recreational aircraft. Jeff Hamann is back with Part vii of his trip around the coast of Colombia in a powered paraglider. This is the final part of his adventures down the coast of that country. Jeff had quite the adventure! As always, he’s provided some spectacular photos of his trip. We also have a book review, press releases, a calendar of events (Covid-19 restrictions permitting), and advertisers with products for you to look over. Here’s to a good 2021 – may we all be healthy! Editorial
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 5 4 | January/February 2021 | 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 92878 | 951-549-7786 | 24-Hour Fax: 951-372-0555 Press Pass Comant E Series Antennas for Experimental Aircraft Available now at Aircraft Spruce, is the new Comant E Series line of antennas for experimental aircraft. The Comant E Series blends dependability and affordability to fit most homebuilt aircraft antenna needs. The series includes solutions for ADS-B, ADS-B/DME, and VHF, all specifically designed for home-built and LSA aircraft. These new antennas are now in stock! Please visit www.aircraftspruce.com for complete information. There you can also see Aircraft Spruce’s complete product line as well as through the company’s free 1,000+ page catalog. Free Admission For Ages 18 and Under at Eaa AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 The Experimental Aircraft Association (eaa) announced that young people ages 18 and under will be admitted free to eaa AirVenture Oshkosh 2021, as a way to introduce more youth to the possibilities in the world of flight. The 68th Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention will be July 26-August 1 at Wittman Regional Airport. This effort is designed to encourage more aviation-minded families and their children to attend the event that brings more than 10,000 aircraft from around the world to Oshkosh each year. “eaa’s mission is growing participation in aviation and in 2019, after eaa reduced admission costs for students, we saw an increased number of families coming to AirVenture,” said Jack J. Pelton, eaa’s ceo/chairman of the board. “As we continue to plan for a full AirVenture fly-in in 2021, inspiring young people and giving them a first look at what ’s possible in aviation is part of our mission, but it ’s only achievable if they can get in the gate. This effort will build on the more than 60 years where AirVenture has earned a reputation as a wonderful family event. We invite youth from around the world to experience AirVenture at no cost.” The free youth admission is available throughout AirVenture week. Longstanding youth activities and programs at AirVenture include such popular offerings as the hands-on KidVenture display and program area; technology, innovation, and education options throughout the grounds; and extraordinary events such as daily air shows and more than 1,500 forums, workshops, and seminars. Complete admission pricing and advance online purchase is currently available at eaa.org/AirVenture.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 7 6 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying POWERED PARACHUTE MUSEUM Press Pass Many powered parachute enthusiasts don’t realize that Bob Moraski of Bark River, Michigan, has been working on a Powered Parachute Museum for 30+ years. During that time, he has assembled some interesting and oneof-a-kind classics. The powered parachutes in the collection include names from both the past and present such as Condor, Destiny, Blue Heron, Bullet, SunDog, Paraski, Gemni, Sky Master, Paraplane, Buckeye, Viking, Parascender, Sea Bow, Powrachute, Paradise Flyer and Harmening High Flyer. Also in the collection are some very special aircraft like John Kennedy Jr.’s Buckeye, Les Shockley’s Indy Car (look-alike) Pyrotectic Powered Parachute, the Flying Honda Motorcycle by Al Bragg, a Parahawk from the James Bond movie “The World Is Not Enough,” an all-electric Preserving the History of Powered Parachuting powered parachute, Bill Amyx’s Pyrotectic Powrachute, an all-enclosed Powrachute and a sideby-side Powrachute prototype by Jeff Williams. Bob Moraski doesn’t have any family members to take over the collection. His concern at this point is that he doesn’t want the collection to be broken up and put into disarray should something happen to him. That means putting together legal and financial safeguards to preserve this unique set of aircraft for future generations to enjoy. If you have a love for history and these amazing aircraft, Bob can use your help! He is looking for ideas and hopefully some financial backing, for the effort it is going to take to maintain the collection. He would appreciate it if you could reach out to him by texting your phone number to (906) 748-3545, and he promises to get back to you promptly! Below: John Kennedy Jr.'s Buckeye. Above right: Bill Amyx and his Pyrotechnic Powrachute.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 9 8 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Press Pass Production Agreement Signed Between Air Command and Blackhawk Composites A six-year Partnership Agreement was recently signed between Blackhawk Composites Inc. in Morgantown, Kentucky, and both Air Command International llc and Skywheels llc, in River Falls, Wisconsin. The Partnership Agreement allows Blackhawk to continue to manufacture Skywheels, a very popular high-inertia gyroplane rotor blade system that was recently reintroduced, as well as appoints Blackhawk as the exclusive manufacturer of rotorcraft parts and assemblies for Air Command’s gyroplane kit models. The new arrangement also names Blackhawk as the worldwide parts distribution center for all Air Command and Skywheels products. “The Blackhawk Team is very excited about the opportunity to partner with Joe and his two companies to support the Gyroplane Market,” said Matt Shieman, Chairman at Blackhawk Aerospace. “While this is a new market segment for Blackhawk, it is consistent with our desire to support the aviation industry and grow the involvement of pilots globally.” Since the reintroduction of Skywheels composite rotor blades earlier this year, Blackhawk has manufactured eight total rotor blade sets, four of which were scheduled to ship out recently. To meet increasing demand, Blackhawk will ramp up production. “Blackhawk and its talented team have truly earned the trust of our two companies as a manufacturing partner and allows us to expand into new areas with them as a single-source provider,” according to Joe Covelli, president at both Air Command and Skywheels. He added, “The expansion will save money and time and allow us to offer competitively priced gyroplane kits shipped directly from Blackhawk to our customers worldwide. Blackhawk’s AS9100 aerospace standards and workflow process match with our requirements in providing quality-built parts on-time and within strict specifications for ease of assembly by our customers, who are also the owner-builders of our products.” Air Command and Skywheels’ products have been paired together since 1984, allowing each company to be built and to prosper on the success of the other. In the beginning, Air Command was selling two gyroplane kits per day to meet worldwide demand. Air Command International, one of the oldest gyroplane kit manufacturers operating today, started in 1979. Air Command has been manufacturing build-to-fly gyroplane kits since its first flight in 1984. Air Command has an excellent, longstanding reputation in the world of gyroplanes for aeronautical design, safety and performance. Its do-it-yourself kits offer a fun experience at the right price point. For more information about Air Command and Skywheels rotor blade systems, visit www.aircommand.com. For more information about Blackhawk Aerospace Composites and their capabilities, visit composites.blackhawk.aero. Skywheels is an engineered rotor system comprised of two rotor blades, a center section, essential tower height parts, and AN retention hardware. The high-inertia design favors performance, safety, predictability, and forgiveness. Skywheels is designed to exceed the requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation Part 27 (requirements for normal category rotorcraft). Nearly 6,000 rotor blades were delivered from 1984 until 2001. Then in 2018, the Air Command-affiliated company, Skywheels, llc, acquired the original tooling, test equipment and intellectual property to again manufacturer 23- to 29-foot blade systems to benefit sport flying. Support Our Advertisers Zenith STOL CH701 for Microsoft Flight Simulator Released On December 24th, 2020, a brand new aircraft was released for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The Zenith stol ch701 is a short take-off and landing kit aircraft that is great for first time builders and sport pilots, manufactured and marketed as a kit by Zenith Aircraft Company. The aircraft is designed with the capabilities of an ultralight aircraft but with an all-metal construction. The aircraft comes with a number of features including detailed visual models, a realistic flight model and accurate sounds from the aircraft recorded from the real deal. In addition, the product comes with various liveries and also a bush trip designed to take you through New York State in some challenging and tough locations, taking advantage of the stol functionality of the plane. Learn more about Zenith Aircraft at www.zenithair.com.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 11 10 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft 2020 Is History — How Did Light Aircraft Fare in this Year of Fear? Everyone knows 2020 was arguably the most unusual year in anyone’s recollection. In such a time of global upheaval, how did the light aircraft industry fare? As always, my sincerest thanks goes to our premier datastician Steve Beste. His work is the primary resource for this report. While I deeply appreciated the work done for years by former data guy (and personal friend), Jan Fridrich, Steve’s career in databases gave him skills that few others possess. Since he’s also ‘one of us’ — a trike owner and pilot — Steve understands what we hope to achieve better than data experts outside affordable aviation. We believe the following information is the best and most reliable found anywhere in the world. However, any sharp readers who see errors or omissions are encouraged to speak up; we have often benefited from reader input and welcome any chance to improve our reporting. 2020 and Covid... Surviving or Thriving? Steve Best summarized, “Registrations grew by about 4% in 2020, down from 10% growth the year before.” Many may be surprised. Registrations grew? …in 2020!? Indeed, they did, and that’s without counting Part 103 ultralights that do not need to be registered with faa. We’ll have lots more on Part 103s in a couple months (the effort continues to contact all 57 producers currently identified). Other than Part 103 vehicles… “The market splits into three distinct categories,” Steve began. He listed: 1. Zenair/Zenith, which registered* almost twice as many aircraft (86) as anyone else in 2020, followed by 2. the next four, each with over 40 registrations in 2020, and then 3. everyone else. Trailing the longtime leader of this segment was Van’s and their RV-12 (we do not cover the other models Van’s sells), followed by Kitfox, Rans, Sonex, and Just. “The leading registrations were almost all kit-built planes that can be flown by someone with a Sport Pilot certificate or using those privileges with a higher certificate — hence, “Sport Pilot kits.” Van’s Aircraft’s RV-12 can be bought factory-built as an slsa, but of the 54 RV12s registered in 2020, only 11 were rtfs.” Builders completed their kit-built planes at a good pace in 2020. In the chart below, the red line shows factory-built aircraft, slsas and elsas. The brown line shows kit-built aircraft. Steve observed, “Historically, most of ‘my’ kind of aircraft have been factory-built but that ’s no longer true. Now factory-built and kit-built are on par.” Indeed kits have been rising faster since about 2015 —where from 2005 (when the first slsa were accepted by faa) through 2014, ready-to-fly aircraft were pulling away. Why is this true? Many reasons might explain but affordability is a key element and, no question about it, investing your labor reduces the cash outlay to have your own airplane. At the same time, the sophistication of Special lsa has risen over the years. Features such as bigger, more powerful engines, autopilot, big fancy panel displays, leather interiors, complex manufacturing with carbon fiber, and the cost of complying with astm standards has increased the cost of some slsa beyond $200,000. At this price point, some readers note a recreational aircraft can cost more than your house (not in California or New England, perhaps, but in many U.S. regions this may be true). “Look at the slope of the lines [in the Fleet Growth by Certification graph on the next page],” Steve advises. “The green (kit) line is steeper, especially last year. That means two Support Our Advertisers Aeroprakt A-22 SLSA
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 13 12 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft Registrations are not sales or deliveries. Kit-built aircraft are rarely registered in the same year they were delivered so kit registrations in 2020 may not reflect 2020 sales, which could have been lower or higher. Special and Experimental LSA of any kind are likely to be registered the same year they were manufactured. Over time, registrations and deliveries tend to align. 2020 Market Rank by Make All Aircraft: LSA & Kit-Built Number of Aircraft Registrations # Manufacturer Main Model* 2018 2019 2020 Totals 623 636 665 1 Zenair/Zenith CH750 82 71 86 2 Vans RV-12 39 52 55 3 Kitfox S7 Sport 29 39 54 4 Rans S-21 Outbound 35 49 49 5 Sonex Sonex/Waiex 25 29 44 6 Just Highlander 18 21 27 7 Magni M-24 Orion 18 10 22 8 Powrachute Airwolf 22 11 20 9 Quad City Challlenger 12 16 19 Vashon Ranger R7 8 14 19 11 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey 21 19 18 12 Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat 5 3 15 American Legend Legend Cub 11 16 15 14 Evolution Rev X 12 6 14 15 AutoGyro MTO 21 21 13 16 Icon • A5 45 42 13 17 BRM Bristell 15 11 12 18 Kolb Mark iii 8 4 11 19 Scoda Super Petrel 4 2 10 20 Quicksilver MX 4 9 9 Tecnam P2008 12 7 9 22 Aeropro (Aerotrek) A240/A220 5 11 8 23 Pipistrel Sinus 25 13 7 Sling Aircraft Sling 6 10 7 25 Texas Aircraft Colt 100 1 1 6 things: First, a lot of people finished their kit planes in 2020 – more than finished them in 2019 (so that ’s how they spent their lockdown time). Secondly, people are buying more kits than factory-built aircraft. Of course, there’s a lag in the data*. Some of those 2020 completions represent purchases from years before. Still, the kit segment has overtaken the factory-built segment.” Special and Experimental Light Sport Aircraft Aside from fixed-wing Sport Pilot Kits, Italian gyroplane maker Magni more than doubled its registrations. And among ready-to-fly (rtf) models, Scoda’s Super Petrel amphibian had a breakout year. Yet all is not well. Icon sank from 5th place to 15th, with just 13 registrations, down from 42 last year. AutoGyro’s numbers dropped 38%. “The largest gyroplane manufacturer in the world is reportedly undergoing a ‘corporate restructuring,’ Steve noted. We do not cover the Primary Aircraft category where some AutoGyro models may appear after they spent generously to achieve that certification with faa. With the coming lsa regulation preparing (we believe) to allow slsa gyroplanes, the advantage in having Primary Category approval is diminishing.” Fleet Growth by Certi cation Total Aircraft in the FAA Registry Over 15 Years 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 4500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 SLSA & ELSA Aircraft Kit-Built Sport Pilot Aircraft Total in Fleet in 2000 = 51% Fleet Growth by Certification Year All Segments SLSA/ELSA Light Kit-Built (Sport Pilot Kits) 2020 665 247 418 2019 636 263 373 2018 63 278 345 Whatever the explanation, Italy-based Magni surged from well behind the market leader to race ahead in the American gyroplane market for 2020. lsa Seaplanes — a category all its own. Two companies stand out from the rest in 2020. Datastician Steve wrote, “Progressive Aerodyne’s SeaRey is the leader among amphibians now that Icon has slipped.” This must be particularly delicious for those working at the Tavares, Florida airplane manufacturer. SeaRey existed long before Icon Aircraft. Once solely a kit builder, after adding slsa models Progressive has steadily marched forward, even during ownership and management changes. SeaRey’s steady performance year in and year out wins the match against A5. These days, the two are priced dramatically Support Our Advertisers 2020 Market Rank by Make Special Light Sport Seaplanes Number of Aircraft Registrations # Manufacturer Main Model* 2018 2019 2020 Totals 79 76 48 1 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey 21 19 18 2 Icon • A5 45 42 13 3 Scoda Super Petrel 4 2 10 4 SeaMax M-22 4 5 4 5 Aero Adventure Aventura II 3 3 3 6 Airtime Cygnet 2 5 0
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 15 14 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft differently and SeaRey remains a great value. Brazil’s Scoda Aeronautica’s Super Petrel LS has joined the leaders with a breakout year in 2020. And coming in 2021, New Zealand’s Vickers Wave expects first flights this spring. And there is one more. Although presently a kit producer, Aero Adventure will be offering a fully-built model and its price point is sure to attract new buyers for this long-proven design. One statement is true for lsa seaplanes and all other recreational segments: The ease of market entry compared to conventionally-certified ‘legacy’ airplanes is sure to keep developers on their toes, demanding they continually make their aircraft more desirable. Alternative Aircraft: Trikes/Gyroplanes/ Powered Parachutes. Fixed-wing, three-axis aircraft have dominated Light Sport Aircraft since the start. However, what I term “alternative aircraft” (anything not a fixed-wing three-axis model) have long made up about a quarter of the total and this remains true. In this new year, I suspect we will find that Part 103 ultralights will factor in significantly. Among these lightest powered, wheeled aircraft, fixed-wing, three-axis will be the lion’s share but alternative aircraft represent a percentage you cannot ignore. My expectation is that unit sales of Part 103 fixed-wing and alternative models may exceed the total of slsa/elsa models sold. They are less costly by a wide margin — in some cases only one-tenth the cost of a deluxe Special lsa. Reviewing the charts and tables accompanying this report, Steve noted, “Except for Magni, gyroplane registrations were down. This hot segment seems to have cooled a bit in 2020.” I would add that this could change a lot once the new regulation is announced and ready-to-fly gyroplanes can be sold by any company that earns faa acceptance via astm industry consensus standards. “Trike registrations were flat overall,” Steve said. However, he added, “Evolution Trikes had a big comeback in 2020. Interestingly, they registered only one of their high-end Revo trikes. Fortunately, Larry Mednick branched out into the mid-sized RevoLT and the single-seat RevX. The latter is like a high-performance ultralight, so perhaps its numbers are a side-effect of the boom in ultralight sales this year.” Evolution also makes a Part 103 model called Rev that also experienced a robust year in 2020, Larry reported. “Powered parachutes (ppcs) recovered from 2019, but Powrachute brand may soon be the only company in the segment,” Steve wrote. The Michigan producer —which also manufactures components for Evolution Trikes — nearly doubled its registrations from 2019 to 2020. Six Chuter came back from zero in 2019 but their numbers are small. Some other ppc producers have models that show up nowhere. SkyRunner and it’s gnarly, large, and ‘twin-engined’ combo powered parachute and ground vehicle made several sales to the U.S. government and military. These units require no faa registration so do not appear in our tabulations. No other powered parachute make emerged into the statistics, opening the door for new entrants. That’s our look at affordable aircraft in 2020. Building a kit can be a largely solo activity and sport aircraft are flown solo most of the time. Therefore 2020 was not the horrid year it was for someone working in hospitality, restaurants, gyms, churches, or other “non-essential” activities. If you’re one of many who kept flying in 2020, good for you! Enjoy your aerial freedom! Alternate Aircraft Number of Aircraft Registrations Category 2017 2018 2019 2020 Gyroplane 69 73 60 49 Weight Shift Control Trike 23 18 24 21 Powered Parachute 26 32 18 28 Did It Work? Midwest Light-Sport Expo 2020 — the Year’s Final Airshow Lots of doubters expressed their opinions in the weeks and days before Mt. Vernon’s 12th running of this sector-specific event. Did it work? Were the naysayers right or wrong? I will express one person’s opinion but reflect a number of comments I heard: “Thank goodness for Mt. Vernon airport manager Chris Collins and his contingent of orange-shirted volunteers who hosted this event,” making it another success. To me, ‘success’ means no accidents (none happened) and a decent turn-out that got pilots in new aircraft and vendors the sales that sustain them (both happened). Summarizing Midwest 2020 In a typical year, Midwest attracts 1,500 or more pilots for the three days of event. My casual estimate is that 2020 was at least as strong as before and perhaps it was even up a bit. No one knows more. Midwest does not charge a fee to enter and more than one entry gate would make any effort to count heads futile. So, admittedly, I am guessing but having been to 11 of the 12 events (I missed one due to a hurricane in Florida where I live), I think it was at least the same and possibly better than earlier years. That estimate is despite a crippled economy and a substantial share of the population that is so nervous about Covid that they will not venture out to an event like Midwest. Countering that were many who either braved the risk of exposure —while taking normal precautions, I hasten to add… I saw no one acting irresponsibly — or those who believe the country is emerging from isolation and fear. Yet it wasn’t only attendees who could not or did not make the show. Six or seven committed vendors failed to appear. The reasons were varied. Some were told by their home state authorities that if they left they might not be allowed back in the state (presumably without some caution like mandatory quarantine). While this may seem like government overreach to many, employees who would not be traveling also stated concerns Aerosport’s Bushcat exhibit. Significantly revised yet still affordable. Photo by Randee Laskewitz.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 17 16 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft about getting exposed by those who did travel. Hit with both worries, some companies backed out. At least two vendors who wanted to attend could not get an FAA inspection in time. This was not them dragging their feet on the requirements; instead it is because FAA staffers are mostly hunkered down at home and agency personnel are not permitted to go out and do inspections. U.S. Customs inspectors were under similar constraints and so import processes have been greatly hampered. At least two more companies experienced serious weather between home and the show although Midwest 2020 enjoyed nearly perfect conditions. Plenty of demo flights attest to this. Several vendors filled their demo schedules. Add those vendors who had promised to attend to those that did and Midwest 2020 might have been a big year. Even without them, it was healthier than I first feared. As the photos illustrate Midwest 2020 was a normal year even considering the drama this country has faced in recent months. However, one category of light aviation appears stronger than ever. Part 103 and Single-Seaters If you’ve been following my website, you know I’ve already documented many examples of Part 103 ultralight aircraft (‘er, vehicles) doing better than I can remember for many years. Several producers of Part 103 flying machines are chock full of orders and seeking ways to deliver more without overburdening their enterprises. This is most encouraging to fans of affordable aviation. We have also seen a growth in interest in single seat aircraft… (example: VX1 gyro) or maybe a better way to state it is: pilots see the economy of single-seaters that are significantly more affordable than sophisticated LSA. However, this does not mean these are flimsy, throw-away aircraft. Indeed, most producers today make highly airworthy aircraft that have enjoyed steady evolution and development that has made these entries very desirable. No longer are these the bare-bones, no-frills, underperforming aircraft of decades past. Our biggest story of the year, by far (and we’ve had several good successes), featured the Aeromarine LSA Merlin Lite. This story positively electrified our readers and speaks to the emergence of Part 103 into a new league. This all-metal, fully-enclosed, full-featured Part 103 aircraft provided more interest at Midwest 2020. Sling LSA exhibit. Photo by Randee Laskewitz. Gyro Technic's GT-VX1. Photo by Vickie Betts. Developer Chip Erwin brought not only his fascinating aircraft but six sets of bathroom scales. Although these are not certified scales — an effort with such scales will happen shortly when the aircraft is fully complete —we checked them for consistency and we used all six scales in rotating positions. Four complete weighings produced numbers from 271.6 to 274.1 pounds. Using the allowed calculation for a whole-airframe parachute system, a Part 103 can weigh 278 pounds, suggesting Merlin Lite should comfortably qualify. Of course, speeds will also have to conform but Chip is very confident about the airplane staying Part 103 compliant. The weighed aircraft was not a stripped-down version but had most of the equipment on board that everyone will want. I’ll make a video of these steps as soon as possible, given very strong interest. The first attendance at Midwest by Tri-State Kites was a splash with seven different aircraft on display. This regional company, with several Part 103-capable Smithsilver aircraft, is likely to increase its footprint in American aviation. We also saw Part 103 weight shift—Rev from Evolution Trikes (also having their best-year ever) — and powered parachutes from Infinity including their single place Challenger. Among three-axis LSA, I was able to do interviews with Tom Gutmann, Jr., of Airtime Aviation about his reaction to the new F2 model from Flight Design. Tom is a pilot with extensive experience in all Flight Design models. Short answer: he loves the new model. I also interviewed Daniela Knoll of Aerosport about numerous changes to the affordably-priced Bushcat from SkyReach, available as a fully-built LSA or kit-built version — on tricycle or taildragger gear and with a float option. Although it was a late arrival to this year’s event, I finally got a flight in the Vashon Ranger that has sold well since it was introduced just three years ago. Ultralights add color to any flying event. Photo by Vickie Betts. Aeromarine LSA's Merlin Lite.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 19 18 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft It was great to see the DirectFly Alto returning to America thanks to a display at Midwest 2020 (photo). We interviewed another operation making the CGS Hawk. Additionally, Airborne trikes made a return thanks to U.S. importer Mike Hudetz; it has been some time since we saw Mike and Airborne at Midwest LSA Expo. I have more to report on all these aircraft; those articles and videos will follow in the weeks ahead. Road Trip Experience I have always flown to Midwest, either in an LSA or by airline. This year my wife, Randee, and I chose to drive, given numerous travel uncertainties. It allowed us to change plans right up until departure time. This method also made for an intriguing study in how America is coping with Covid. Near the freeways, at gas stops or hotels where tourists and travelers were present, masking was nearly universal. Few appeared to ignore store signs demanding a face covering. However, instead of racing up to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, we chose to wander through small towns along the way, for example, taking a tour of the Muscle Shoals, Alabama recording studio that produced dozens of Platinum Records such as Wilson Picket’s “Mustang Sally” and hosted music stars fromThe Rolling Stones to The Allman Brothers to Aretha Franklin. A Tale of Two Countries… as soon as we got a few miles away from the tourist-oriented freeway stops, almost no one wore a mask. Unlike the strangers on the freeway, these people largely know each other. Before someone criticizes, I’m not saying they ignored caution but relied on common sense rules rather than political dictates. You may have a different opinion. Finally, let me offer a personal word of thanks for your faithful visits to my website. Even with the weirdness around the world, 2020 was a record year for ByDanJohnson.com! I appreciate your loyalty and will do my best to keep you informed and smiling. Direct Fly’s Alto returned to Midwest LSA Expo and will soon return to American skies. Below: Dan tries the Merlin on for size. Photo by Randee Laskewitz. Bottom: Michael Hudetz with Airborne's M3-Sport. Photo by Vickie Betts. Support Our Advertisers The New Part 103 List — Current Draft List Shows more Producers… Surprised? A great many of you read my story about the new Part 103 List. Your enthusiasm plus lots of comments reflect the strong interest generated by these lightest, most-affordable, and fun-to-fly aircraft. With input from readers and through more research, I have increased the draft list to the one you see below, now 53 producers strong and counting! Honestly… I expect even more. Many readers were surprised by the number of producers of these aircraft that too many pilots thought were dead and buried by Light Sport Aircraft and faa’s requirement that previous two-seat ultralight trainers had to leave paid flight instruction and become private aircraft. As the list shows — and as my plan to attempt counting the number of aircraft built every year proves —Part 103 Ultralight Vehicles are indeed alive and thriving. Keep Helping, Please! If these aircraft interest you, please review the list and tell me of any additional producers I did not include. I want them all — IF— they meet these four criteria: 1. Current production aircraft only. If an aircraft is not actively being sold today, I will not include it; however, I have listed some ‘in development’ models as they are from known producers who have made Part 103 aircraft before. Multicopter designs will not be included as none have entered the market to-date. 2. An aircraft must be able to qualify for Part 103 according to faa’s Advisory Circular AC-103-7. This can include a kit-built Part 103 aircraft that a buyer may register in Experimental class so long as it can genuinely comply with Part 103 parameters. Part 103 Ultralights built from plans will also be included. 3. Powered, wheeled aircraft in these configurations: fixed wing, weight shift trike, powered parachute, gyroplane, motorglider, or paraglider with wheeled carriage. 4. No one-off, customdesigns or aircraft still in an early development phase. I only want aircraft that a customer can buy for delivery within the next 12 months.
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 21 20 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying Light Sport Aircraft To encourage all producers to tell me their delivery numbers, I will anonymize manufacturer data in reporting results and I will protect the data with my reputation. I will not share information provided in confidence but I will summarize results aiming to report a whole-industry production figure. I will report how many aircraft in each of the aircraft types noted in the draft list below. I will report how many are designed and built in the usa (see flags). If and when I am given permission, I may report on the more successful aircraft and how many the producer has delivered. This industry data will be quite different from our data on Light Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot kit-built aircraft, and modern gyroplanes. You can find out everything about these segments on our Tableau Public page on ByDanJohnson.com. This data comes 100% from faa’s aircraft registration database. I believe it to be the most complete and most accurate information anyone has on these three segments. Because Part 103 ultralights are not required to be registered with faa, I will ask each producer to tell me how many aircraft they delivered in 2019 and 2020. I will exercise my own judgment and do my own due diligence to make this information as accurate as possible. I will use my intimate knowledge of this sector to determine if numbers seem unlikely and then I will investigate further. At least over time, I believe this can provide reliable information but even in the first year, it will be the best information anyone has. I suspect the Part 103 List will become as popular as our present slsa List. Along with PlaneFinder 2.0, the slsa List is one of our most-visited pages and I think the Part 103 List may come to rival those two because readers of this website like affordable aircraft… and Part 103 ultralights are aviation’s most affordable. fixed wing / three axis aircraft 1. U-Fly-It Aerolite 103 2. Kolb Firefly 3. Quicksilver Sprint, Sport 4. Better Half VW Legal Eagle 5. Aeromarine-LSA Merlin Lite 6. Aeromarine-LSA Zigolo 7. Badland Aircraft F-series (formerly Kitfox Lite) 8. Just Aircraft 103 Solo (in development) 9. Hummel Aviation UltraCruiser 10. TEAM MiniMax, multiple models 11. Fisher Flying Products, multiple models 12. Aero Adventure Aventura UL (formerly Buccaneer) 13. JH Aircraft Corsair 14. SD Planes SD-1 (qualification pending) 15. AVI/Modern Wings Swan 120 16. Quad City Ultralights Challenger 103 Ultralight 17. CGS Hawk 103, Ultra 18. Phantom Classic X-1 19. M-Squared Breeze SS 20. Ekolot Elf KR-01A 21. Earthstar Gull 2000, Soaring Gull 22. Carlson Sparrow (market reentry underway) 23. Sherwood Kub 24. Eurofly Minifox 25. Lazair Nouveau 26. Thunderbird SNS-8 Hiperlight 27. Airsport Song UL 28. Jordan Lake Aero Air-Bike 103 29. Mitchell Wing A-10D 30. Sector Aircraft Quantum 103 (in development) 31. Simplex Aero Zing, Cloudster 32. Cloudbase Aviation Skylite, Lil’ Bitts 33. Wings of Freedom Phoenix 103, Flitplane 34. Tri-State Kites Smithsilver 103 weight shift control (trikes) 35. Evolution Rev 36. North Wing ATF, Solairus, Maverick 37. Air Creation Pixel 38. AirBorne Australia T-Lite 39. Airtime Aircraft Explorer 103 (amphibious) 40. Grif Italia, multiple models 41. Aeros Ant 42. FlyLight PeaBee 43. Ace Aviation Spirit series 44. Eurofly Snake powered parachutes 45. Infinity Challenger 46. Six Chuter P3 Lite helicopters 47. Innovator Technologies Mosquito gyroplanes 48. Fusioncopter Nano 49. Star LSA Star Bee powered, wheeled paragliders 50. Blackhawk LowBoy iii, Quad 51. Sky Driving Skykart 52. Green Eagle, multiple models 53. Fresh Breeze, multiple models List of Ultralight Producers: The Part 103 “Draft” List This list is not in any particular order. Please attach no significance to the position in this draft list. Before the Part 103 List goes online, I will add web addresses and email addresses for all companies plus links to my articles about that aircraft or company. Here then, 53 producers strong, is the draft list that I fully expect to expand: Review by Vickie Betts As a kid, Dan Roach did not have a very auspicious beginning to his dream of flight – as a matter of fact, he threw up. But that didn’t stop the dream. Many years down the road, he was able to purchase a Cyclone AX3. Inside the Cyclone is part a history of the Cyclone, from its original incarnation as the Weedhopper, designed by John Chotia, and part Dan’s own story of getting back into the world of flight. His chosen aircraft (named Harriet after his grandmother) needed a bit of work to be flyable again. This included re-rigging her, something that sounded like some of the stories I’ve heard from those who built their first ultralight from kit instructions and inspired guesswork. And his first solo was delayed by the English weather, which, as far as I’ve ever been able to tell, involves a lot of rain. Some of the terms will be confusing for American readers who are possibly not as familiar with European flight rules and agencies. However, there is a great deal of humor in the writing – I found myself chuckling aloud on several occasions. And if you can’t figure out a term, there’s always the internet (it turns out that a hobnob is a cookie!). Dan has also included a glossary, for help in translating British into American. Dan conveys the excitement of buying his first plane and finally getting it off the ground, and his friend Anna, after her first flight, summed up nicely the sheer joy and appreciation for beauty that can be found while flying in recreational aircraft. Inside the Cyclone can be purchased on Amazon.com for $12.99, or a Kindle version for $5.41. At 172 pages (with B&W photos), this isn’t a lengthy tome, but will be an enjoyable read while you sit in your hanger or at your airfield and wait for your own chance to get into the sky! • Inside the Cyclone: A Story of Ups and Downs by Dan Roach
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 23 22 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying USUA News Powered Parachute • Claim Number: 19282 • Sub-Class: rpl2t / Paramotors: Paraglider Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal Engine • Type of Record: Distance over a closed circuit without landing • Course/Location: Chrcynno (Poland) • Performance: 280.41 km (174.24 miles) • Members: Krzysztof Romicki (Poland), Wojciech Strzyzakowski (Poland) • Aircraft: Bozon 34 / Dudek powered by Polini Thor 250 • Date: 05/09/2020 • Current Record: No record set yet. Airplane • Claim Number: 19279 • 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 (31 miles) • Course/Location: Landskrona (Sweden) • Performance: 351.56 km/h (218.44 mph) • Pilot: Niklas Anderberg (Sweden) • Members: Fredrik Lanz (Sweden) • Aircraft: BW 600 RG / Blackwing Sweden AB powered by Rotax 915 iS • Date: 4/14/2020 • Previous Record: 283.62 km/h (176.23 mph) (12/15/2019) 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. Airplane • Claim Number: 19280 • 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: Landskrona (Sweden) • Performance: 389.55 km/h (242.05 mph) • Pilot: Niklas Anderberg (Sweden) • Members: Fredrik Lanz (Sweden) • Aircraft: BW 600 RG / Blackwing Sweden AB powered by Rotax 915 iS • Date: 4/14/2020 • Previous Record: 330.45 km/h (205.33 mph) (12/15/2019) 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 • Claim Number: 19387 • Sub-Class: ral2t / Microlights: Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons / Thermal Engine • Category: Not applicable • Group: Not applicable • Type of Record: Distance in a closed circuit without landing • Course/Location: Tótvázsony (Hungary) • Performance: 1,036.073 km (643.786 miles) • Pilot: Krisztian Dolhai (Hungary) • Members: Vivien Halasz (Hungary) • Date: 10/10/2020 • Current Record: No record set yet. Airplane • Claim Number: 19388 • 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 1,000 km (621 miles) • Course/Location: Tótvázsony (Hungary) • Performance: 154.875 km/h (96.234 mph) • Pilot: Krisztian Dolhai (Hungary) • Members: Vivien Halasz (Hungary) • Date: 10/10/2020 • Current Record: 121.1 km/h (75.24 mph) (10/18/2018) Powered Paraglider • Claim Number: 19397 • Sub-Class: rpf1t / Paramotors: Paraglider Control / Foot-launched / Flown with one person / Thermal Engine • Category: Not applicable • Group: Male • Type of Record: Distance in a closed circuit with limited fuel • Course/Location: Võle (Estonia) • Performance: 180.84 km (112.37 miles) • Pilot: Lauri Kadakas (Estonia) • Date: 10/30/2020 • Current Record: 170.50 km (105.94 miles) (2/10/2013–Chris Atkinson, Australia)
www.PSFmagazine.com | January/February 2021 | 25 24 | January/February 2021 | Powered Sport Flying What Is Happening Where One of the best ways to get started with flying is to visit others already involved in the sport. And one of the most relaxed ways to do that is by participating in fly-ins and other events. You can normally find someone there who will be glad to help you and get you started in the right direction. If you would you like to see your event listed here, visit www.psfmagazine.com/list-your-flying-event. COVID-19 COVID-19 really ruined last year's flying events. Some events tried to make a go of it, but most postponed and then postponed to 2021. So far, most of our favorite events are on track to be held this year, but it is a good idea to check ahead before you travel. Maintenance training has also suffered with Rotax engine schools in California and Wisconsin unable to conduct training due to state restrictions. Lockwood Aviation in Florida has stepped up its training schedule to meet the demand. This issue, we will present you with a list of events that should be occurring this year. Of course there are no guarantees, but it doesn't hurt to mark your calendars now! April 5-6, 2021 Rotax Engine 9 Series Service Course. Sebring, Florida. The 9 Series Service course is for technicians and owners that are more hands on with their aircraft. It covers the service and inspection requirements (up to 100 hours or annual) on the Rotax 912UL/S, 914UL, 912iS, 915iS engine types. The Familiarization course is included in the Service Course. Call (863) 655-5100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. April 7-8, 2021 Rotax Engine 9 Series Maintenance Course. Sebring, Florida. The 9 Series Maintenance course is for technicians and advanced owners. It focuses on the removal and replacement of components on the Rotax 912UL/S, 914UL, 912iS, 915iS engine types. Call (863) 655-5100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. Calendar April 7-10, 2021 46th Annual Bensen Days. Wauchula, Florida. The is the largest gyroplane fly-in in the eastern US, but all kinds of light sport and ultralight aircraft are invited. There will be both gyroplane flight instructors (CFIs) and designated pilot examiners (DPEs) at this year's Bensen Days available for flight instruction and testing. Most will arrive well before the event and prior arrangements must be made to take advantage of their services. Visit www.bensendays.com. April 9,2021 912iS Installation Training. Sebring, Florida. This class is intended for aircraft manufacturers and for homebuilders who are planning to develop an installation for the 912iS in their aircraft. Covers the architecture of the Engine Management System, how it operates, and the considerations you'll want to keep in mind while working on your design. Prerequisites for this class are the Service and Maintenance classes for the 9-Series engines. Call (863) 6555100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. April 10-12, 2021 Rotax Engine 9 Series Heavy Maintenance Course. Sebring, Florida. 9 Series Heavy Maintenance course is for technicians. It covers the repair of line item parts and advanced maintenance. A current 912 Service and Maintenance iRMT rating and 2 years experience are required. Call (863) 655-5100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. April 5-20, 2021 Sport Pilot Training Course for Powered Parachutes. Dunnellon Field/Marion County Airport, Dunnellon, Florida. This two week Sport Pilot course provides the required training for pilots wishing to fly powered parachutes. Class includes all ground schooling, flight training, and testing needed to earn a Sport Pilot license for Powered Parachutes. Other courses available. www.easyflight.com. April 13-18, 2021 Sun ‘n Fun. Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida. More than 5,000 aircraft of every size and shape. The focus is on education with more than 450 educational forums, seminars and hands-on workshops. There are more than 500 commercial exhibitors who offer aviation products and services including all the major aircraft manufacturers. For more information call (863) 644-2431 or visit www.flysnf.org. April 19-20, 2021 Rotax Engine 9 Series Service Course. Sebring, Florida. The 9 Series Service course is for technicians and owners that are more hands on with their aircraft. It covers the service and inspection requirements (up to 100 hours or annual) on the Rotax 912UL/S, 914UL, 912iS, 915iS engine types. The Familiarization course is included in the Service Course. Call (863) 655-5100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. April 21-22, 2021 Rotax Engine 9 Series Maintenance Course. Sebring, Florida. The 9 Series Maintenance course is for technicians and advanced owners. It focuses on the removal and replacement of components on the Rotax 912UL/S, 914UL, 912iS, 915iS engine types. Call (863) 655-5100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. April 26-May 11, 2021 Sport Pilot Training Course for Powered Parachutes. Dunnellon Field/Marion County Airport, Dunnellon, Florida. This two week Sport Pilot course provides the required training for pilots wishing to fly powered parachutes. Class includes all ground schooling, flight training, and testing needed to earn a Sport Pilot license for Powered Parachutes. Other courses available. www.easyflight.com April 23,2021 912iS Installation Training. Sebring, Florida. This class is intended for aircraft manufacturers and for homebuilders who are planning to develop an installation for the 912iS in their aircraft. Covers the architecture of the Engine Management System, how it operates, and the considerations you'll want to keep in mind while working on your design. Prerequisites for this class are the Service and Maintenance classes for the 9-Series engines. Call (863) 6555100 or visit training.lockwood.aero. May 13-16, 2021 Bad Apple Flyers. Andersonville, Georgia. Break out of winter and join us in southern Georgia for our third annual PPG fly-in. RV hookups and tent camping are available at this well maintained field located among rural farmland. badappleshodgesfieldflyin.com. Extended Until December Due to Covid Restrictions: 1-Year of Access To Ground School Can't make it to a ground school or event due to state travel restrictions? Here is a way get ground school training for gyroplanes from your home. Normally the On-Line Ground School for gyroplanes is only conducted live online. However, to help pilots stuck at home and unable to train with CFIs, organizers are providing access to all of the recordings and digital materials from the Spring 2020 Gyroplane Ground School sessions. What you get: • 33 hours of recorded training sessions that go beyond ‘the book’ and prepare you for passing the FAA Gyroplane Knowledge Exams. • Real-life gyroplane flight planning and safety. You get access to the materials until December 2021. To sign up, send an email to Gyro.Pilot@yahoo.com for instructions. PayPal is the preferred method of payment and the price is $200.
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