An Inside Look at Modern LSA Ownership

New Bristell LSA owner Don McKenzie takes FLYING deep inside the ownership experience, and details what it is like to own and fly one of general aviation’s best-looking light-sport models.

Dan Pimentel

Friday, December 03, 2021 at 11:22 AM ET

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Don's Bristell has some of the best lines of any light sport airplane and looks good from any angle. Courtesy: Don McKenzie

Key Takeaways:

The article refutes common negative stereotypes about Light Sport Airplanes (LSAs) being slow, "twitchy," or unattractive, through the positive ownership experience of Don McKenzie with his BRM Aero Bristell LSA.
Modern LSAs are versatile, suitable for diverse missions including cross-country flights, and offer significant economic advantages due to lower fuel consumption and the ability to use more affordable auto fuel.
LSAs like McKenzie's Bristell provide engaging, "sports car"-like handling, come equipped with advanced avionics for IFR operations (as an E-LSA), and offer a better value proposition compared to many older, more expensive legacy aircraft.

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Since light sport airplanes became available to purchase in the general aviation marketplace, we’ve all heard pilots of larger, heavier, and faster legacy makes and models sometimes make negative comments under the assumption that LSAs were too slow, too “twitchy,” and, yes, even too ugly.

To dispel those myths, FLYING went inside the ownership experience with Don McKenzie, owner/pilot of a new 2021 BRM Aero Bristell LSA. After speaking to him, it is clear that much of what you might have thought about light sport airplanes is wrong.