LIGHT SPORT AIRPLANES, ONE YEAR LATER
It was just a year ago that the first Light Sport Aircraft were introduced here at Sun 'n Fun, and now the number of fixed-wing Special-LSAs is up to 30, with four new models approved just the week before the show. Sun 'n Fun added 28 spaces in a new southeast exhibit area this year, close by the main entrance, and most of those spots were taken by sport aircraft dealers. By all accounts from the manufacturers we spoke to, interest was high and folks weren't just looking -- they were buying. "We've sold two airplanes already, and it's just the second day of the show," Evektor's Scott Andrews told AVweb early in the week. By later in the week, Tim Elliott, founder of American Legend Aircraft, couldn't stop beaming. "We're very happy with the show," he said. "We've had quite a few sales." More...

NEW MODELS, NEW FEATURES
While many of the first S-LSAs were imports from the European "microlight" class, which is restricted to about 950 pounds gross weight, more of the newer models are designed from the ground up to meet the U.S. rule, with a limit of 1,320 pounds. This allows for bigger, roomier models with more features. Danny Defilici, president of Sport Aircraft Works in Florida, imports the newly approved Sport Cruiser from Czech Aircraft Works (CZAW). He says the Cruiser is a "clean-sheet" design built to the U.S. rules, with a 660-pound useful load and excellent low-speed performance. It's easy to handle for a low-time pilot or a flight-school environment, he said. Interest also was high at the show in the CZAW amphibious Mermaid, which recently got its S-LSA approval despite some FAA consternation over the repositionable gear. More...

EMPHASIS ON TRAINING, OUTREACH
So far, many buyers of LSAs are already pilots, but a lot of effort is going into expanding the market by finding and training new pilots as well. Jeff Parnau, who is working with Sportsplanes.com in Wisconsin, said the company recently brought an Ikarus C42 S-LSA to an outdoor-sports show in Milwaukee and hung it from the ceiling. Interest was "phenomenal," he said: "We got hundreds of leads, and signed up 40 new students." CZAW is reaching out to new pilots by offering 20 hours of free flight training with its Sport Cruiser. And EAA's Charlie Becker told AVweb yesterday that 150 new student sport pilot certificates were issued at the show. The certificates are free to EAA members, and also are available at all stops of the Sport Pilot Tour, he said. More...

AUSTRALIA'S AOPA PRESIDENT KILLED IN CRASH
Ron Bertram, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia, died in a crash near Sydney on Wednesday. Bertram was taking a Lancair 360 homebuilt for a check flight at Bankstown Airport after some routine maintenance work, according to news reports. Bertram reported engine trouble on takeoff, then crashed near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed. AOPA Australia said in a statement: "His comrades at AOPA are stunned by his loss and are very aware of how difficult it will be to follow in his footsteps. AOPA under his leadership had achieved significant milestones." Airservices Australia Chief Executive Officer Greg Russell praised Bertram's work. "The association has lost a true reformer and a person dedicated to making AOPA more relevant and valuable to the aviation industry," he said. More...

TWO SPORT PLANES CRASH EN ROUTE TO SUN 'N FUN
Two LSAs were missing from show exhibits due to accidents that occurred as they were heading to Lakeland. Aviation writer Dan Johnson, who has been working with EAA on the Sport Pilot Tour, was taking off in a CZAW Parrot from Palm City, Fla., on April 2 when engine trouble developed. CZAW CEO Chip Erwin was there, and later told AVweb that Johnson tried to get the airplane down on the airport, but hit hard off the side of a runway. Johnson suffered back injuries and has already undergone surgery with a prognosis for full recovery, Erwin said. The Parrot was badly damaged. In Walhalla, S.C., on April 2, Just Aircraft co-owner Gary Schmitt also had problems on takeoff and was unable to make a safe landing. Schmitt was flying a Highlander, which was just approved the week before as an S-LSA. The aircraft was destroyed and Schmitt was seriously hurt. No further details were available at our deadline. More...

FAA CHIEF BLAKEY MAKES FIRST LAKELAND VISIT
Marion Blakey, administrator of the FAA, received a warm welcome at Sun 'n Fun on Friday afternoon, in her first appearance at the show. "Sun 'n Fun ... it sure sounds a lot better than most of the things I get invited to," she said. In the hour-long "Meet the FAA" session, she recounted the progress of the Sport Pilot movement. In the last year, the FAA has authorized 254 LSAs, 54 new sport pilot examiners, and 43 new designated airworthiness representatives for light-sport aircraft. "The build-up of the sport pilot infrastructure still has a ways to go, but we're clearly off to a good start," Blakey said. She also recounted the funding woes of the FAA and the need for a stable revenue stream. More...

PORTABLE (SORT OF) SYNTHETIC VISION
Mercury Computer Systems normally makes imaging equipment for military and medical applications but there are a lot of pilots in the company and, well, you know the rest of the story. The Massachusetts company showed off its Vista Nav synthetic vision system, which, at about $4,000 for the complete system (weather's an option), the company is hoping will be an affordably more capable alternative to high-end GPS systems. The system shows a database-derived real-time depiction of terrain and ground features (including runway markings) on a tablet PC. The clear color display shows a variety of moving map views that include terrain and there's a target point on the screen that shows the aircraft's projected position nine seconds in advance. More...

NEW: LSA, TURBINE PROTOTYPE, COLUMBIA 400 AIR SHOW
A new prototype for what could be a future LSA was on exhibit by AviaDesign, a California company that provides mods for business aircraft. At first glance, with its round belly and top-mounted pusher prop, the A-16 Sport Falcon looks like a seaplane, but the fixed gear nixes that concept. Mark Ward said future versions of the aircraft will come with optional floats. The all-metal bird has flown twice so far, Ward said, and he's hoping for S-LSA approval by September. Also showing nearby was the Envoy, a six-seat cabin-class kitplane. An earlier prototype was on exhibit at Oshkosh last year, but the design is still evolving, spokesman Rienk Ayers told AVweb. He said it's about three months away from first flight. Sean D. Tucker debuted his air show program with the stock Columbia 400SL. More...

F-22A RAPTOR MAKES CIVILIAN AIR SHOW DEBUT
Two of the newest U.S. fighter aircraft, the Stealth fighter "Raptor," visited Sun 'n Fun Friday through Sunday, and there was no missing them ... they make a bit of noise. Tracks stopped and heads turned each afternoon when the two roared past, showing off with low-level steep turns and power climbs. Designed to replace the F-15, the F-22A combines stealth technology with supercruise capabilities, maneuverability, and advanced integrated avionics and sensors. "It's a big deal for the Air Force. This is the first time out of the nest," Lt. Col. Michael Shower told The Tampa Tribune. The Raptor had never before traveled to or staged from a civilian air show. More...

A CHUTE FOR EVERY PLANE, EVEN A JET?
The folks at BRS, the ballistic parachute company, seemingly won't be happy until everything that flies comes with a BRS chute installed. The systems so far have saved a documented 188 lives. A Symphony SA 160 set for delivery this week will be the first certified aircraft other than the Cirrus to have a BRS chute installed at the factory. Other certified aircraft have been approved for the chutes, but as an aftermarket retrofit. John Gilmore, BRS vice president of sales, told AVweb in Lakeland the company also is continuing its research into creating parachutes for the light-jet market. (And AVweb has learned BRS part-owner Cirrus may have a working name for its light-jet concept.) More...

NEW OWNERS FOR KITFOX
John McBean, owner of Sport Plane LLC in Idaho, is now also the new owner of the Kitfox kitplane. Skystar, the former owner of the model, declared bankruptcy last October, leaving some homebuilders stuck. Some had already ordered and paid for their Rotax engines through the company, but that money never made it to Rotax. McBean said he bought the assets of the company out of the bankruptcy, noting that is not the same as buying the company itself -- he incurs none of the obligations of Skystar. However, McBean has a long association with the Kitfox, and said he plans to do all he can to provide support to the existing Kitfox community. "The Kitfox legacy now will continue on," he told AVweb yesterday. More...

ON THE FLY...
Pilots and families protested release of Flight 93 CVR tapes...
Delta pilots preparing to strike if arbitrator voids their contract. More...

AUDIOCASTS
Online Now: Today's news, plus exclusive interviews not included in AVweb's Flash or NewsWire. Click here to listen.

Subscribe to AVweb audiocasts and receive them automatically, or check this spot each Monday and Friday to download them individually for listening on your iPod, while sitting at your computer, or traveling with any MP3 player.

Find AVweb's Podcast index, here. Friday, AVweb spoke with FAA administrator, Marion Blakey. More...

AVWEB'S NEWSTIPS ADDRESS ...
What have you heard? There might be something to it. If you've heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, don't be shy. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. Our best stories start with you. More...

ONLINE MEDIA:
Video: Sean Tucker described getting "stuck on the tail" when he jumped from his crippled Challenger Biplane, Tuesday. AVweb captured Sean's story live in two-part video at Sun 'n Fun. Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of his compelling story, online. More...

NEW ARTICLES AND FEATURES ON AVWEB
COLUMNS
CEO of the Cockpit #56: The FAA Is Your Friend
A necessary evil. A necessary leach. The FAA, according to AVweb's CEO of the cockpit, is all those things and more. And in this month's column, he's even willing to admit some FAA bureaucrats are OK.

More...

READER FEEDBACK ON AVWEB'S NEWS COVERAGE AND FEATURE ARTICLES ...
http://www.avweb.com/avmail/

Reader mail this week about anti-missile systems, ATC contracts, Lycoming crankshafts and more. More...

AVWEB'S BUSINESS AVFLASH
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP yet for AVweb's NO-COST twice monthly Business AVflash? Reporting on breaking news, Business AVflash also focuses on the companies, the products and the industry leaders that make headlines in the Business of Aviation. Business AVflash is a must read. Watch for a Business AVflash regular feature, TSA WATCH: GA IN THE "SPOTLIGHT". Sign up today at http://www.avweb.com/profile/ More...

FBO OF THE WEEK: MILLION AIR, NEW ORLEANS
AVweb's "FBO of the Week" contest is sponsored by Aviation Safety magazine, the monthly journal of risk management and accident prevention.

Thanks to all the pilots and AVweb readers who took time to nominate their favorite FBOs in our "FBO of the Week" contest. Today's ribbon finds its target in Florida.

AVweb's "FBO of the Week" ribbon goes to MILLION AIR, NEW ORLEANS at NEW in New Orleans, LA.

RICK STOUDER wrote us to say, "I AM BASED AT MILLION AIR (NEW). HOWEVER, WITH THE AIRPORT BEING COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY HURRICANE KATRINA I THINK WHAT MILLION AIR HAS DONE IS PHENOMINAL. EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE LOST A TON OF MONEY, THEIR COMMITTMENT TO THE AVIATION COMMUNITY AND THEIR ..."

Keep those nominations coming.

Click here to nominate your favorite FBO and here for complete contest rules

SHORT FINAL...
"I´ve overheard this at the tower frequency at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (EHAM) in The Netherlands..."

Tower: KL123 you are cleared to land on runway 24

KL123: (with a loud background noise) Thank you sir, KL123 cleared to land runway 24

Tower: KL123, what is that high noise on the background?

KL123: It's just normal cockpit noise

Tower: You sound like a Fokker 50 cabriolet

KL123: Fine, I'll close the window More...

AVwebFlash is a twice-weekly summary of the latest news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.

Today's issue was written by news writer Mary Grady (bio).

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