Sport Pilot Talk

Sting S4 at 840 with 480 usefull ,that’s with BRS and autopilot but with only basic glass panel.

Warmi wrote:Sting S4 at 840 with 480 usefull ,that’s with BRS and autopilot but with only basic glass panel.

Pretty good example of the plumping of the LSA's. My Sting S3 comes in at 804lbs with all the wizbangs I could have at the time along with upgrades over the last 10 years (Dual Dynons, Garmin 795, 2 axis AP, ADS-B in and ADS-B out). The 516 lb useful load works well for MY mission -- me and my wife come in at 330lbs, full fuel is 132lbs (22 gallons -- no extended range tanks nor did I want them) and ~50lbs worth of stuff. This config gives me 21.5 usable gallons which is conservatively 3:45 of range with 45 minutes reserve.

Hmm... do I look fat ?

No, Warmi, it's: do these wheel pants make me look fat?

Heh .. indeed ,she may be a bit porky but still ...looks mighty good.

If anyone is interested, this looks like the registration application data for the Vashon Ranger:
http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Airc ... 131VR.shtm
I personally can't imagine why anyone would want to enter the LSA market at this time. So many good choices, none cheap. Not a real vibrant market either. But, like they say, if you don't try, you won't fly.

Website now live: http://vashonaircraft.com

Good overview video:

Let the debate continue...

It is actually reasonably priced but ... it is damn heavy with empty weight close to 900 lbs and that’s without a chute.

They could have gone with rotax 915 at that weight - turbocharged , fuel injected and more powerful than O200.

If you review the Website you will see they are stressing the American made angle, from airframe to avionics to engine and propellor and all made of metal. Perhaps the RV12 or Cub crowd may find this aircraft attractive. Will be interesting to see how many of the 5 planes they bring to Oshkosh they actually sell. Remember Glasair is just up the road from these guys and they have been promoting their aircraft, the Merlin, for almost 5 years now and still have nothing to show for it. In reality this is really a one person aircraft of simple design which should be simple to maintain anywhere in the USA.

But ya gotta luv that scenery! AOPA ran a test report on a (very) rare clear day here.

I predict a major flop.
Way . . way too heavy.

c162pilot wrote:If you review the Website you will see they are stressing the American made angle, from airframe to avionics to engine and propellor and all made of metal. Perhaps the RV12 or Cub crowd may find this aircraft attractive. Will be interesting to see how many of the 5 planes they bring to Oshkosh they actually sell. Remember Glasair is just up the road from these guys and they have been promoting their aircraft, the Merlin, for almost 5 years now and still have nothing to show for it. In reality this is really a one person aircraft of simple design which should be simple to maintain anywhere in the USA.

To be honest thought , the Merlin does look like it will fold if you just look at it a bit too intensely ..and this one looks much better and more sturdy.

Wm.Ince wrote:I predict a major flop.
Way . . way too heavy.

Not if customers adopt a "wink wink, nudge nudge" attitude toward the LSA max gross rule (which I fear some will).

Good review from Kitplanes Magazine: https://newsline.kitplanes.com/2018/02/ ... on-ranger/

Warmi wrote:Sting S4 at 840 with 480 usefull ,that’s with BRS and autopilot but with only basic glass panel.

My airplane has a "basic" glass panel (Dynon D100), but all that is relative. My "basic" glass gives me airspeed, altimeter, vertical speed, slip/skid ball, heading (with bug), attitude indicator with bank angle and pitch angle increments, flight timers, checklists, G-meter, OAT, density altitude, TAS, bus volts, and working with the GPS gives me a simulated HSI. Functions I don't have connected include AoA and a built-in autopilot.

It's funny what people get used to and consider "basic"...