Attention web readers: This is a companion piece to my Trends Aloft column in the April issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. Magazine readers looking for more photos from the article will find links to them near the bottom of this article.
Last year, my friend Jim Campbell who runs the Aero-News Network news service made an offhand remark that snowballed into a productive and rewarding week in Florida. At the time I didn't expect to act on it, but he planted a small seed in my brain. His words were "You should attend the Sebring LSA Expo."
Weeks later when my wife said she wanted to visit her mother in Florida, we agreed to schedule a visit around the dates for the Sebring show in late January. Little did we know, I would spend most of the time committing aviation. It became a deeply satisfying week I'll always remember.
The day before we left, I flew with a client who owns an amphibious Cessna Caravan. He casually mentioned he was interested in volunteering the aircraft for use in the Haiti earthquake relief effort if it could be used productively. The following night in Florida, I watched a local TV news story about Missionary Flights International’s work in the Haiti relief effort and I’ve previously written about my visit to them the next day.
The next morning I drove to Sebring, but not for the LSA Expo, which wouldn't start for two more days. Instead I’d be test flying the new Cessna SkyCatcher LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) owned by Rose Pelton, wife of Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. I’ll post more about Rose later this week. After flying Rose’s SkyCatcher, I drove 2 hours further north to Altamonte Springs, home to Florida Seaplanes.
It has been seven years since I added new letters to my pilot certificate, so I decided 2010 was the year to get back in the left seat to re-learn how a student pilot feels. I have flown a Lake Buccaneer amphibious aircraft twice and love the plane, but wanted to experience flying floats. To get the most from the training, I flew in an amphibious floatplane and took a more complicated checkride qualifying me as a SES (Single Engine Sea) rated ATP (Airline Transport Pilot). Now I’m prepared if Pan Am brings back the Clipper flying boats and needs new captains. Actually that would require a multiengine seaplane rating, but then there is always next year. I’ll write more about the experience soon.
The following day I attended Sebring LSA Expo, one of five regional shows where LSA dealers exhibit their aircraft to interested buyers. The show’s big announcement was the new PiperSport LSA. I’d been scheduled to test fly the PiperSport in the morning, but lingering fog scrubbed the flight. Instead, I walked around learning about LSAs sold by some of the 106 companies in the business. That night I drove back to South Florida and spent the following day, Sunday, with family.
Monday, my last full day in Florida, held one more aviation adventure. Piper kindly rescheduled my PiperSport flight, so I drove 2 hours to the Vero Beach, Florida factory I’d last visited over 20 years ago. A pilot report of my test flight can be found on the EAA.org Web site. I was favorably impressed and concluded with “Here’s hoping that like the venerable Piper Cub that attracted my grandfather’s generation to flying, the PiperSport inspires a new generation of pilots to discover the joy of flight.”
The SkyCatcher uses the new Garmin G300 with many of the features of the G1000 found in larger aircraft. The base model has a single glass display with a split screen mode that displays flight instruments on top and a moving map on the bottom. I think many buyers will opt to add a second display. In that configuration, a PFD (Primary Flight Display) on the left displays flight instruments and a MFD (Multifunction display) shows a moving map, terrain, weather, the AOPA Directory and optional electronic charts. A TruTrak autopilot, not installed in the aircraft I flew, is an option. Here are detailed photos of the SkyCatcher instrument panel with my comments.
The PiperSport will ship in three versions. All include a Dynon D100 Primary Flight Display and Garmin GPSMAP 495 GPS. The PiperSport LT adds a second Dynon display for engine monitoring. The PiperSport LTD includes a Dynon autopilot that worked well in heading, navigation and altitude hold modes in the aircraft I flew. Here are detailed photos of the PiperSport instrument panel with my comments.
I’ve been lucky to fly more than a half dozen models of LSA in the last 7 months. Stay tuned for more reports on these flights! Below is a list of shows around the United States that feature LSA aircraft. Consider attending one and checking out whether a LSA fits into your future.
Sun ‘n Fun LSA Mall, Lakeland, FL
April 13-18, 2010
Arlington Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention, Arlington, WA
July 7 – 11, 2010
Airventure LSA Mall, Oshkosh, WI
July 26 – August 1, 2010
Midwest LSA Show, Mt. Vernon Airport, Mt. Vernon, IL
September 23-25, 2010
Sebring LSA Expo, Sebring, FL
January, 2011