__The special light-sport aircraft market offers a range of airplanes — there are 115 S-LSA models approved by the FAA — that serve many missions. To gain a bit more perspective on the offerings, I arranged for demo rides in three S-LSAs during this year’s Sun ’n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. Each was touted as serving primary missions, from touring and training to taildragger fun.
Flight Design CTLS
(from $139,800)
When I introduced myself to Flight Design USA national sales manager John Gilmore at the FD booth, after shaking my hand and saying hello, the next words out of his mouth were about how his 10-hour, one-stop flight in a CTLS to Lakeland from Minnesota was a breeze. I didn’t demo the carbon-fiber-constructed CTLS on a 10-hour flight, but I did have the chance to fly in the left seat with John on a two-hour cross-country from Orlando-Apopka (X04) to Gainesville (KGNV) and back.
