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Editorial: How Much!
By Ed Downs
The first major aviation tradeshow of the 2017 season is just around the corner, and the timing is perfect for those who want to get away from what will probably be the coldest time of the year. How about a visit to the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, to be held in Sebring, Fla., on Jan. 25-28? This show is dedicated to recreational flying, featuring an expanding range of S-LSA aircraft and kit planes that can be flown by those exercising the privileges of a Sport Pilot. This category of flying was really taking off in 2008 but took a terrible hit when the economy collapsed. With the economic crisis seeming to level off, the world of S-LSA’s is stronger than ever, with some fantastic planes on the market.
However, there is an “elephant in the room.” When the Sport Plane rule passed in late 2004, expectations had been set that this new category of airplane would drastically reduce the cost of a new plane, perhaps with prices in the low $40K range. Actual prices have ended up starting in the $100K range, often reaching prices of above $150K. What happened? Why can’t you just get a great little airplane for under $20K, like we did in the 1960s? For that matter, why do you have to spend more than $250K for a new Cessna 172? Where do these prices come from?
Light Sport Flying With In Flight USA - July 2011
Strange Plane?
By Ed Downs
No, the title does not mean to imply that the airplane you are about to fly is “strange,” but that you are strange to the airplane. In other words, that slick little S-LSA in which you are about to take a demo at AirVenture is just fine, but you may not be.
Many of those reading this month’s column will do so while at EAA AirVenture 2011. A subset of that “many” will be touring the wide selection of S-LSAs on display, with some of you signed up to take a “fly-to-buy” demo. The question is, are you really ready to fly that LSA for the first time and give it a fair evaluation? How are your skills when it comes to jumping into an airplane that is quite different than anything you have flown before?
Light Sport Flying With In Flight USA - April 2011
Sport Pilots and Flight Planning
By Ed Downs
Is there something different about a shiny, new Sport Pilot planning a cross country flight and what we might expect to see from a typical pilot coming out of the pre-GPS world that preceded the late 1990s? It is possible that there is, and pre 90s aviators might be able to learn a thing or two.
As spring fights its way into existence to end a long, cold winter, many are planning flying trips to a variety of business or recreational locations. A lot of aircraft owners are beginning to realize that their passion for recreational flying may dribble over into the more mundane transportation needs for which they have used the airlines in the past. Policy and pricing changes within the airline industry have become increasingly customer hostile, service to cities other than major hubs has been further reduced, and the TCA continues to add significant inconveniences to the travel experience. The fact is, point-to-point travel time for most trips of less than 600 miles is significantly less in the typical S-LSA than by modern airliner. The bottom line is that many more folks will turn to their recreational hobby planes for day-to-day travel needs.
Cessna Skycatcher
(Photo courtesy of Cessna Aircraft)Exclusive Pilot Report
By Ed Downs
Sometimes you are asked a question that has an answer so obvious that you wonder why it was even asked. You know, kind of like, “would you like to win the lottery?” This writer got one of those questions a short time ago.
As a member of the team that developed the ASTM certification process and Sport Pilot infrastructure, this writer was very pleased to see Cessna enter the S-LSA business. Cessna is truly the 800 lb gorilla in a room full of S-LSA manufacturers and has the dealer/flight training network in place to launch Sport Pilot in a big way. The Cessna 162 Skycatcher immediately caught my attention, and thus began a two year effort to conduct interviews with Cessna staff and management for the purpose of writing an article concerning what Cessna thought about the ASTM process versus the wonders of FAR 23. Recent conversations with the ever courteous Cessna PR folks resulted in the question referenced above. “Ed,” asked Angela Baldwin, Manager of Media Relations, “would you like to meet with Kirby Ortega, Cessna’s Chief Pilot of Piston Engine Flight Operations, and undertake an evaluation flight in the Cessna Skycatcher?” This writer, waiting a cool nanosecond so as not to seem overly anxious, calmly replied, “YES!”
Sport Flying With In Flight USA - August 2010
LSA’s Sprout Technology
By Ed Downs
Most readers of this column know by now that the S-LSA category of airplane evolved from the low tech world of ultra light designs. Some 6 years after the birth of LSA, one has to look hard to see the simplicity of its origin. Airframes have become increasingly sophisticated, and avionics packages are beginning to challenge big buck machines. A first timer renting or buying the typical S-LSA will be surprised upon entering a cockpit that looks more like an F-22 than single engine sport plane. Now, that sounds pretty exciting, but let’s take a look at who that “first timer” might actually be.
Sport Flying With In Flight USA - May 2010
PiperSport – In For the Long Haul?
In Flight USA Exclusive Interview
By Edward S Downs
Piper’s new Light Sport Aircraft, the PiperSport. (Courtesy of Carl Miller)The recently completed Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and Airshow certainly underscored the ever-growing popularity of Light Sport Aircraft. High on the list of exciting announcements made this year was introduction of the new PiperSport. Piper Aircraft’s entry into the S-LSA market re-kindled this writers desire to learn more about how the “big guys” are dealing with ASTM type certification challenges. Typically, my columns are written in the third person, keeping personal views and comments out of the story. This time is different. My quest to interview Cessna, and now Piper, about their decision and commitment to enter the S-LSA market has a personal side that I need to share.
Sport Flying With In Flight USA - March 2010
Where the Rubber Meets the Runway
By Ed Downs
This column has been addressing the Sport Pilot rule and Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) primarily from the perspective of general education. In others word, what this Sport Pilot movement is all about and how you, the reader, can apply Sport Pilot to your flying. The frustrating part of both writing and reading such accounts of these exciting, new, flying opportunities is that it lacks the “let’s go flying” side of the story. To be sure, S-LSA’s are being seen more often, but in general, one can wander around most airports and not see this new breed of airplane.