Zodiac

A Luscombe 8A owner found that living at Parkland Estates Airpark near Erie, Colorado, has allowed him to better experience the joys of general aviation.

According to an eyewitness whose attention was caught by the loud gunning of its engine as it approached the airport, the little two-seater’s wings both vibrated visibly before the left wing folded back against the fuselage. The airplane pitched downward and began to spin; the right wing then bent upward, and it too folded back […]

Each month, Flying answers questions about the new Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft rule with assistance from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the authority on the opportunities available within the category commonly known as “Sport Pilot”: Q: I am considering homebuilt aircraft with an eye toward building or buying something that meets the light-sport aircraft (LSA) definition […]

A Nov. 6 fatal accident near Agnos, Arkansas, further mars the record of the Zodiac CH601XL light sport aircraft. The type has been cited for possible problems with its controls that could lead to aerodynamic flutter and in-flight breakup. Six previous in-flight breakups have led the Experimental Aircraft Association to urge operators of the type […]

The Experimental Aircraft Association has gone on record urging operators of Zodiac CH601 and CH650 light sport aircraft (LSAs) not to fly their aircraft. Five in-flight breakups have led to concern for the design’s overall safety, including the areas of stick force, airspeed calibration, structural stability, wing structure and flutter. In a special review of […]