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Certified Vs. Experimental

This passage from “As We Know It,” the July 2014 Editor’s Log, caught my attention: “What we’ve seen, instead, is the proliferation of smaller, lighter airplanes, often with range and capabilities that seem limiting when compared to what was the norm 30 years ago. This market is populated by storebought LSAs and experimental aircraft. They’re great for a $100 hamburger run, and possibly even an overnight getaway to the mountains or a beach, but the destinations need to be close, the load light and the weather good.”

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) and experimental aircraft are presented as modern, efficient alternatives to older certified planes, offering better speed, fuel economy, and IFR capabilities, and are seen as driving general aviation's progress.
  • The article highlights a debate on pilot proficiency and technology, with a returning pilot finding new tech overwhelming but valuing safety insights, while another warns against over-reliance on electronic aids like Angle of Attack (AoA) indicators over fundamental flying skills.
  • Angle of Attack (AoA) indicators are defended as a critical safety innovation, designed to prevent loss of control—a leading accident cause—and are expected to improve flying precision and reduce accident rates.
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This passage from “As We Know It,” the July 2014 Editor’s Log, caught my attention: “What we’ve seen, instead, is the proliferation of smaller, lighter airplanes, often with range and capabilities that seem limiting when compared to what was the norm 30 years ago. This market is populated by storebought LSAs and experimental aircraft. They’re great for a $100 hamburger run, and possibly even an overnight getaway to the mountains or a beach, but the destinations need to be close, the load light and the weather good.”

Really?
An LSA can fly up to 120 knots…try that in your grandpa’s Cessna 152 or 172. And that’s while consuming less fuel and probably with a much better climb rate. True, the 172 can fit four people, if they’re typical Americans of 50 years ago, not the fatties of today, and if you’re making just a local flight.

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