CubCrafters Carbon Cub SS.

CubCrafters is on track to deliver its 200^th Light Sport Aircraft in February. The company offers two models of LSA, the 100-horsepower Sport Cub S2 and the 180-hp Carbon Cub SS, which has won virtually every STOL competition in which it was entered, the company says.

“We are spending as much time developing our fleet infrastructure as we are working on product development,” says General Manager Randy Lervold. “Both are high priorities here at CubCrafters.”

In December the company added 15,000 square feet of manufacturing space and a dedicated R&D shop to its Yakima, Washington, headquarters. This also created several job opportunites, which are posted on the company’s web site.

For more information, visit www.cubcrafters.com.

Troubleshooting electrical problems on the 912 series of engines previously required the use of a voltmeter and extensive knowledge of the aircraft’s electrical system. Dr. RoTech can plug directly into the ignition module’s connector or can detect which system you are testing if using the test lead/probe. Labeled green and red pass/fail lights indicate which systems are functioning properly. Dr. RoTech performs all of the required measurements of BRP-Rotax 912/914 Heavy Maintenance Manual section 74 paragraph 3.12, the company says, which include: the generator coil (on stator), charging coil (on stator), trigger coil (A&B), primary ignition coil (A&B), secondary ignition coil, spark plug connector, ignition switch and engine ground.

Dr. RoTech also offers PC support, allowing users to plug into a computer to obtain more specific information such as a failure counter for troubleshooting intermittent problems. The price is $499.99.

For more information, visit www.lightsportgroup.com/rotech.html.

The V6 will operate on both 12-volt and 24-volt systems. Also, like its older sibling the V10 Com, the new radio can be remote controlled via an EFIS for frequency selection. It offers both a high-powered radio and a full-featured four-place intercom.

Other features include:

Stereo intercom for stereo music listening when a music player is connected to the aux audio input. Music mutest automatically on receive/transmit. Two mono inputs are for EFIS alarm anunciators and phone connection.

Four microphone channels for independent level/VOGAD (voice-operated gain-adjusting device) settings for each mic in a four-place aircraft.

A weight of 8.8 ounces.

Digital interface with which you can set the frequency on the radio from any MGL EFIS or any equipment capable of setting frequency on an SL40 radio.

Sunlight readable LCD display.

100 channels with alpha-numeric frequency name and function (when the radio is operated in channel mode).

Dual scan priority on active using single transceiver.

SL30 and SL40 communications compatible with MGL extensions to enable full remote control of entire transceiver with status feedback.

Digital audio subsystem for sound quality.

The price is $1095.

For more information, visit www.mglavionics.com.

You can find the blog here.

Jean-Luc Rousseau holds the demonstrably ultra-light trike.

There was, admittedly, a large array of every type of LSA in attendance at the Light Sport Aircraft Expo January 19 to 22, in Sebring, Florida. Vendors were uniformly upbeat and claimed rising sales, despite prices ranging from mid-$80,000 to high-$180,000. A good many Cubs and Kitfoxes were on display along with myriad wannabes.

Dan Johnson, head of the Light Aircraft Manufacturer’s Association, reports that 16,000 attendees made this a record year, despite 5% fewer exhibitors on display.

I noted a type of size and power creep slipping into the LSA world. Almost universally these small aircraft were initially Rotax powered and similar in size and weight. One manufacturer had a low-wing item on display with a 180-horsepower Lycoming and several exceeded the original 1320-pound gross. There are even plans to make the Cessna 150 and 152 LSA compliant, even if it means stretching the rules to fit the new norm. The term LSA might become generic without the close distinctions with which it st
arted.

The airscoop, brushless motor and battery compartment for Randall Fishman’s new ElectraFlyer ultralight self-launching sailplane.

Another trend, and a heartening one, is for once-foreign-made aircraft to migrate to American manufacturers. There were several instances of this at Sebring, with at least one example having a European and an American maker competing with one another at comparable prices. Oddly resistant to this trend, Cessna is having its Skycatcher made in China, citing high manufacturing costs and taxes here.

Most reports missed the electric highlights of the show, and a few glimmers of even more exciting changes coming in the next year or so.

Randall Fishman discusses his gleaming trike with the group.

Looking at a display of user-installable airbags for aircraft, made in France and also available for motorcyclists and horse jumpers!, I chanced on Abid Farooqui of Tampa Bay Aero Sport, who showed the battery-powered version of the trike on which Gerard Thevenot flew across the English Channel in 2009 to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Bleriot’s flight.

Thevenot’s craft was very high-tech, employing three small hydrogen fuel cells for its energy, while the commercially available unit shown at Sebring manages with a Flytec 60 amp-hour LiPo battery pack that gives 40 minutes’ endurance.

ElectraFlyer’s brushed motor and controller.

The whole package, including trike frame, Flytec’s HPD-13.5 (kW) motor, controller and single battery pack, weighs little enough for Farooqui’s partner, Jean-Luc Rousseau, to lift the little trike for a photo op. Rousseau is Gerard Thevenot’s son. The price is also light, $22,000 for the trike and motor assemblage with the same type of La Mouette wing used in the cross-channel flight. Total weight, Rousseau says, is 176 pounds. Buyers can add a second 22-pound battery to double endurance and still stay within LSA and ultralight limits. A two-stroke-powered version will cost $16,000, but it lacks the panache and quietude of the electric trike.

Farooqui explained that as battery technology improved, he hoped to introduce electric versions of the Revo Evolution line of two-seat trikes his company offers.

The clean lines and roomy cockpit on ElectraFlyer’s ultralight sailplane.

Randall Fishman (www.electraflyer.com) was there with his long-term electric trike and a new self-launching sailplane with a new ElectraFlyer motor he designed. The silvery cylinder puts out 22.5 kilowatts and weighs only 23 pounds. Housed in a swoopy air duct behind the roomy cockpit, it swings a folding two-blade prop. Fishman has computer numerical controlled (CNC) machining done in New York and motor windings crafted in Massachusetts; he uses a foreign source for the all-important magnets.

With motor, controller, batteries and carbon-fiber, aramid construction, the ready-to-go motorglider, FAR Part 103-ready, will sell for a projected $50,000, which is competitive with foreign entries of similar characteristics and performance.

Flytec's brushless motor and controller.

As I was about ready to talk with Michael Coates, the Master Distributor for Pipistrel, a film crew from a competing blog kidnapped him and was holding him prisoner in front of his demo Sinus. Luckily, Gregory Lawrence, an Associate Partner with Light Sport Aircraft, had time to discuss the Slovenian company’s coming attractions, which include an electric conversion of its upcoming Alpha Trainer, the under-$85,000 Light Sport two-seater. This price would include a nominally equipped lightplane with steam gauges in place of current EFIS practice, but with an economy of operation that should endear it to flight schools.

Efficient enough to do a claimed 2.5 gph while performing training circuits, the airplane would probably perform nicely on battery power, something for which Pipistrel demonstrated its competence with its win in the Green Flight Challenge. With this, ElectraFlyer’s and Tampa Bay’s offerings and Stephan Boutenko’s Alternair Amp looming, the future for electric LSAs may be brightening. Let’s hope for battery technology that will make it a grand reality!

Visitors can fly, boat or drive in to the facility to join other members of the the Searey community of builders and pilots, along with those who are interested in the design.

Sessions run throughout the day and include topics such as covering tips and tricks, wiring the Searey, Dynon flight systems, panel design, Rotax engine maintenance and safety in flying.

A barbecue lunch will be served from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Progressive Aerodyne will also be at the Sebring Expo from January 19-22.

To RSVP for the open house, email sales@searey.com, and for more information on the Searey, visit www.searey.com.

The Viking-110 firewall-forward package is $13,000.

For more information and videos, visit vikingaircraftengines.com or call 386/566-2616.

“Our auctions are patterned after the auto auction industry, with each aircraft being brought through a showroom hangar and presented to potential buyers. The aircraft’s specifications our shown on large flat screen monitors as the auctioneer describes the aircraft in detail,” said John Nuccio, AvBid’s auction manager.

Potential bidders will have ample opportunity to inspect the aircraft prior to the auction, and most aircraft have their logs digitized for online viewing, according to the company. AvBid also uses a quick closing process that allows buyers to accept delivery of their aircraft in as little as 24 hours.

For complete auction information and updated aircraft entries, call 888/420-4243 or visit www.avbid.com.

Based in The Netherlands, the PocketFMS Foundation has been providing aeronautical data since 2003. AeroData is professionally maintained and continuously updated from official Aeronautical Information Publications, and is enhanced and extended from a variety of other sources, including local expert contributors. AeroData for SkyView is updated every 28 days with the most current information.AeroData is available as a one-year subscription for €119, and only one subscription is required per cockpit even those with two SkyView displays. Orders for PocketFMS AeroData can be placed online at www.pocketfms.com/dynon/

Robert Hamilton, director of sales and marketing at Dynon, said, “We are pleased to be partnering with PocketFMS to provide another high-quality, low-cost source of navigation data for our international customers. Customers who fly VFR and fly from smaller fields will find the AeroData invaluable.”

For more information about Dynon products, visit www.dynonavionics.com.

Pilots may interact with the system as they would in the cockpit, and the app provides a good way for those who may be interested in purchasing the system to try it out.

The app offers a touch-and-drag interface, allowing users to simulate and explore most functions fo the GTN 750 including panning the map, entering waypoints on a flight plan, loading airways, radio tuning and more. High-resolution North and Central America terrain maps, worldwide NavData, simulated traffic targets and simulated XM weather data allow the pilot to experience the ultimate situational awareness offered by the GTN 750, Garmin says. The app is also configured with product options such as TAWS-B audible alerts, transponder control and remote audio processor control. User-selectable demo settings allow the user to simulate various flight scenarios by changing altitude, speed, location, etc.

The GTN trainer app is $24.95 from the App Store on the iPad2 or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Workshop participants will be able to attend a banquet at the EAA AirVenture Museum's Eagle Hangar.

Sonex Aircraft LLC has announced that it will be holding its 50th Sonex Builder Workshop on the weekend of January 28-29, 2012. The Sonex workshop, held at the company’s factory in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, gives current and prospective builders an opportunity to meet the Sonex staff and learn about the design and construction of the Sonex. Builders will construct a sample piece of the Sonex wing to take home, along with the increased confidence in their abilities.

Winter 2012 workshop participants will also have an opportunity to attend the EAA Chapter 252 annual banquet, held in the EAA AirVenture Museum Eagle Hangar. This year’s guest speaker will be John Monnett, Sonex Aircraft LLC founder and president.

The workshop fee is $200, which can be put toward any plans or kit purchase. EAA Chapter 252 banquet tickets are $30 per person; $25 per person for Chapter 252 members.

For more information, call 920/231-8297 or visit www.sonexaircraft.com.

Sooner or later, the only thing left to do with an RV project is to go fly, and that’s exactly what we did with our RV-3 project this morning. NX13P (aka Junior for now) took wing for the first time about 0830 Houston time with a nice overcast at 4000 feet and winds behind a cold front adding a few bumps to the air. The flight-test team consisted of me as the test pilot, Louise flying the RV-6 in chase, and a few well-trusted aviation friends to help out. Our neighbor and co-worker Steve Robinson (with a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering) acted as test director, riding in the right seat with Louise to keep an overall eye on the flight and make sure we stayed on task. Another neighbor, Dave Forster (F-1 builder/flier) acted as the ground chief to make sure that I had finished the checklist and to provide all those miscellaneous ground services like running to get my sunglasses when I was already strapped in. Ernie Butcher was the man with the camera; when we get the shots from him, we’ll post an album. The first flight began at our airpark and ended (as planned) at our neighboring field with a much wider runway. The winds kicked up when we got there, so we elected to leave both planes there until the evening calm set in.

The snapshot (from Dave) is of the post-flight. Ernie had a lot of faith, as the sign was engraved and painted before the actual event.

The airplane flew like a dream. I’m not sure if it flies straight and true hands off, as there aren’t any other places to put your hands in an RV-3 (other  than the controls)! But my initial impression is that it flies like a fabulous RV, feels light and has tremendous power/speed response. In formation to do an ASI check, I could move up or back on Louise almost instantly. Nimble is probably the word I’ll settle on for now. Temperatures and pressures were all unremarkable (CHTs all stayed below 350° – the Mattituck TMXIO might already be broken in!), and no leaks were found when we pulled the cowl after the 30-some minute flight.

There are so many people to thank for this wonderful machine, that there is no doubt I would leave important people out if I tried to make a complete list. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t especially thank Garmin and TruTrak for the chance to help test the G3X panel (I’m looking forward to actually paying attention to something other than the system’s page on subsequent flights) and GX Pilot autopilot (which I haven’t yet engaged). The WhirlWind prop is spectacularly smooth on the Mattituck engine. Van’s Aircraft has a lot of talented people making these kits and providing support (even for the -3) when we had questions (and they have no one who’s built one, except Richard VanGrunsven). All the bits and pieces we have purchased through the many vendors in the RV community have contributed to an airplane that is a pure joy to fly. I have never had a cockpit that fit so well in every way. And the RV community, those who have built -3s and the thousands on VAF who have followed the build and answered our questions along the way, couldn’t be better! Thanks to Doug Reeves for the fabulous resource called Van’s Air Force, and all the folks that populate it.

While I generally write the word “we” when talking about this project, I personally have to say that I couldn’t have had a better partner, for building and for life, than Louise. She’s really ready to honcho the next airplane project should she want, and she probably should do so without my coaching. She’s ready, just needs to get me out of the shop to make it her own. While she wants me to fly the first few hours (engine beak-in is boring I guess), I look forward to watching her lift off in this most personal of flying machines soon.

The RV-3 is one heck of a ride, and the ride is just beginning!

Paul Dye

For more information, call 619/562-3725 or visit www.whirlwindpropellers.com.

Pilots will be guided through navigation exercises using the integrated VFR GPS moving map and flight planner. They will also configure as well as operate the autopilot for both VFR and IFR missions and locate and interpret the various types of data presented on the SkyView (winds aloft, TAS, density altitude, fuel computer, etc.).

For those pilots planning to switch from analog to digital/electronic instrumentation there will be opportunities to explore the benefits and compromises of glass panel systems, cockpit resource management and procedures for safe transition. “Dynon realizes that transitioning to glass panel technology is not difficult, but requires focus,” said Robert Hamilton, director of marketing. “Pilots should be proficient with their avionics during flight, and hands-on training is a good way to achieve that.”

For more information, call 425/402-0433, email info@DynonAvionics.com, or visit www.DynonAvionics.com.