EPIC UNVEILS SMALLER SINGLES, EXPERIMENTAL FOR NOW
Epic AIR introduced two smaller versions of its emerging line of turboprop and jet aircraft at Sun 'n Fun on Tuesday afternoon. The four- to five-seat Victory single-engine jet will be powered by either a Williams International FJ33 or Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615-series engine. The Escape is also four to five seats with a 1,000-shp Honeywell turboprop, and both airplanes will be initially offered as experimental kits. The first Victory is already under construction at Epic's facility in Bend, Ore., and officials said Tuesday that it will fly to EAA AirVenture. The turboprop is actually expected to be a little faster than the jet, with a cruise of 365 knots at 28,000 feet and a range of 1,400 to 1,600 miles. More...

CESSNA'S CONCEPT AIRPLANES AT FLORIDA SHOW
Those attending this week's Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., can catch a glimpse of Cessna's possible future. The Wichita-based airplane manufacturer is displaying its Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and Next Generation Piston (NGP) "proof-of-concept" airplanes at the show, though a white picket fence prevents attendees from getting too close to the NGP prototype. Cessna is evaluating airplanes "for design specifics, market demand, and whether or not the products support a viable business case for production." LSA project engineer Neal Willford said several changes have been made to the LSA model, namely the nose cowling has been modified to fit the Continental O-200 engine. Meanwhile, Cessna engineers are refining the NGP's aerodynamic s and systems. The large-cabin single-engine prototype is powered by a 315-hp Lycoming IO-580 piston engine, though Cessna said other powerplants are being considered. More...

NEXT-GENERATION CIRRUS INTRODUCED
Cirrus introduced its third-generation SR22 at a media conference at Sun 'n Fun on Tuesday. There are three of the new models on display at the company's sprawling booth at Lakeland Linder Airport, Fla. The new aircraft, under development for about a year, doesn't appear much different from earlier models, but a company spokesman told AVweb there are substantial changes under the two-tone paint that substantially boost the performance of the aircraft. The airplane also stands a little higher due to a landing gear realignment that moves the mains two feet closer together. More...

AVWEB'S SUN 'N FUN 2007 PODCAST #1: CIRRUS'S ALAN KLAPMEIER GOES INTERNATIONAL
Cirrus Design grew the SR series into the most popular four-place single in the world based largely on the domestic market. And while the U.S. market shows no sign of losing its appreciation for the ultramodern composite airplanes, the company is finding an increasing number of customers in Europe, Brazil and, now, China. AVweb's Russ Niles caught up to CEO Alan Klapmeier at Sun 'n Fun just before he got on a plane for Aero 2007 in Germany. More...

LIGHT PLANE CRASH IN LAKELAND MARS THE BEGINNING OF THE FLY-IN
One person was killed when an unidentified light plane crashed just east of the arrival runway at Lakeland Linder Airport Monday. It hasn't been confirmed, but it seems likely the aircraft was on final for one of the two parallel runways recovering aircraft attending the annual fly-in. More...

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE COMP AIR 12
Comp Air owner and president Ron Lueck is wearing a giant smile this week at Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, Fla. That's because the Comp Air 12 made it to the airshow as promised, just days after making its maiden flight. In a media briefing on Tuesday morning, Lueck said the airplane flew gear down at 35 percent power from the company's headquarters in Merritt Island, Fla., to Lakeland, clocking a modest 135 knots the whole way. The gear couldn't be retracted due to a wiring error -- the gear indication lights illuminate green whether the gear is extended or retracted, which Lueck said will be fixed shortly after the turboprop single makes the trek back home next Monday. Due to customer input, the final Comp Air 12 will be five feet longer to comfortably accommodate six passengers, baggage and a lav. (The shorter version currently on display at Sun 'n Fun will eventually be redesignated as the Comp Air 14, which will be available only as a kitbuilt.) FAA certification for the $2.5 million Comp Air 12 is expected in early 2010. More...

CESSNA DELIVERS SECOND MUSTANG
A fix for the "minor" software glitch in the Cessna Citation Mustang's Garmin G1000 avionics suite was approved by the FAA on Friday, paving the way for deliveries to restart since the first entry-level jet was shipped to a customer on November 22. Late last week, the second customer Mustang was delivered into demo service, and this very airplane is on display this week at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla. According to Cessna Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Roger Whyte, "The production facility [in Independence, Kan.] is ramping up and further deliveries are planned for later this month. We are on track to deliver 40 Citation Mustangs this year." Meanwhile, the Mustang is making its international debut on Thursday at the biannual Aero Friedrichshafen general aviation trade show in Germany. More...

HUSKY BEEFS UP PAYLOAD
Aviat Aircraft says FAA approval is imminent for a 200-lb. increase in gross weight for its popular Husky bush planes. The extra weight required beefing up landing gear and changing the angle of incidence for the horizontal stabilizer, but the extra utility it will bring is considerable. A full 192 lbs. of the weight increase will translate to useful load, boosting that figure 25 percent from 650 lbs. to 842 lbs. "The objective with the change is to expand the envelope for Husky operations," said spokesman Stuart Horn. More...

EXPERIENCE THE PHENOM 300 AT SUN 'N FUN
Embraer trucked in its Phenom 300 mock-up to this week's Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla. According to the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, visitors will be able to experience the "premium comfort, space and luxury" of a full-scale mock-up of the company’s light business jet at booth SNF-5. "We are thrilled to participate, once again, in the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. It will be a special treat for aviation enthusiasts to see our Phenom 300 mock-up for the first time, which continues Embraer’s tradition for best-in-class executive jets," said Ernest Edwards, Embraer's Vice-President of Executive Jets Sales & Marketing for the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. "Guests will be delighted with the jet's comfort and space and to learn about its outstanding performance and operational advantages." More...

NEW LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT, AMERICAN FLYER, UNVEILED
The latest U.S.-built entry in the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) market, called American Flyer, is being launched this week at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla. The aircraft is built by Mountain Aircraft, of Nampa, Idaho, but will be marketed in North America by Sportsplanes.com. The aircraft is not yet in production a nd will undergo extensive flight testing in the next couple of months with production beginning within three months. Spokesman Dan Rozsa said the aircraft uses tube, wood and fabric construction coupled with the venerable Rotax 912S engine to create a light, responsive aircraft. More...

LIVE GA PODCAST TO FEATURE SUN 'N FUN NOTABLES
On Wednesday afternoon following the daily airshow, the popular general aviation podcast, Uncontrolled Airspace, will be recording a special episode live from the Sun 'n Fun fly-in grounds. Uncontrolled Airspace is a weekly, one-hour podcast featuring Dave Higdon, AVweb editor Jeb Burnside and Jack Hodgson, along with a variety of special guests. The episode to be recorded at the fly-in will feature visits by a wide range of aviation experts and personalities. It will also be aired live on Sun 'n Fun Radio (1510 AM) at the show grounds. More...

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