Opinions/experiences with the BRM Bristell

[IFlyRC]

Hello all,

I was reading through some of previous threads on the BRM Bristell, and I was wondering if there were any more long-term opinions, general impressions or comparisons to other similar aircraft. If any of you have flown in it, what are some of the likes, dislikes and real world performance, etc. Googling the subject seems to lead more towards the European kit version as opposed to the S-LSA pre-built one.

[drseti]

The Bristell I flew was one of the ELSAs, and it was well built and a joy to fly. It's the most solid feeling of the dozen or so different LSA models I've flown. As it happens, I had dinner last Monday night with Lou Mancuso, the US importer of Bristell. He tells me they're going to introduce a quick-build kit, and have owner-assisted buildup sessions, where you can put your plane together in their hangar on Long Island, under their supervision. If I were buying an LSA just for personal use (as opposed to a flight school aircraft, which has to be an SLSA), I think that's the route I'd choose.

BTW, Lou was on his way home from Oshkosh, in a Bristell, when I met him at KIPT last week. I was absolutely amazed at how much stuff he had crammed into that plane! If you're flying solo, you can haul an amazing amount of camping gear, etc.

Edit: I just counted them off on my fingers (plus one toe), and it's only 11 different LSA models I've flown, not the dozen I claimed. My bad.

[Flocker]

It's the most solid feeling of the dozen or so different LSA models I've flown.

Couldn't agree more. Demo'd one at the LSA Expo. It's tight!

[Wm.Ince]

Hello all,

I was reading through some of previous threads on the BRM Bristell, and I was wondering if there were any more long-term opinions, general impressions or comparisons to other similar aircraft. If any of you have flown in it, what are some of the likes, dislikes and real world performance, etc. Googling the subject seems to lead more towards the European kit version as opposed to the S-LSA pre-built one.

Solid.
Dihedral wing, on an LSA makes for more stability, better ride in rough air than most and a general feeling of a heavier aircraft than most, if not all, other LSA's.
Beautiful aluminum aircraft, flight controls are very well balance with no stupid centering springs on the stick.
Abundance of cargo space, behind seats, with the widest cabin, shoulder to shoulder 51", of any LSA.
Same fuel capacity as Sport Cruiser (34 gal, 17 each side).
Twin storage lockers in wings also.
BRISTELL looks like a Sport Cruiser but it is not!
Fuel-injected and carbureted 912 engine available. IMHO, fuel-injected version makes it too heavy, just like most other LSA's.

Only reservation I have is long term support and longevity of company.
There are not many of them around. In fact, scarce.

[drseti]

BRISTELL looks like a Sport Cruiser but it is not!

This is not a coincidence. Milan Bristella designed them both. He worked for Czech Aircraft Works before they went bankrupt. Before that, he worked for Evektor (which is why the SportCruiser looks like a SportStar but is not).

Only reservation I have is long term support and longevity of company.

Given Milan's track record, I think there's a pretty good chance they'll be around for a while (in some form or other).

There are not many of them around. In fact, scarce.

Scarce in the US, yes. They're still pretty new in this country. There are something like 400 of them flying in Europe.

[Wm.Ince]

This is not a coincidence. Milan Bristella designed them both. He worked for Czech Aircraft Works before they went bankrupt. Before that, he worked for Evektor (which is why the SportCruiser looks like a SportStar but is not).

I met him at Sebring 2 years ago, when he had the Bristell there. Nice guy and very approachable. At that time, I was very interested in the airplane, but to me, it was still too new on the market.

Given Milan's track record, I think there's a pretty good chance they'll be around for a while (in some form or other).

Glad to hear that.

There are something like 400 of them flying in Europe.

That's news to me . . . and as far as I am concerned, a good sign.
Another airplane which is very attractive, sort of in the same category, is the Tecnam Astair. Jury is still out on that one.
Thanks for the info Paul. . . .

[drseti]

Another airplane which is very attractive, sort of in the same category, is the Tecnam Astair.

Yes, for a personal (not a flight school) aircraft, the Astore is on a par with the Bristell, and the two would top my list of candidates.

Significant differences: Astore comes from a long-standing company (well, OK, the Tecnam name is fairly new - it is the reincarnation of the bankrupt Partenavia, a company that dates to the late 1940s). +1 for the Astore.

The Astore has movable seats and fixed rudder pedals, where the Bristell has fixed seats and movable rudder pedals. From a safety and wt/bal perspective, that's +1 for the Bristell.

Bottom line: one should fly them both, and see which seems most comfortable.

[Wm.Ince]

Another airplane which is very attractive, sort of in the same category, is the Tecnam Astair.

Yes, for a personal (not a flight school) aircraft, the Astore is on a par with the Bristell, and the two would top my list of candidates.

Significant differences: Astore comes from a long-standing company (well, OK, the Tecnam name is fairly new - it is the reincarnation of the bankrupt Partenavia, a company that dates to the late 1940s). +1 for the Astore.

The Astore has movable seats and fixed rudder pedals, where the Bristell has fixed seats and movable rudder pedals. From a safety and wt/bal perspective, that's +1 for the Bristell.

Bottom line: one should fly them both, and see which seems most comfortable.

You are such a gentleman Paul.
I stand corrected . . . the Astore!

[IFlyRC]

The amount of insight in these forums is amazing. The Bristell sounds exactly like what I was hoping for. Thank you all.

[Merlinspop]

Are the folks in Lililz still involved? Someone flew an early Bristell in to Hagarstown a couple of Springs ago and I spent quite a while in and around it (unfortunately on the ground the whole time). Was very impressed, but it seems they've been slow out of the starting blocks since then.

[drseti]

Yes, John Rathmell (Liberty Sport Aviation at KLNS) is still the marketing manager. The US importer is Lou Mancouso, of Mid Island Flying Service (Long Island). There was a delay in importing, due to a legal dispute over who held the US importing rights. I understand that has now been resolved.

[Merlinspop]

Yes, John Rathmell (Liberty Sport Aviation at KLNS) is still the marketing manager. The US importer is Lou Mancouso, of Mid Island Flying Service (Long Island). There was a delay in importing, due to a legal dispute over who held the US importing rights. I understand that has now been resolved.

Cool. I'll re-activate the Pavlovian response.

[FastEddieB]

Cool. I'll re-activate the Pavlovian response.

That rings a bell!

[c162pilot]

Paul, does this mean that John Calla and Barry Pruitt are no longer involved with the Bristell?

[drseti]

Calla has retired and moved to Florida. Barry, I have heard, is now pursuing other business interests in Texas.