The comment period for the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking, Modernization Of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC), ended as of January 22, and aviation associations drew my attention—along with others—this month with their lengthy and considerable comment submissions. The General Aviation Manufacturers...
Simple, light, and affordable is not a throwaway line. Each word is pivotal. Like many of you, I have enjoyed the advancing development of the light sport aircraft space, leading to MOSAIC LSA in about 15 months. Additional operational capabilities, plus...
Earthstar Aircraft’s Thunder Gull, a remarkable small, single-seater—until the company’s Odyssey model came out—was ahead of its time. Over a successful run dating back to the 1990s, the Thunder Gull evolved into several variations, and developer Mark Beierle experimented with various...
After a drought of new designs during 2020–21, the spring of 2023 shows incredible promise. And it’s not just the high end of the general aviation market seeing an infusion of life. In fact, the light sport (U.S.) and ultralight (European...
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on ByDanJohnson.com. Recreational flying fans… I don’t know about you but I’m getting pretty tired of studying MOSAIC [FAA’s Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification proposed regulation]. It’s been on my mind every day since the...
One sure way to know if a show works is to observe vendor participation over a number of years. As this is my 14th year attending the Midwest LSA Expo, I can tell you that 2023 represents a strong turnout. Companies...
Among the couple hundred readers who commented on my recent Mosaic article, several referenced private pilots who consider a sport pilot to be “unqualified.” I’ve heard that, too. In fact, I’ve heard similar comments my entire career. It’s a pecking order thing,...
Whenever I write about the FAA’s MOSAIC regulation, especially when I mentioned the date they predicted, a substantial percentage of all readers shrug this off, believing that the FAA will never complete it on time. What if I told you it...
Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, in collaboration with sister company Inpaer in Brazil, has announced the introduction of the Stallion S-LSA, a four-place aircraft that combines light sport performance and efficiency with enhanced capabilities for the general aviation and flight training markets. The...
Setting aside the politics of FAI-recognized record flights, no question remains that designer Alberto Porto is determined to create a very fast-flying aircraft. Gear up with an adjustable prop and flown at common cruise altitudes, it’s clear that Superveloce lives up...
