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.
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