LSA/Sport

| The light sport category has come a long way in eight short years. What began as an FAA initiative to bridge the price and performance gaps between ultralights and certified general aviation airplanes has evolved into a bona fide market segment all its own. Incredibly, more than 50 manufacturers around the world build light […]

George Longino is probably not your classic “early adopter” type. But a collection of circumstances make him the first owner of a fly-away, factory-built Van’s RV-12 — and just maybe, a historic figure. Van’s Aircraft decided to enter the production aircraft market after decades of building kits. Founder Richard Van Grunsven has established the most […]

Back in another era when flying was expensive and only the very wealthy could afford Wacos, Stinsons and Travel Airs, a new class of low-cost, low-power airplanes lowered the financial bar for aircraft ownership. With newly developed engines in the 50 hp range, lightweight Cubs, Taylorcrafts and Aeroncas brought flying within range of a whole […]

The Icon A5 program is facing further delays after the FAA sent a letter requesting more information as it considers a request for a weight exemption. Icon is asking for an additional 250 pounds of gross weight beyond the LSA category’s 1,430-lb amphibious limit, a change the company said is needed to make the Icon […]

After hinting at the release of a new LSA design named Astore a few weeks ago, Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam officially unveiled its most recent offering this week at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany. And, as promised, the new design has a low wing. The only commonalities between the Astore and Tecnam’s other low-wing LSA […]

SportairUSA, the distributor of the Sting and Sirius light sport models, and World Aircraft Co., developer of the Spirit and Vision LSAs, have chosen the Vertical Power VP-X Electronic Circuit Breaker System to manage the electrical system and control of trim and flaps. The VP-X integrates with EFIS units from Dynon, Grand Rapids Technology and […]

Italian airplane maker Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam is celebrating its 65th anniversary with the introduction of yet another light sport airplane, this one with “superlative performance.” Named after the company’s first production design, the Tecnam Astore will be unveiled at Aero Friedrichshafen, Germany, at the end of April. While few details regarding the Astore have been […]

The FAA has signed off on night VFR operations for Yakima, Washington-based CubCrafters’ CC18-180 Top Cub. Several modifications were made to the airplane to meet the FAA requirements, including the addition of glare shields, fuel sight gauge lighting, instrument illumination and backlit placards. Some interior surfaces have been finished with non-reflective black and the taxi […]

Just Aircraft out of Walhalla, South Carolina, is delivering a new short takeoff and landing version of its Highlander — the Highlander SuperStol. This new version has a modified wing design and new, beefier landing gear that allows the airplane to fly into short backcountry airstrips. Tundra tires up to 29 inches can be fitted […]

Tecnam continues to flood the LSA market with new models, and its latest product caters to those who are looking for a low-cost, bare-bones aircraft for fun flying. At a base price of $74,999, the Echo Classic Light is the 13th variant of the P92. Intended for the $100 hamburger flier who is looking for […]