One sure way to know if a show works is to observe vendor participation over a number of years. As this is my 14th year attending the Midwest LSA Expo, I can tell you that 2023 represents a strong turnout. Companies come back year after year because it works to connect them with interested customers. Both sides end up smiling.

Here is a glimpse of what you can see if you can attend on Friday and Saturday. For those who cannot come, this will provide some taste of what happens in Mount Vernon, Illinois, in early September. Hopefully, you can make it in 2024.

Every vendor highlighted here brought two, three, or even four aircraft to show. That’s very rare, even at EAA AirVenture or Sun ‘n Fun.

What this illustrates is that the Midwest LSA Expo (about an hour’s drive east of St. Louis) has become a standard-bearer in the aviation calendar. Indeed, this is Midwest LSA’s 15th event, tying it with the longest-running prior such show, the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo. After catalyzing these LSA-focused shows, Sebring concluded its 15-year run in 2019.

Who’s Here?

AeroTrek returned after a few years’ absence and it came in force. As of opening day, three aircraft had arrived and two more are expected. In addition, the company showed off its new open trailer ,which looks enormously easier to load and secure so long as you’re not trying to drive all the way across the country. For transportation in a local or regional area, this looks like a great choice with significantly lower costs.

Rob Rollison, the longtime importer of this successful brand of modestly-priced LSA, has long maintained a steady rate of business because his supplier in Europe has maintained an prudent approach to business. This has helped the manufacturer remain very stable but it also means delivery times now reach about one year. Rollison indicated most customers are willing to wait. It was good to see him back in Mt. Vernon with his handsome airplanes and new trailer.

Texas Aircraft appeared at Midwest LSA some years back when its Colt LSA was a new entry in the game. Now the company reports it just delivered the first batch of airplanes to a nearby flight school and it is excited about the future of the FAA’s Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification regulation rulemaking (MOSAIC) with its new four-seat Stallion model already flying in Brazil.

• READ MORE: A MOSAIC Study Guide

In some ways, the Texas company, which is directly associated with the Brazilian organization, is ahead of the game because Brazil’s ANAC has already created a very MOSAIC-like regulation with minor differences. Approving that aircraft in its home country should make for a much easier entry to the U.S. market and this Hondo, Texas organization is ready to roll.

Bristell representative Piston Aviation reports running an active flight school operation. I plan to discuss this further with the company to see how its flight school operates with the LSA of today. In the MOSAIC preamble, the FAA said extra weight was needed to make LSA into viable flight school aircraft, but I think it’s missing that these aircraft are already working well in that environment, assuming good flight school management and properly-qualified instructors. (To be forthright, Piston also operates Piper Cherokees.)

Joe Ord’s company operates at Creve Coeur airport (1H0), Maryland Heights, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. It offers a wide range of flight instruction and lists its prices right on its homepage. You can tell that this company has a sense of style and it had handsome, custom-painted aircraft on display. Again, you see the commitment people make to the Midwest LSA Expo if Piston Aviation will bring aircraft that could be in flight training to display for you at the show.

Vashon brought two of its Ranger LSAs to Midwest LSA perhaps five years ago, and the company has been back every year since—and it doesn’t come with just a single airplane. I hope you’re starting to get the message that these companies like this show and they don’t come here just to bond with their fellow vendors. They know they will meet people like you. Likewise, people who come to this event tend to be serious and ready to take their aviation interest to the next level.

While Vashon’s prices have risen slightly over the last couple years–along with virtually everything else you buy—they are still affordable to a wide range of pilots, and have particular appeal to some by virtue of the use of a Continental O-200 powerplant. Lots of pilots and mechanics are familiar with that engine and, combined with a new and spacious airframe, the company is finding customers. Clearly, it finds some of them right here in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

TL Sport Aircraft had two of its four models on display at Mt. Vernon. After a couple of U.S. distributors didn’t work as well as expected, Trey Murdaugh’s company is bringing a more business-like approach. At Midwest LSA, he appropriately had on display a TL-3000 Sirius and an S-4 Sting. The latter (in an earlier model) was the #5 aircraft accepted by the FAA as a Special LSA out of 158 now on our SLSA list.

However, Murdaugh is also nicely positioned for MOSAIC with two other aircraft that did not travel to Mt. Vernon. One is the tandem-seating Stream, which I flew with him after Sun ‘n Fun 2022. That was a fine experience in a beautiful-flying aircraft. I look forward later this year to a flight in the company’s side-by-side MOSAIC-ready entry called Sparker that is the highest-performing of their line. Of course, prices follow capability, so the Sirius or Sting may be the more affordable buy, but this company has got choices for you.

Zenith arrived with two of its popular sport pilot-eligible kit aircraft, the Cruzer and Super Duty. Probably most readers are aware that Zenith is the leading kit builder in the light aircraft space (as only one Van’s model can presently qualify as an LSA). This should surprise no one as these aircraft are highly proven, and the manufacturing of Zenith kits has become quite sophisticated under the leadership of Sebastien Heintz.

• READ MORE: FAA’s MOSAIC Preview Has Major Implications for Helicopters, eVTOL

The Mexico, Missouri-based kit producer also hosts one of the largest events of its kind in the country, in fact, drawing even more people to it than the Midwest LSA Expo. Now in its 32nd year, “Homecoming” is a must-go for any Zenith enthusiast. I’ve never been able to make it because it occurs right after the Midwest LSA event but I hope many of you can and will attend. You can learn a lot at the event plus enjoy the camaraderie of others with similar interests.

Magni Gyro rep Greg Gremminger brought two gyroplanes, as he often has. Gremminger is one of those regulars that has made every Midwest LSA event, along with a handful of others. It helps that he’s based nearby, but this has proven to be a good event where he can give rampside talks about gyros to people who are interested. He’s done this for years, and every time I’ve seen quite a collection of people listening intently as he describes his rotary-winged aircraft and how they fly.

A couple years ago my wife and I each took a flight with Gremminger, and had a marvelous experience. I’m not qualified to fly gyroplanes solo, but I have learned from some experiences and I see the magic that so many enjoy. Gremminger was one of the original people to fight for 10 years asking the FAA to finally allow fully-built gyroplanes. He didn’t get a yes, but when Roy Beisswenger and I started our advocacy work, we took up the case again. Between Gremminger’s efforts and ours, I’m pleased that we will finally have factory-built gyros available for enthusiasts.

All this and more was available on opening day, despite weather challenges to the east, holding up the arrival of some aircraft. BushCat is expecting two aircraft, as is Jabiru. What I believe this list shows is that these companies are all willing to spend the money and take the time to bring multiple aircraft to the Midwest LSA Expo. One of the main reasons the show is popular and successful is the great ease of getting a demo flight in an airplane. Get on the schedule and when it’s your turn, it takes literally a few minutes to get airborne. Marvelous! Plus, entry to the show and parking are free.

The post Pilots, Aircraft Manufacturers Connect as Midwest LSA Expo Opens appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, in collaboration with sister company Inpaer in Brazil, has announced the introduction of the Stallion SLSA, a four-place aircraft that combines light sport performance and efficiency with enhanced capabilities for the general aviation and flight training markets. 

• READ MORE: Can Texas Aircraft’s Colt Become a Real 21st-Century Trainer? 

The Stallion SLSA would be the Hondo, Texas-based company’s inaugural aircraft to receive approval under the FAA’s proposed MOSAIC regulatory basis.

The first prototype of the Stallion SLSA was constructed at the Inpaer facility in Campinas outside of Sao Paulo. It is presently undergoing flight testing to gather data for the finalization of its design and eventual certification—hopefully—under the FAA’s new SLSA framework. 

• READ MORE: Texas Aircraft’s Colt S-LSA Receives FAA ASTM Certification

“While we await the FAA’s decision on the LSA 2023 [MOSAIC] requirements, the Stallion is already in the ASTM approval process in Brazil. We anticipate commencing the same process in the United States in early 2024,” said Kyle Braga, Texas Aircraft’s North American sales representative. “Our plan is to showcase the Stallion at next year’s Sun ‘n Fun event in Lakeland, Florida.”

In acknowledgment of the contributions of chief designer Caio Jordão, Braga said, “his guidance has been instrumental in bringing the all-new Stallion to fruition.”

The Texas Aircraft Stallion SLSA offers the following preliminary specifications:

• Four-place, SLSA
• 200 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine
• Extra-wide doors for easy passenger access
• Welded Chromoly safety cell
• All aviation-grade aluminum airframe
• Maximum cruise speed: 135 knots*
• Best economy cruise speed: 120 knots*
• Stall speed clean: 58 knots*
• Stall speed full flaps: 52 knots*
• Maximum range: 1,144 nm at best economy cruise*

*Note: All specifications are preliminary and subject to change.

The post Texas Aircraft Manufacturing Unveils Stallion SLSA appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

• aerial photography
• pipeline patrols
• search and rescue
• crop spraying
• wildfire spotting

The fuel efficiency of LSAs is a major factor in these types of aircraft now being used worldwide for many aerial work applications. However, in the United States, LSAs currently are severely limited in what “aerial work” they can do, with the only “for hire” uses of an LSA today being: 

• flight instruction
• aircraft rental
• towing of a hang glider, but not banner towing

For many years, LAMA has been working with Jonathan Scott, a senior research fellow at École des Ponts Business School to lobby the FAA to include these uses in the MOSAIC rewrite. LAMA, USUA, and Scott have also been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other entities performing testing and data collection to prove that LSAs make sense for aerial work on many levels. As part of that work, a 2014 survey revealed that in other countries, the list of allowable types of aerial work an LSA-type airplane can perform is very long.

As we approach the release of the ongoing FAA MOSAIC regulatory rewrite, many in the LSA industry are hopeful that the case made by LAMA, USUA, and Scott will lead to a much broader list of allowable aerial work applications for LSAs in the U.S.

“One aspect of our testing confirmed that an LSA at a height of 4,500 feet agl can map 30,000 acres in about an hour,” Scott said, “while a drone would need four to six weeks to cover the same area because, by law, drones can only ascend to 400 feet. This means LSAs have the ability to do more with less if the right aircraft is matched with the right job. And from the testing we’ve been doing, we now know that LSAs can do aerial observation and imaging very well.”

Although Scott is the “driving force” behind the testing of LSAs for aerial work in the U.S., his entry into this field came almost by chance. 

“In 2017, while I was attending ground school, I came across an article written by a researcher at the USDA which highlighted their aerial-imaging program and mentioned off-hand that USDA-ARS uses six-seater aircraft to carry 10-pound cameras,” Scott explained. “So I sent the researcher an email asking why USDA was paying hourly fuel costs of over $125 [the cost of 100LL avgas at the time] when they could probably do the same job using LSAs that consume only $15 of fuel per hour. He immediately invited me to the USDA research facility in Texas and asked me to bring an LSA for testing. This was before COVID hit, so we had to wait a year, but eventually I arranged to have three different LSAs show up for testing.”

Scott’s everyday work involves eliminating waste, reducing resource use, and lowering costs in work and production processes. While visiting USDA-ARS, one of the technicians explained that most of the aircraft they use are given to them by Homeland Security (i.e., drug confiscations). The technician said that the repair, maintenance, and operation costs associated with these ‘free’ aircraft often exceeded the research center’s budget, so none of the four aircraft in the hangar were usable at the time.

When larger aircraft are replaced with LSAs, the economics are hard to dispute, Scott said. “Wildfire detection is a great example of these economics. If the state of Florida replaced its present-day wildfire-detection fleet of seventeen Cessna 172s with LSAs, the fuel savings alone would amount to over $1,000 per hour and emissions could be cut by more than two-thirds. 

“Keep in mind this doesn’t take into account all the other financial savings involved, which means Florida could probably increase the size of its wildfire detection fleet by 50 percent using LSAs and still end up paying fewer day-to-day costs than it does now.”

One of the many concepts Scott and USDA have testing is “bridging,” where two or more technologies are combined to enhance their capabilities. “In this case, we replace traditional aerial photography cameras with drones. The idea is to securely strap a small drone to an LSA thereby eliminating the height, weight, and distance limitations of the drone while enabling the LSA to transmit a live video feed to a ground crew. This is a real game-changer, especially if thermal cameras are entered into the mix because by combining a drone with an LSA, you end up with an affordable, and improved, aerial platform as well as two aircraft that can be separated and used for different applications,” Scott said.

The 2016 white paper listed the types of aerial work uses LSAs are currently performing around the world. In Germany for instance, “ultralights” (similar in fuel efficiency to our LSAs) are used for crop spraying and surveillance, herd management, inspections of pipelines, power lines, and wind turbines, aerial photography, and towing of gliders and advertising banners. In Australia and New Zealand, LSAs are being used for many of those same applications, and also shark patrols and aerial seeding.

In the work advocating to the FAA for broader allowable uses of LSAs for aerial work, it was imperative that the distinction between “aerial work” and “commercial uses” be made. “No hauling of passengers or cargo is envisioned, and flight over areas of dense population is not requested. Night and IFR operations are also not contemplated. Aerial work performed in LSAs is not expected to exceed any operation parameters of such aircraft accepted as compliant with ASTM standards,” the paper said.

While the nuts and bolts of the final MOSAIC rewrite remain a mystery, many involved in the U.S. light sport industry are hopeful that the FAA opens up this efficient part of general aviation to more aerial work applications. If that happens, it could be a win for all involved, saving operators money while opening the door for more LSA sales and a new wave of job openings for pilots and ground crews.

The post Will MOSAIC Allow LSAs To Do More? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

An elite collection of aircraft and products have earned our highest level of commendation, the Flying Innovation Award, chosen for the Editors’ Choice Awards by our team—and debuting in the March 2020 issue of Flying. Last year at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, we announced that Gulfstream’s G500 business jet secured the 2019 Flying Innovation Award, not just for the aircraft itself—which exemplifies style and performance—but also for the layers of innovation within Gulfstream’s development program, setting the bar high for aerospace manufacturers.

For 2019, we applied the same criteria to the host of aircraft, products and enterprises around our industry: an innovation had to be certified, if applicable, and available as of the year’s end. We’ll make the announcement at AirVenture 2020. Let us know what you think should win, and long may the innovative spirit continue to grow general aviation.

Epic E1000

It has been a long journey to certification for Epic Aircraft—a tale that started more than 20 years ago. The Epic LT launched in 2004 with plans by the former company owners to bring that experimental turboprop to the market while, at the same time, pursing certification for a future version. The story turned into good news under the leadership of LT owner and entrepreneur Doug King. He took on the role of CEO—backed by different owners and then a Russian company—and set out to fulfill the challenge of turning a kit-built aircraft into a Part 23-compliant mount.

In 2019, after seven years of pursuit, the FAA signed off the E1000 following its last test-flight hour in the fall, with type certification granted on November 6. Propelled by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A producing 1,200 hp, and flying at a top cruise speed of 333 knots, the E1000 is now poised to make challenges of its own, in the hot single-engine-turboprop market.

Texas Aircraft Colt LSA

If ever there were an airplane tough enough to carry on the banner of a solid future-pilot training machine, surely, it’s the Texas Aircraft Colt. Think of this light-sport, metal and composite aircraft as a Cessna 150 on steroids, an airplane that solved many of the concerns expressed by pilots and instructors over the years.

Climbing into the Colt is a snap, thanks to doors designed to hinge open 180 degrees because of wing struts built to fit behind the doors rather than in front. Once inside, the Colt offers enough room for even large people to move arms and feet freely. The Colt was designed with a welded chromoly passenger safety cell and a glass-panel Dynon EFIS system powerful enough to drive high-resolution graphic displays and a truly useful autopilot. The Colt also offers an optional ballistic parachute.

Student pilots on a solo will love the 31.7-gallon fuel tank that delivers nearly six hours of flying while miserly gulping just 5 gph. Dramatically highlighting the results of modern aerodynamic design, the 1,320-pound Colt, powered by a 100 hp Rotax engine, delivers a sprightly climb rate.

uAvionix tailBeacon

If you want to know the truth, we considered the uAvionix skyBeacon for recognition this past year, but our admiration for the ADS-B Out device—and its new brother, the tailBeacon—solidified in 2019 as a rush of owners installed the units in order to meet the final ADS-B compliance date of January 1, 2020.

The avionics take an elegant approach to a problem that plagued many aircraft owners: how to comply with the requirement without spending a lot of money and adding another box to their instrument panel. First, uAvionix debuted the skyBeacon, a self-contained replacement for the airplane’s left-wing navigation light that a reasonably handy owner could swap out on their own—only a maintenance technician with inspection authority needed to sign off on the work. Then, in summer 2019, the company launched the tailBeacon, which had the same concept of just replacing the nav light on the empennage of the airplane.

In talking with owners, though there have been hiccups unique to various airplanes, the certification covers such a broad range of needs at a reasonable price point—making it a friend, indeed, for pilots needing to keep flying in ADS-B-required airspace.

Tecnam P2012 Traveller

In the very last week of 2018, Tecnam gained European Union Aviation Safety Association certification of its 11-seat P2012 Traveller, a piston-powered twin aimed directly at the commuter-aircraft market. On paper, perhaps that doesn’t sound like a slam-dunk, but the Traveller proved in 2019 that it fills a niche few aircraft can.

In October, the mighty mini airliner made a transatlantic trip to gain FAA certification, with a delivery to its first and—at least for now—most important customer, Cape Air. Yes, the regional airline famous for its flights to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, but with bases around the US, it worked hand in hand with Tecnam on the airplane’s development. And they didn’t just have their own specs in mind, though the airplane’s easy baggage loading and passenger-centric entry/exit door sure make the case for it. They, along with the manufacturer, also envisioned a green future for the airplane, placing it firmly within the airline’s own road map for alternative fuels and efficiency of consumption.

Powered by two Lycoming TEO540C1A engines actuated by full authority digital engine control, and with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics in the cockpit, the airplane’s operating costs are projected to run at $391 to $405 per hour. With the ability to complete a 500-nm trip at 155 knots at 10,000 feet, there’s a lot of application for the P2012 Traveller we’re just beginning to see.

Sporty’s PJ2

While glass cockpits abound these days, hardly anyone thinks much about a communications failure anymore, but it still happens. That’s why plenty of pilots carry a backup two-way radio in their flight bag. However, the problem with most of them is, when they’re needed, trying to communicate with a small handheld radio demands that the pilot needs to pull off their headset to talk, and that means picking up a serious amount of background noise.

Late in 2019, Sporty’s unveiled a solution to the cockpit-noise problems inherent in handheld radios. Called the PJ2, Sporty’s backup doesn’t require removing a headset, only unplugging it from one location and plugging it into the jacks conveniently located on top of the handheld PJ2. The result is a transmitter able that takes advantage of the noise-canceling microphone on a good headset.

The PJ2 includes 20 scannable memory channels, a last-frequency button, an oversize backlit screen, and even a quick access button to listen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration broadcasts. Press and hold the number “2” key for three seconds, and the PJ2 automatically switches to 121.5. Sporty’s PJ2 runs on six AA batteries but includes a USB-C plug for backup power.

The post Flying’s Editors’ Choice Awards Celebrate 2019’s Success appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A premier collection of aircraft and products earned our highest level of commendation, the Editors’ Choice Awards, by our team back in February —with the Innovation Award winner to be announced later this week—and in the August 2020 issue of Flying.

Last year at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, we announced that Gulfstream’s G500 business jet secured the 2019 Flying Innovation Award, not just for the aircraft itself—which exemplifies style and performance—but also for the layers of innovation within Gulfstream’s development program, setting the bar high for aerospace manufacturers. While we won’t have the opportunity to celebrate the 2020 winner at AirVenture (following that event’s cancellation) we will bring the news to you on Flying’s social media channels.

Here’s a recap of those ECA winners—all candidates for the Innovation Award—and be sure to stay tuned this week for the big announcement.

Epic E1000

It has been a long journey to certification for Epic Aircraft—a tale that started more than 20 years ago. The Epic LT launched in 2000 with plans by the former company owners to bring that experimental turboprop to the market while, at the same time, pursing certification for a future version. The story turned into good news under the leadership of LT owner and entrepreneur Doug King. He took on the role of CEO—backed by different owners and then a Russian company—and set out to fulfill the challenge of turning a kit-built aircraft into a Part 23-compliant mount.

In 2019, after nine years of pursuit, the FAA signed off the E1000 following its last test-flight hour in the fall, with type certification granted on November 6. Propelled by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-76A producing 1,200 hp, and flying at a top cruise speed of 325 knots, the E1000 is now poised to make challenges of its own, in the hot single-engine-turboprop market.

Texas Aircraft Colt LSA

If ever there were an airplane tough enough to carry on the banner of a solid future-pilot training machine, surely, it’s the Texas Aircraft Colt. Think of this light-sport, metal and composite aircraft as a Cessna 150 on steroids, an airplane that solved many of the concerns expressed by pilots and instructors over the years.

Climbing into the Colt is a snap, thanks to doors designed to hinge open 180 degrees because of wing struts built to fit behind the doors rather than in front. Once inside, the Colt offers enough room for even large people to move arms and feet freely. The Colt was designed with a welded chromoly passenger safety cell and a glass-panel Dynon EFIS system powerful enough to drive high-resolution graphic displays and a truly useful autopilot. The Colt also offers an optional ballistic parachute.

Student pilots on a solo will love the 31.7-gallon fuel tank that delivers nearly six hours of flying while miserly gulping just 5 gph. Dramatically highlighting the results of modern aerodynamic design, the 1,320-pound Colt, powered by a 100 hp Rotax engine, delivers a sprightly climb rate. We featured the Colt in the May issue of Flying.

uAvionix tailBeacon

If you want to know the truth, we considered the uAvionix skyBeacon for recognition this past year, but our admiration for the ADS-B Out device—and its new brother, the tailBeacon—solidified in 2019 as a rush of owners installed the units in order to meet the final ADS-B compliance date of January 1, 2020.

The avionics take an elegant approach to a problem that plagued many aircraft owners: how to comply with the requirement without spending a lot of money and adding another box to their instrument panel. First, uAvionix debuted the skyBeacon, a self-contained replacement for the airplane’s left-wing navigation light that a reasonably handy owner could swap out on their own—only a maintenance technician with inspection authority needed to sign off on the work. Then, in summer 2019, the company launched the tailBeacon, which had the same concept of just replacing the nav light on the empennage of the airplane.

In talking with owners, though there have been hiccups unique to various airplanes, the certification covers such a broad range of needs at a reasonable price point—making it a friend, indeed, for pilots needing to keep flying in ADS-B-required airspace.

Tecnam P2012 Traveller

In the very last week of 2018, Tecnam gained European Union Aviation Safety Association certification of its 11-seat P2012 Traveller, a piston-powered twin aimed directly at the commuter-aircraft market. On paper, perhaps that doesn’t sound like a slam-dunk, but the Traveller proved in 2019 that it fills a niche few aircraft can.

In October, the mighty mini airliner made a transatlantic trip to gain FAA certification, with a delivery to its first and—at least for now—most important customer, Cape Air. Yes, the regional airline famous for its flights to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, but with bases around the US, it worked hand in hand with Tecnam on the airplane’s development. And they didn’t just have their own specs in mind, though the airplane’s easy baggage loading and passenger-centric entry/exit door sure make the case for it. They, along with the manufacturer, also envisioned a green future for the airplane, placing it firmly within the airline’s own road map for alternative fuels and efficiency of consumption.

Powered by two Lycoming TEO540C1A engines actuated by full authority digital engine control, and with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics in the cockpit, the airplane’s operating costs are projected to run at $391 to $405 per hour. With the ability to complete a 500-nm trip at 155 knots at 10,000 feet, there’s a lot of application for the P2012 Traveller we’re just beginning to see. We featured the Tecnam P2012 in the June issue of Flying.

Sporty’s PJ2

With glass cockpits abound these days, hardly anyone thinks much about a communications failure anymore, but it still happens. That’s why plenty of pilots carry a backup two-way radio in their flight bag. However, the problem with most of them is, when they’re needed, trying to communicate with a small handheld radio demands that the pilot needs to pull off their headset to talk, and that means picking up a serious amount of background noise.

Late in 2019, Sporty’s unveiled a solution to the cockpit-noise problems inherent in handheld radios. Called the PJ2, Sporty’s backup doesn’t require removing a headset, only unplugging it from one location and plugging it into the jacks conveniently located on top of the handheld PJ2. The result is a transmitter able that takes advantage of the noise-canceling microphone on a good headset.

The PJ2 includes 20 scannable memory channels, a last-frequency button, an oversize backlit screen, and even a quick access button to listen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration broadcasts. Press and hold the number “2″ key for three seconds, and the PJ2 automatically switches to 121.5. Sporty’s PJ2 runs on six AA batteries but includes a USB-C plug for backup power.

The post Flying’s Editors’ Choice Awards Set Stage for Innovation Award appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

When you and your bank account finally decide it is time to buy a new airplane, the choices vary widely in price, features and mission. Every make and model has specific mission capabilities that offer the owner-pilot the most efficient return on investment, and where you settle on the “mission” question ultimately determines the price you pay and the feature set you require.

The choices of single-engine or multiengine piston- powered aircraft range from small two-seat models for pure affordable recreational flying to high-end luxury models, with a price tag to match. Let’s take a look at a few makes and models currently available.

A great first airplane for many budgets is the new Texas Aircraft Colt. With a manufacturer’s base price of $167,000, it’s an affordable light-sport choice that sips fuel as you go have some fun in the sky. However, with the choice of a Dynon SkyView HDX or Garmin G3X and GTN 650 avionics, all-aluminum construction, and stout landing gear, the Colt is suitable for flight training use as well.

Pilots who have been around aviation for a while will be drawn to the new Cessna Skyhawk, Skylane and Turbo Stationair HD from Textron Aviation. All three models deliver a lineage born from decades of dependable aviation manufacturing, and while the Skyhawk, Skylane and Stationair might look like your granddad’s Cessna 172, 182 or 206 from afar, these new models are supremely refined. The Skyhawk of today is flown behind a capable Garmin G1000 NXi glass panel, with an interior look and feel that is far superior to the well-loved 172 you might have trained in back in the day. The Turbo Stationair is equally refined with a similar G1000 NXi avionics suite, and it will carry the exceptional load that has always drawn owner-pilots to the legacy 206. Room for six people on upgraded seating plus the model’s signature double aft doors make loading all those people and cargo easy. The Skylane 182T hits the sweet spot in the middle, in terms of mission, with four seats and substantial flexibility in both payload and performance. You will pay a premium for today’s Cessna models compared to decades ago but will enjoy the same legendary performance, serviceability and dependability.

Check out more: 2020 Flying Buyer’s Guide

If flying the backcountry is your desired mission, the CubCrafters XCub or Aviat Husky A-1C-200 will suit that mission well. The XCub is designed for exceptional STOL performance, and while it is designed to be rugged, plenty of passenger comforts have been added. With the panel centered around Garmin’s 10.6-inch G3X flight display, pilots will be able to wind their way safely through canyons with ease.

The Aviat Husky A-1C-200 is also designed to get in and out of the smallest, most-demanding backcountry strips by offering the pilot plenty of horsepower from the Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 engine while sipping just 7.6 gph at 55 percent power. If you want to conduct extreme STOL operations, this backcountry hot rod makes it happen.

For owner-pilots focused on long-range cruising, Beechcraft’s Bonanza G36 should be a strong contender for your dollars. Like the decades of Bonanzas that came before, the G36 is fast, comfortable and well-built. The Garmin G1000 NXi panel allows serious IFR flying, which makes the G36 a great choice as a first business airplane. Another solid cruiser is Piper’s Archer LX, which draws heavily on the familiar Cherokee family. With its fine leather seats and G1000 NXi panel, pilots who have previously flown an older Cherokee will quickly realize this is a seriously upgraded airplane.

One model that percolates to the top of many a pilot’s wish list is Diamond Aircraft’s DA40. The company is known for engineering a high level of safety into each model, and the DA40 is a super stylish, well-built airplane for the first-time owner or seasoned IFR aviator. The sexy ramp appeal of the DA40 comes as standard equipment.

When your budget is on the higher end, the Cirrus SR22 series is the logical choice for a perfect blend of speed, safety, comfort and capability. Available in many package levels starting at $654,900, you pay for the privilege of flying one of the most capable single-engine airplanes available today. The Cirrus Perspective Plus avionics suite by Garmin, 310 hp Continental IO-550-N engine, Cirrus Airframe Parachute System and gorgeous premium interiors make the SR22 family about as good as it gets in personal or business flying.

This story appeared in the November 2020, Buyers Guide issue of Flying Magazine

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“We are very humbled and very happy to be considered a great choice for [the] single-engine piston [category],” said Matheus Grande, CEO of Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, in a note to Flying. The company is working to gain a foothold with its light sport aircraft, the Colt—and it has recently announced a price incentive aimed at flight schools looking for a cost-effective solution for their fleet upgrades. To answer this need, a Colt equipped with the Garmin G3X Touch flight deck is now offered for $139,900.

“As we come out from under COVID-19 induced flight training restrictions, the operators of several flight schools have come to us asking for an affordably-priced, all-metal, Garmin-equipped training aircraft,” Grande said in a company release. “Our solution is the highly-advanced and very-affordable entry-level Colt S-LSA, which is priced at $139,900, below the cost of the fully-equipped Colt-S and Colt-SL S-LSA.”

In addition to the 3X Touch, the streamlined Colt comes with a single Garmin comm, ADS-B Out transponder, and a trio of analog flight instruments on the right-side instrument panel. Continuing with the basic model approach, the cabin has synthetic leather upholstery, left-side-only toe brakes, and an all-white painted exterior with no graphics.

“When you couple the Garmin G3X Touch display with Colt’s attractive pricing, and low operating costs, flight schools now have a truly modern, all-metal, training aircraft that sets a new industry standard for comfort, safety, and ruggedness,” said Caio Jordão, COO of Texas Aircraft. “At our low price, flight schools can now afford to put a state-of-the-art trainer with touchscreen avionics on their flight line for the same hourly rental cost of a much less capable legacy aircraft.” The company was founded in 2017, and it’s based at the Hondo airport in Texas. The Colt was selected as one of Flying’s Editors’ Choice Award winners for 2020.

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Texas Aircraft Manufacturing is now offering a complete suite of Garmin avionics for the new-generation Colt-S and Colt-S LSA that includes Garmin’s G3X Touch flight display and GTN 650 touchscreen navigator. In a news release, Texas Aircraft Manufacturing’s customer engagement team member, Scott Musselman, said the updated avionics package evolved after flight schools began asking for the option. Musselman said, “Providing Garmin packages will be a means to reduce the time and cost associated with training students on multiple avionics systems as they progress. So, whether they want a sleek single display Garmin G3X Touch panel or dual G3X Touchs for a truly impressive PFD/MFD experience, we offer what they are looking for.” All Garmin-equipped IFR-capable Colts come standard with a G5 backup.

“Today’s students want to train on the same avionics they will be using later as they advance into more complex Garmin-equipped aircraft,” Musselman said. “The wide variety of Garmin avionics that we will make available for the Colt will give flight schools and private owners a great deal of flexibility in how their avionics are configured.” Texas Aircraft is now offering Garmin-equipped Colt aircraft with the basic VFR package starting at $139,000. The fully-equipped, full-IFR Garmin package starts at $170,500. Texas Aircraft said it will continue to offer the Dynon avionics package as an additional option.

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Hondo, Texas-based Texas Aircraft Manufacturing and British lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology company OXIS Energy, said they are jointly developing a high-wing, two-seat, all metal, fully-electric aircraft dubbed the eColt based on Texas Aircraft’s Colt S-LSA.

In a news release, Texas Aircraft said, “The eColt will fill a growing demand for ecologically-friendly flight training airplanes, as well as regional transportation in Brazil and throughout the world. Initially, OXIS projects the eColt’s flight time will be in excess of two hours with an approximate range of 200 nm. The use of sulfur as a non-conductive battery material provides enhanced safety and is superior to current lithium-Ion technology. Its 90kWh battery system, which is 40 percent lighter than current Li-Ion technology will be powered by its High Power cell at 400Wh/kg.”

All of the eColt’s key airframe and power components will be manufactured in Brazil at the Texas Aircraft Manufacturing facility in Campinas. The Li-S battery cells will be made at the OXIS factory in Juiz de Fora. The powertrain will be supplied by WEG of Jaraguá do Sul. The battery and its management system (BMS) will be provided by AKAER Group of São José dos Campos.

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Dan Johnson told me, “The first light-sport airplane arrived in the U.S. in April 2005. The first two FAA-accepted special light-sport aircraft were announced…almost exactly 15 years ago.” Johnson reviews recreational aircraft and posts those reports on his site, bydanjohnson.com. A flight school needs to use an S-LSA in order to operate a light-sport aircraft in commercial operations—and that’s one of the target markets for Texas Aircraft Manufacturing’s new Rotax-powered Colt S and SL models.

The simple approval to operate the new two-place airplane at a flight school is not the only hurdle Texas Aircraft is facing. Johnson added, “Outside of the LSA world, many pilots I’ve spoken to believe these aircraft are too lightly built to hold up in flight training—one of the most demanding of all flight activities.”

Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, based at the former Hondo Army Airfield—now known as South Texas Regional Airport—about 35 miles west of San Antonio, remains focused on winning orders from flight schools. Considering the Colt is a brand-new design created with a modern glass cockpit and comfortable cabin, I had to wonder why a flight school wouldn’t consider it. After all, the primary new training airplanes being sold in the US today—the Cessna 172, designed in the 1950s, and the Piper PA-28, created in the early 1960s—took shape decades ago, though the avionics, engines and interiors have certainly been updated. To date, Piper has built nearly 40,000 of the four-place PA-28 model, which remains in production, while Cessna created about 31,500 of the two-place 100 hp 150s. Production of the 150/152 model ceased in 1985.

Plenty has happened to airframes and avionics in past 35 years—changes Texas Aircraft Manufacturing has taken advantage of, not to mention the expertise of the company’s design chief, Caio Jordão. The Colt SL, approved for both day and night VFR flight, includes a Dynon SkyView HDX avionics suite, including synthetic vision and an autopilot. The airplane retails for $167,000. Today, the almost-certificated Piper 100i, with Garmin G3X Touch avionics and a GFC 500 autopilot, sells for about $289,900; a four-place Cessna 172S—the smallest of that company’s single-engine airplanes, featuring Garmin’s G1000 NXi—lists for $411,000. Seems like a no-brainer if the decision to buy one of these technically advanced airplanes is simply based on price.

Texas Aircraft CEO Matheus Grande said, “The Colt is much less expensive to conduct any repair work on, especially if you’re working with an all-composite aircraft.” If a local school has the availability of automotive gas on site, so much the better, according to the Texas Aircraft folks, because using that fuel eliminates 50-hour oil changes and spark-plug cleaning made necessary by use of 100LL. The company believes a flight school with an in-house mechanic could easily tuck away just $23 per flight hour for maintenance, and views the Colt as a modern-day version of the Cessna 150.

One element of the earlier Cessna trainers that has not been completely remedied in the Colt—or any other similar two-place airplane—is useful load. Both the Colt and the 150 post an almost-identical useful load of 485 and 489 pounds, respectively. Fill up the Colt with fuel, and the weight of the people in the cabin will need to shrink pretty quickly. Scott Musselman, the company’s customer-engagement contact, said the Colt is a good cross-country airplane when a student or pilot is solo. With two average-size folks aboard, pilots should plan on carrying no more than about three hours of fuel with a reserve, approximately 18 gallons. Another concern for any flight school is the cost of insuring a fleet of Colts—especially in the current marketplace where rates have been rocketing skyward.

Jordão, a mechanic and pilot-turned-designer, hopes the company is a few steps ahead of the naysayers. Known to some as the god of the Brazilian LSA world, Jordão created the successful line of Inpaer airplanes in that country, such as the Conquest 180 that formed the basis for—and bears a striking resemblance to—the new Colt. There are approximately 400 Conquest 180s flying in Brazil.

Jordão’s experience in Brazil taught him that “if you build lighter landing gear, for instance, and something happens on landing, the whole airplane is usually destroyed.” (Because Jordão answered in Portuguese, my interview was translated by Scott Musselman.) The new Colt includes “seriously strong landing gear for that very reason,” Jordão said, adding that Colt customers will appreciate the strong airframe, which includes a chromoly survival cage that encases passengers, as well as a standard Galaxy Rescue Systems ballistic parachute on the SL (GRS chutes are built in the Czech Republic). Jordão said the Colt has a useful airframe life of 6,000 hours.

Texas Aircraft originally prototyped the new Colt airplane in Brazil beginning in 2016. All aircraft are now handcrafted to ASTM standards at the factory at the Hondo airport, where a large percentage of the men and women on the shop floor are U.S. military veterans recruited from nearby air bases such as Randolph and Kelly Field in San Antonio. Musselman said, “We’ve used a lot of that manufacturing history from Brazil to build an airplane that is really robust and is designed to exceed the ASTM standards while providing the stable controllable flight characteristics we’re looking for.” The Colt uses a traditional control yoke rather than the stick regularly seen in many LSAs.

So why build an LSA in the U.S. when building and shipping from Brazil would seem to be the cheaper solution? “Sixty percent of the world aircraft fleet is in the United States,” Matheus Grande said. There’s also a serious logistical issue with building in Brazil: “Materials like aluminum sheets, rivets and hardware for the Colt—like 85 percent of that—come from the USA. We wanted to build this aircraft with as much AN-labeled hardware as possible.” Importing it all to Brazil and then sending it all back to the U.S. as a finished airplane did not make good financial sense.

Musselman said Jordão and Grande’s “dream was also to have a business and a company in America. They love American ideals. Building an airplane made in America and certified under the FAA is a great advantage.” Texas Aircraft Manufacturing delivered its first Colt SL to a father-son duo in Florida. The aircraft should turn a few heads in that area because its painted in the University of Florida’s green-and-orange color scheme and sports a sassy-looking gator on the vertical stabilizer.

The Colt comes in two models, the S and the SL, both powered by a 100 hp Rotax 912 ULS engine attached to a Sterna three-blade propeller designed specifically for the Colt. The S model—aimed at the flight school market—includes a semi-cantilever, high-wing design; an all-aviation-grade-aluminum airframe with solid-metal rivets; a welded-chromoly passenger safety cell (GRS ballistic parachute optional) with dual-padded, leather- wrapped yokes and a handcrafted leather center console and upholstery; a Dynon SkyView HDX touchscreen avionics suite with synthetic vision; and lightweight, composite carbon-fiber cowling, fairings, wingtips and wheelpants. The SL—aimed at private-aircraft owners—includes the same features as the S but adds a two-axis autopilot with a level button, the GRS parachute as standard and a full-aircraft paint scheme in the customer’s choice of colors.

Right now, Texas Aircraft Manufacturing is focusing on sales local to the triangle formed by Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, but is also pursuing broker relationships. The company hopes to be building between two and four airframes each month by this summer. Musselman said, “The company wants to maintain enough materials on hand to build about eight aircraft,” something he believes is doable because inventory doesn’t depend on customer money to maintain production.

Grande spoke a bit to the Colt’s evolution. “In January 2017, we started the research and development on the Colt and figured Texas Aircraft would build a light-sport aircraft made of all aluminum with solid rivets and a primary-structure survival cell.” He said no other LSA matched those characteristics. “Those ingredients would make it possible for us to have an extremely reliable and robust aircraft. We also wanted a tough yet beautiful aircraft,” he said. “It’s not easy to get a beautiful, sleek design out of aluminum. Working with that metal makes life very difficult.” He and Jordão wanted to add a pinch of modernity to the aircraft, so all the engine cowling and fairings were made of carbon fiber.

Texas Aircraft’s in-house machinists spent a considerable amount of time creating their own equipment to carry out the required load tests. “We didn’t want to do anything with sandbags,” Grande said. “We wanted something extremely professional and reliable.” The company tested no fewer than 12 different wing designs before settling on the one that gave the aircraft the docile stall characteristics Jordão was after. The Colt’s fuel tanks are integral to the wing too.

“Our engineering work exceeded ASTM requirements…all of them,” Grande said. Light-sport-aircraft manufacturers like Texas Aircraft must comply with ASTM standards to create, and eventually certify, a special LSA. The ASTM process is sufficient to prove to the FAA that the aircraft is tough enough to certify as an S-LSA. When a manufacturer proves this through the data delivered to the FAA, the agency issues a special airworthiness certificate.

Going Airborne in the Colt

Scott Musselman also serves as one of company’s flight instructors and acted as my checkout pilot during our hour-long flight in N104TA. We caught up with the aircraft on the west ramp of Texas Aircraft’s hangar. The Colt is an eye-catcher because, with its sleek molded cowling, wheelpants and flared wingtips, this is clearly a brand-new airplane.

We began the preflight by opening the Colt’s big doors to flip on the master switch. That’s when it hits you that this airplane is a cut above many other LSAs, especially for tall pilots. Because the Colt’s wing strut attaches to the fuselage just aft of the door framework, the door will swing 180 degrees forward, allowing even a 6-foot-4-inch man to easily slide into the left seat like the Colt was made for him.

I flipped on the master, and Scott pointed out that the airplane’s vertical-stabilizer strobe began flashing as a signal to anyone nearby. Like most airplanes of this size, the best method to determine the fuel on board is to stand up on a stepladder and poke a graduated dipstick in each tank. The company provides one for each airplane. For today’s flight, Musselman and I planned to depart with about 15 gallons of fuel, which brought us up nearly to gross weight.

A couple items stood out during the preflight, such as the black tape that protects the wing’s leading edge from the dozens of nicks that traditionally plague any airplane. From a distance, it almost made the Colt look like it was carrying deicer boots, but it was merely window dressing to keep that wing looking factory-new. On the rear of the fuselage near the vertical-stabilizer attachment point, where everyone normally searches for the cotter pins and lug nuts that connect the elevator to the control rods, Texas Aircraft created a simple yet effective view window that make checking the actual control-rod attachments to the elevator a snap. Because the Rotax 912 is liquid-cooled, pilots must be sure to check the coolant level up front in addition to engine-oil quantity.

Once I settled into the comfy leather seats, I had a few minutes to figure out where all the necessary switches and levers were. I liked the visibility inside the Colt’s bright cockpit and how easily I was able to adjust the seat to allow me to plant my feet on the rudder pedals just the way I liked them. Having spent many hours in the right seat of a Cessna 150, one of my many memories was feeling as if I were sitting on the floor. That is not so in the Colt. The hand-stitched leather on the control wheel and center console gave the Colt the look of a much more expensive aircraft.

The Rotax started easily after first running the electric fuel pump for a few seconds. Once the engine fires, the electric pump is used only for emergencies, or if the fuel pressure varies at all. For pilots new to the Rotax, the choke may seem strange—unless the aviator also lives up north, where that’s a common feature on most snowblowers to aid cold-weather starts. There’s currently an engine limitation that requires the pilot to hold down the rpm to 2,500 until the oil temperature climbs above 120 degrees. Musselman said the engineers are thinking about changing the airplane’s oil cooler to eliminate the issue.

Before we taxied, Musselman showed me a couple of the cool features on the Dynon comm radios using the buttons marked “TWR,” “ATIS” and “GND.” Because the airplane knows where it is in the world, the pilot needs only to push TWR, for example, and the Dynon will auto-tune itself to the correct frequency. As we began our taxi to Hondo’s 6,002-foot Runway 17L, I realized what a vast yet quiet airport Texas Aircraft chose for its US headquarters. While the air was once abuzz with plenty of military-training flights, traffic around this noncontrolled field was almost nonexistent the day we flew. The people at Texas Aircraft say it’s a perfect location with plenty of open space to expand and little traffic to get in the way when they flight-test a new idea.

The Colt’s castering nosewheel doesn’t take long to get used to because the airplane uses traditional, very effective toe brakes. The oil temperature reached normal before we hit the end of the runway. Musselman said 10 degrees of flaps was the preferred takeoff setting, and after a brief run-up, I lined up with the runway centerline and brought the Rotax to full power. The Colt’s steering was solid, and in just a few seconds, I eased back on the control yoke at 50 knots—and we were off, having used about 600 to 700 feet of runway. Best angle-of-climb speed is 60 knots, and while the aircraft climbed very quickly, I preferred a slightly lower deck angle to be able to look out the windows for traffic. Best rate of climb is 64 knots. With an outside air temperature that day of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, I saw a climb rate of nearly 800 fpm. I eventually settled on 75 knots for most of the rest of the climb.

Even once the flaps were up, the airplane didn’t require much additional trim in the climb. I reached over to switch off the landing light until Musselman reminded me that there was no penalty in keeping them on because the lights were all LEDs. The Colt comes with left and right fuel tanks that require balancing, a function made easier with the reminder from the Dynon system every 30 minutes to switch tanks. I noticed that, even accelerating to 83 knots, we were climbing at 800 fpm and burning about 5.2 gph up to our cruise altitude. I pitched the nose over to level flight at 4,500 feet and pulled back the power to about 4,850 rpm. Again, the Colt demanded very little in the way of trim changes.

I performed a few clearing turns as we headed toward the Medina Lake area for some airwork. The Colt’s upper flap range begins at 75 knots, and Musselman said he can comfortably fly around at 45 knots all day long with the full 30 degrees of flaps deployed. The airplane was rock-steady. I pulled back the power to idle to see how long it took to slow the airplane and was surprised it actually took so long. Musselman said the glide ratio on the Colt is about 12-to-1. If the engine had quit, the pilots pegs the best glide speed of 60 knots. With flaps up, the Colt is limited to +4gs/-2gs.

The flap switch is spring-loaded, so I held it down for a count of four, which delivered the first 10 degrees. Using the same techniques a few additional times got us to full flaps. I tried some slow flight with full flaps at 50 knots. The Colt demanded about 3,850 rpm to hold 50.

I tried a go-around from slow flight with full flaps and found little pitch change, actually rather unusual for any airplane, as I added power and began eliminating the drag. I also tried a few clean stalls after the go-around, and as the angle of attack nears the stall, the electronic warning beeper increases in frequency. The break during a clean stall is noticeable but not anywhere near what I would call upsetting—but then again, I’m not a new pilot. I tried a few with full flaps, and it was much tougher to stall until I pulled back quickly on the yoke. The Colt’s stall speed with full flaps is 35 knots. Even then, the stall was pretty docile. The Cessna 150 would have had a much more pronounced break.

As the sun began setting toward the horizon, I realized the Colt’s interior lighting has the 150′s beat by quite a bit. Even during all the moving hands and elbows of airwork and time in the traffic pattern, there’s plenty of room to move around in the cockpit—thanks to the extra inches of cabin width. In the traffic pattern back at Hondo, the Colt required a power setting of about 3,600 rpm while burning about 3.5 gph. On final at 60 knots with full flaps, Musselman said I should try to slip the airplane if I needed it. It was also pretty docile here, and as I flared and reduced the power, the Colt settled nicely back onto Runway 17L.

Selling new piston-powered airplanes is always tough, but LSA sales people have their work cut out for them; the number of traditional, factory-built, single-engine piston aircraft sold in 2019 numbered just more than 1,100, while LSA sales hovered around 700. I wish I could convince our flying club to purchase a Colt SL. It would make a teriffic training airplane.

Texas Aircraft Colt Specs

This story appeared in the May 2020 issue of Flying Magazine

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