Talk about airplanes! At last count, there are 39 (and growing) FAA certificated S-LSA (special light sport aircraft). These are factory-built ready to fly airplanes. If you can't afford a factory-built LSA, consider buying an E-LSA kit (experimental LSA - up to 99% complete).
Sling 2 Pilot wrote:. . . I’m betting they are jumping at having a viable A/C in the works, if and when the FAA makes changes It looks pretty good, I like the cantilevered wing. With the 915iS, it will perform as well as their Sling TSi, albeit a few knots slower, per Mike Blythe.
Good choice on the Rotax 915. That is becoming a popular option.
Interested if it will be IFR capable.
Sling 2 Pilot wrote:. . . I’m betting they are jumping at having a viable A/C in the works, if and when the FAA makes changes It looks pretty good, I like the cantilevered wing. With the 915iS, it will perform as well as their Sling TSi, albeit a few knots slower, per Mike Blythe.
Good choice on the Rotax 915. That is becoming a popular option.
Interested if it will be IFR capable.
TimTaylor wrote:So, why compare it to the Colt LSA?
That would be my question, too. How does a four place airplane compete with a two place LSA for pilots exercising the privileges of a Sport Pilot?
Stan, I’m betting they are jumping at having a viable A/C in the works, if and when the FAA makes changes to the LSA rules. Just my opinion. No specs yet, a work in progress. It looks pretty good, I like the cantilevered wing. With the 915iS, it will perform as well as their Sling TSi, albeit a few knots slower, per Mike Blythe.
Yep. The change is coming ,sooner or later,but it is coming and having a plane ready to compete in the newly redefined Light Sport market would be a distinct business advantage.
Warmi wrote:
Yep. The change is coming ,sooner or later,but it is coming
I wish I could share your optimism. As I recall, Jack Pelton's claim that LSA weight was about to be increased was made at AirVenture 2018. We were told an NPRM was imminent. Well, it's been a year, and still nothing from FAA. I remain highly skeptical that anything will come of this.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV [email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
So while at Oshkosh last week I spoke with Ken Krueger the designer of the Vashon Ranger he implied that a weight change was closer than one would think, hinting at the end of this year, and at that time they would raise the weight to 1,450 lbs even though the Ranger has been tested to 1,500 pounds. I also spoke with Dan Johnson who stated emphatically that it is probably in the 2021-2023 timeframe. Go figure.
I, for one, would not take much stock in what someone says about dates when their goal is to sell airplanes (I refer to Ken, not Dan). I chuckle every time someone on this forum reports what they heard about LSA rules changes from sales people at Oshkosh this year. Sales people are eternal optimists, or they aren't very good at their job. (And, IMHO, everyone who works for an airplane manufacturer is a sales person).
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2006 Sting Sport SLSA - N686N
PPL-ASEL, LSRM-A, iRMT
I'd think a sales guy would downplay the rule change. If they up the weight limit there will be all sorts of new options possibly worth waiting for. And no guarantee they are going to allow existing aircraft to operate at the higher limit regardless of initial design limits.
I always find it odd when folks outline their flying “mission” then when a manufacturer meets that mission, the same folks now want IFR & night capability, higher weight, more gadgets etc
Which are all available now in non LSA types of aircraft which meet their new “mission”.
Working load aside, and yes, I do believe they are counting on FAA upping the load limits - the leather appointments in the interior really increase the eye appeal and 'pizzazz' of the plane. Like what you'd expect/demand for something costing as much as entry level Aston Martin.
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet" - Abraham Lincoln