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LoginSwitch to Classic ViewSwitch to Compressed ViewWelcome!By Dan Johnson || September 15, 2020 47 CommentsThe Midwest LSA Expo 2020 is over, the final airshow of this strange year. Light aircraft are holding up well and coverage appears below and will continue, plus check our 3-minute video library on the ByDanJohnson YouTube channel.In addition, you can find nearly 1,000 LSA and Sport Pilot kit videos featuring Dan on Videoman Dave s The Ultralight Flyer  YouTube channel + view hundreds of our best videos archived here in a searchable format.Thanks for your visit. We genuinely appreciate those of you who have become members!Share this:TweetEmailPocketThe Midwest LSA Expo 2020 is over, the final airshow of this strange year. Light aircraft are holding up well and coverage appears below and will continue, plus check our 3-minute video library on the ByDanJohnson YouTube channel.In addition, you can find nearly 1,000 LSA and Sport Pilot kit videos featuring Dan on Videoman Dave s The Ultralight Flyer  YouTube channel + view hundreds of our best videos archived here in a searchable format.Thanks for your visit. We genuinely appreciate those of you who have become members!Expand Post ... Weighing and Flying Aeromarine-LSA s Part 103 Merlin Lite — Does It Make Weight?By Dan Johnson || October 23, 2020 6 CommentsThe most popular article of this crazy year — when people have been visiting in record numbers — was about Aeromarine-LSA s Merlin Lite. Tens of thousands of you devoured this article within days of it being posted.The word sensational is vastly overused in modern American society but in this case the word fits the intense interest in Merlin Lite. For the back story, see the article in this link.Despite obvious enthusiasm for this new Part 103 entry, many of you were skeptical. No wonder. An all-metal, fully enclosed aircraft does not closely resemble many of the other Part 103 aircraft that are selling briskly over the last few years. If you were among the doubters this post — and the video below — may serve to allay one of your concerns.Weighing Merlin LiteDeveloper Chip Erwin came to 2020 s Midwest LSA Expo prepared to tackle the hesitation in pilot s acceptance of Merlin Lite as a legitimate Part 103. He brought six bathroom scales plus a fish scale to the show.Aeromarine-LSA developer Chip Erwin enjoyed telling the many who checked out Merlin Lite that it comes with seven windows. It also has deep-deploying Fowler flaps that are known to be very efficient.On opening day, I jumped at the chance to prove to myself and readers that Merlin could actually make weight.To be thorough, weight is not the only consideration. Merlin must also make the speeds of Part 103: a 55 knot level flight maximum speed plus a minimum 24 knot stall. As you will hear in the video, Chip needs to tweak the configuration slightly to assure Merlin Lite does not fly nor stall above limits. He referenced 75 mph cruise speed and a slow speed of of 30 mph. Both are too fast, though just slightly.In a longer video interview to follow, Chip states that he sees no problem in meeting the speed. Not going too fast can be controlled by the right prop setup, especially since the design is already close; top speed can likely be governed by a two-blade, pitch-oriented prop or other alteration.Getting stall down to 24 knots (27.6 mph, where Chip saw 30 ) is tougher but with full flaps, it will be closer; he reported using deep but not full flaps ( 32° when 50° is available). However, a surer way to achieve the right speeds may be a longer wing that is already built and has flown; see the engineering drawings (below video). Weight from a longer wing may require that the pilot fly without the door, but Chip believes room still exists to lighten Merlin Lite enough for buyers to have it all — full enclosure including door, engine cowl, and most or all of the options seen in the photos and video.The video documents the weighing action conducted inside a hangar that Mt. Vernon airport manager, Chris Collins generously provided so Merlin Lite was not affected by wind. Although I witnessed this using bathroom scales, I checked these with my own weight to see they were within one pound or so of one another (about one-half of one percent deviation). However, Chip will shortly perform a formal weighing using certified scales and an official observer. He s confident Merlin Lite will still qualify and based on what I saw, I agree.Flying Merlin LiteWithin a short time of returning to his base of operations, Chip took Merlin Lite aloft for its first flight. The video below captures this and shows the aircraft performing well with its Polini Thor 250 engine.Thor 250 outputs 36 horsepower from a single cylinder that Evolution Trikes boss Larry Mednick describes as a smooth running engine that rivals Rotax s 912. That s a big statement but it appears this Polini powerplant dominates the market for the lightest aircraft. Evolution s Rev uses this same engine.Powered paragliders embraced the engine years ago and the company sells thousands of engines every year. Here is a page of full specifications on the Polini line from Miami-based Aerolite.The video spells out some detail in the weighing exercise at Midwest 2020 and provides several clips of Chip s first flight in Merlin. Enjoy…!Share this:TweetEmailPocketCompress Post ... The most popular article of this crazy year — when people have been visiting in record numbers — was about Aeromarine-LSA s Merlin Lite. Tens of thousands of you devoured this article within days of it being posted.The word sensational is vastly overused in modern American society but in this case the word fits the intense interest in Merlin Lite. For the back story, see the article in this link.Despite obvious enthusiasm for this new Part 103 entry, many of you were skeptical. No wonder. An all-metal, fully enclosed aircraft does not closely resemble many of the other Part 103 aircraft that are selling briskly over the last few years. If you were among the doubters this post — and the video below — may serve to allay one of your concerns.Weighing Merlin LiteDeveloper Chip Erwin came to 2020 s Midwest LSA Expo prepared to tackle the hesitation in pilot s acceptance of Merlin Lite as a legitimate Part 103.Expand Post ... Read More About: Aeromarine-LSAMerlin LiteSilverLight Shines Brightly Among Modern Gyroplanes — All American, Available, and Modestly PricedBy Dan Johnson || October 16, 2020 1 CommentAfter thousands of articles, I ve have heard over and over about two common ingredients sought by pilots who visit this website: Affordability and Availability. Once you make a decision about what to buy, you want to be able to get it quickly and you want it to fit your budget.The first requirement is understandable. It s all fine and good to wish you could buy something but if it s way out of your price range or if you simply cannot commit to a large purchase right now, it isn t likely to happen… and after all, who doesn t love a good price?The second requirement addresses human nature. Once you ve made your decision you want it as fast as you can get it. Most of us feel that way about most products we research.Get It Now / Afford It NowLook, I m well aware that what is considered affordable differs for every single pilot and may change daily depending on other aspects of life. A big, unexpected repair bill or any medical care bill can ruin your plan to buy a new sportplane.However, when a brand-new airplane stays or slips below the $100,000 mark, lots more pilots can think about affording it. If six figures is still way too high, please read all kinds of articles on this website for highly-affordable aircraft (I covered 10 in April 2020 alone; go here) or pick from a growing number of good second-hand aircraft.Ranger was created a few years ago by Abid Farooqui. He once sold weight shift trikes and did a stint helping represent the ApolloFox Avid-like fixed wing entry. Both those were imported.Abid saw the future, however, and turned his considerable engineering talent toward designing and then producing his own modern gyroplane. Since mid-decade he has expanded the line to include a removable full enclosure for the tandem AR-1. He offered a Rotax 912 100 horsepower model and the turbocharged Rotax 914 with up to 115 horsepower.More recently, he turned his attention to the 141-horsepower Rotax 915. This would make AR-1 an awesome performer truly only needed by someone who lives at a high elevation, anticipates fitting floats one day, or if you simply want the most potent gyroplane available.As you might expect an AR-1 powered by the 915 and with full enclosure is not your most affordable variation. Fortunately, SilverLight has aircraft in stock with low hours that can bring the acquisition cost down substantially. To learn which of these may still be available, contact SilverLight directly.Kit-Built (for Now)While gyroplanes are among the most likely additions to fully-built LSA in FAA s coming new regulation, today you must assemble AR-1 from a kit.SilverLight offers a build-assist center at their Zephyrhills airport base near Tampa, Florida. Yet the kit is not a particularly daunting task. For one, you need do no fabric work or painting, two skills that are fairly demanding of a kit builder.The good news… a kit can save money so if affordability is important to you, assembling a kit may be an opportunity, not a deterrent. As a benefit, you will know your aircraft better than someone who buys a ready-to-fly aircraft.The AR-1 kit stats at $39,500 without engine. A 100 horsepower Rotax 912 will add $22,500, or a fuel-injected 912iS adds $28,000. The 115-horsepower Rotax 914 adds $31,500 and the super-sized 915iS adds $42,000. Those price sum to $62,000 to $67,500 to $71,000 to $81,500.You ll also need a wiring harness (about $2,500), and painting of the fuselage parts adds $3,500, and avionics add a few hundred dollars to a few thousand with too many choices to list here. A few other options may tempt you, for example, the removable full enclosure for $8,500.Builder assistance — including the space and tools needed — will add $6,500 to $8,500 depending on options you choose.So you could possibly spend north of $100,000 but you d have a fully-loaded and very powerful aircraft. Conversely, if you want to keep the cost to a minimum, you could get airborne for perhaps $75,000-80,000 and at that price, you are still in the affordable realm for a brand-new state-of-the-gyroplane-art. Factory-represented used models with low hours may save even more.Video Flight Lessonin SilverLight Ranger AR-1I ve written about my experience flying Ranger AR-1 with instructor Greg Spicola. In the second video below, I took the front seat and received a proper lesson, which I relate in some detail.The first video below, from 2016, attracted a large audience despite being one of my early solo YouTube entries. Most of the 1,000 videos in which I ve appeared are done by Videoman Dave, who edited the second video and hosts it on his Ultralight News YouTube channel. I hope you ll enjoy both.Share this:TweetEmailPocketCompress Post ... After thousands of articles, I ve have heard over and over about two common ingredients sought by pilots who visit this website: Affordability and Availability. Once you make a decision about what to buy, you want to be able to get it quickly and you want it to fit your budget.The first requirement is understandable. It s all fine and good to wish you could buy something but if it s way out of your price range or if you simply cannot commit to a large purchase right now, it isn t likely to happen… and after all, who doesn t love a good price?The second requirement addresses human nature. Once you ve made your decision you want it as fast as you can get it. Most of us feel that way about most products we research.Get It Now / Afford It NowLook, I m well aware that what is considered affordable differs for every single pilot and may change daily depending on other aspects of life.Expand Post ... Read More About: American Ranger AR1BRP-Powertrain (Rotax Aircraft Engines)SilverLight AviationAll Revved Up — Succeeding Brilliantly in 2020; Flying for Fun Defies Covid-19By Dan Johnson || October 13, 2020 4 CommentsYou can see market numbers for the last quarter in this article — or review all LSA and Sport Pilot kit market info in this dedicated area. Get results for every American light aircraft on Tableau Public.If you read the recent article closely, you saw that not only are single seat aircraft enjoying good sales but Part 103 ultralights may be going stronger than in many years …possibly the best ever. I wish we could report 103 ultralight market shares but as they do not have to register with (and get an N-number from) FAA, we have no third-party way to evaluate the numbers accurately.Add the U.S. experience of the last year or three to overseas sales activity and I think most aviators around the world might be amazed at the strength of this market. Certainly, this is an under-reported category.Germany has its 120-Kilogram class (very similar to Part 103 parameters). England has its SSDR (Single Seat DeRegulated) class plus Sub-70. The latter is for very light aircraft weighing less than 70 kilograms or about 154 pounds, essentially a self-launching hang glider. This not a big market in the USA but put all these classifications together and add them to relaxed regulations for the very lightest powered aircraft in many other countries and you can see this is a more active and diverse aircraft market than you probably knew.Evolving Rev First, Evolution Trikes introduced their super-deluxe Revo. Later came the Part 103 Rev, followed by a more potent RevX. Then came their Revolt, an open cockpit two seater. All the Revs carry a lower price tag than the sophisticated Revo. This surely accounts for some of the volume but clearly, as mentioned in the video below, it appears weight shift aircraft are enjoying some kind of revival.In recent years, boss Larry Mednick observed that their tube-trike line has been growing in strength. In the video below you will hear him say, We have officially built more Rev, RevX, and Revolts than we have ever built Revo (models). The Ferrari of their line, Revo, has been out for 11 years, debuting in 2009. Rev was introduced only four years ago and Revolt only two years. For these tube-trikes to have eclipsed Revo in sales numbers is quite remarkable.Why is that? Lots of reasons explain purchase decisions even disregarding the lower purchase price of simpler aircraft: Single seaters are doing well. Evolution is selling many aircraft. And lots of younger participants have emerged. I don t know what s in the water… I don t know what s going on this year, but the phone has not stopped ringing about these [aircraft] and we are certainly having a record-breaking year, Larry said. He added, We have three times as many orders this year compared to last year and double our best year since we started in business. Of particular note: We are seeing a lot of younger buyers. I ve never seen so many buyers under 50 [years old] getting involved. We re seeing a lot of buyers in their 30s and 40s; it s very encouraging, Larry enthused.Maybe you don t care about weight shift or other alternative aircraft like powered parachutes, gyroplanes, and motorgliders, but these all bring new pilots into aviation and new pilots often eventually upgrade to faster aircraft so the one you just bought might sell to one of these pilots in the future.I urge you to watch the video below and hear from Larry yourself. Thanks to great work by Videoman Dave of the Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer YouTube channel.New Model Coming: RevXSI will let Larry tell you himself about this newest entry in his tube-trike line. However, I remind you that you read and heard it here first.Share this:TweetEmailPocketCompress Post ... You can see market numbers for the last quarter in this article — or review all LSA and Sport Pilot kit market info in this dedicated area. Get results for every American light aircraft on Tableau Public.If you read the recent article closely, you saw that not only are single seat aircraft enjoying good sales but Part 103 ultralights may be going stronger than in many years …possibly the best ever. I wish we could report 103 ultralight market shares but as they do not have to register with (and get an N-number from) FAA, we have no third-party way to evaluate the numbers accurately.Add the U.S. experience of the last year or three to overseas sales activity and I think most aviators around the world might be amazed at the strength of this market. Certainly, this is an under-reported category.Expand Post ... Read More About: Evolution TrikesRevRevoRevoltRevXUp or Down? How Flies the Light Aircraft Industry in this Strange Year?By Dan Johnson || October 8, 2020 1 CommentBy any measure 2020 has been an unusual year. While millions were thrown out of work by lockdowns to prevent the virus from spreading, we all read or hear that plenty of other workers can work from home or have businesses that cannot be restricted by government decrees.In this context, how might the aviation industry be holding up? We read — and some brave travelers have experienced first-hand — how the airline industry is in a deep hole, prompting large layoffs.In this third quarter report for the calendar year, I ll look at some numbers for general aviation manufacturers as well as the light aviation industry that has my full focus.The short answer: some are doing surprisingly well.Light-Sport AircraftBefore I launch into an analysis, I must extend grateful thanks to Datastician Extraordinaire, Steve Beste, who does such a comprehensive job compiling and demystifying data from FAA s aircraft registration database. I ve told you before how much sorting and sifting must be done to take this publicly-available information and make it into the charts and graphs you see on Tableau Public (where you can drill down through all the data right to the individual airplanes being counted).It bears repeating. You can go poke around FAA s database yourself …but while you access the same information you won t get the same details as we have here without a lot of work.What you see here is thanks to Steve s noteworthy skills at organizing data and solving the puzzles made by aircraft with varying registration information.To better understand Steve s marvelous work, read this early article after we began working together. Data hounds (you know who you are) may also want to read how Steve does his work.Steve summarized,  Some [producers] are doing stupendously better than last year. Others, not so much. Some, like Most Improved Texas Aircraft, which more recently arrived on the market with their Colt, registered their first SLSA in 2019 so a very small increase in registrations makes for a big percentage increase. See the nearby chart to see which companies are soaring high in 2020 along with those matching last year s pre-Covid results. As you can see, quite a few companies are surviving this economic punishment quite well.On the downside, Pipistrel and Icon have dropped sharply in registrations during 2020.Sport Pilot Kit Aircraft Sport Pilot kits is a term I invented to designate those kit-built designs that can be flown by someone with a Sport Pilot certificate or a pilot using those privileges, for example, not needing a medical nor having to qualify for BasicMed. Using the term Sport Pilot kits omits aircraft that are too fast, too heavy, or too complex. Contrarily, Sport Pilot kit models compare fairly to and can be correctly associated with Light-Sport Aircraft.Magni s M-24 Orion side-by-side gyroplane is seen here fitted with Beringer s innovative Shock Wheels. Kit aircraft have a long delay between sale and registration, so for them, we re looking at a very lagging indicator here, Steve wrote. As a proxy for sales, registration data in any given year is more timely for factory-built makes.Among kit builders, Sonex, Just, Zenith, Kitfox, Quad City, Progressive Aerodyne, Van s, and Rans are holding their dominant positions.Among what I call Alternative Aircraft, Magni gyroplanes, Powerachute powered parachutes, and weight shift manufacturer Evolution Trikes are all having a solid year. Evolution s Larry Mednick was particularly upbeat in an interview I recorded with him at Midwest LSA Expo (watch for that video soon). His biggest success? Single place trike models, many of which don t show up in the nearby chart as they are Part 103 vehicles.Conversely, CubCrafters and American Legend are not as strong as in recent years, a problem shared by gyroplane producers AutoGyro and SilverLight. For pilots, this indicates you won t need to wait as long to get a new aircraft. On the other hand, one busy kit manufacturer recently quoted 18 months for delivery. That customer doesn t want to wait a year and half to start building and will look elsewhere, he said.Regretfully, No Part 103I have long loved Part 103 machines as they enjoy far less restrictions. One non-requirement is to register your ultralight vehicle with FAA. As a result we have no data on these aircraft — a terrible shame because they appear to be one of the most active aircraft segments in recent years. In 2020, I might guess, based on interviews with several producers, that Part 103 is a leading element in this strange year s achievements.For complete data on all aircraft in this space, please visit Tableau Public. Please remember the figures for 2020 are only for nine months.However, we can compare registrations of the major GA single-engine piston aircraft with those of our LSA-like aircraft.Another term, LSA-like, groups fully-built SLSA with kit version ELSA with 51%-rule kits to form a unique segment. It is this bunch, along with ultralights, that keeps my complete focus. We see that overall, registrations of LSA-like aircraft account for more than half of the single-engine piston aircraft registered so far this year, wrote Steve after analyzing data for all single-engine piston aircraft registrations in the United States.Thanks to Eagle Air Sports for this fetching action photo of a Powrachute launching. Comparing charts — with-GA and without — I see 506 registrations of LSA-type aircraft in 2020 and 358 registrations of GA aircraft in 2020, Steve noted. Thus, registrations of LSA-type aircraft account for more than half of the single-engine piston aircraft registered in 2020, 59% from data analyzed for this report. He further observed that he ignored single-engine kit aircraft that cannot be flown by a Sport Pilot (for example, Lancair and Van s Aircraft s faster models).Cirrus (161 registrations in nine months of 2020) and Cessna (92) still register more airplanes than any single LSA make. Piper (27) , Aviat (15), Champion (10), and Beechcraft Bonanza (6) are much smaller and after that it tapers off sharply. Singling out Piper, the low-wing aircraft builder has seen their single engine piston sales plummet from 172 last year to a projected 36 this year, a drop of almost 80%.In all, however, the light aircraft industry appears to be surviving the Covid mess better than I might have expected. That means better health for industry and more smiles for pilots.

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