Midwest LSA Expo Next Week

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Not from me, though they may be the future of GA, they offer less capability than I would be interested in....
 
I attend the Sebring, FL LSA convention when it's here (it's local to me) . I love the interesting equipment, the innovation and the various aircraft. However, like the post above, the LSA aircraft are not enough for my needs.

I fly a 177RG, with 200HP (hahahaha, it's probably actually about 170HP) and it's significantly underpowered, has difficulty in climb on hot and heavy days and at 145Kts, not fast enough. Friends own various light sports. All of them perform well in initial climb, but they have "light wing loading" and are a real handful on turbulent days. And all of them are considerably slower than my "slow" airplane in real world conditions.

I've concluded the following: An ideal personal "small" aircraft need to cruise around 180Kts, needs enough power to climb with authority on hot and heavy days, needs to be able to reach 18,000 feet if needed, and needs to return excellent MPG's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfBcE_7jx0&hd=1
 
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A few trips in a friend's Cirrus SR-22!have set my expectations for a GA airplane...just like yours. Good climb, quick cruise, reasonable efficiency. The SR with a diesel is an interesting development.
 
All depends on the mission I guess. For going up solo and burning holes in the sky for the sake of putting air under your butt, LSA looks good. If one needs to make cross countries with another occupant, 4 place 200+ hp or better retract is clearly the sort of ship needed. But that's not in my now or foreseeable mission spec. Have my eye on a certain STOL capable high wing LSA that has an ace up it's sleeve in weight hauling ability, a healthy baggage area, gets 21nm per gallon @ cruise (120kt), factory & service center only 160 miles from home. No particular places to go, flying for me is about throwing a dart at the chart and that's the day's destination. Seems to scream LSA.
 
Another observation or two.

LSA aircraft are quite valuable, possibly due to the lack of medical requirements. If the FAA makes the drivers-license-medical a reality, many of the LSA aircraft may not retain value.

Also, while the common Rotax engine is an excellent engine, it is also quite expensive to overhaul.

I'm also not sure about the "no particular place to go" issue. I've been an aviation professional for 30 years now. I notice that many people tire quickly of non practical aircraft, and the enormous expense involved for "nothing".

There really is a reason certain aircraft are "retained" and others seem to be on the market constantly.

My old co-worker has 2 aircraft. A 180Kt Velocity and an LSA Biplane. Guess which aircraft does not get flown? The LSA.
 
Went to the LSA Expo today. It was a good time, including demo flight in a Jabiru 230D w/ one of the Jabiru CFI's. Sweet airplane but having formerly only flown a round dial Cherokee, and a good while ago at that, the glass panel took some getting used to. The CFI did most of the flying at altitude and all of the flying in the pattern. I felt pumped yet also kind of dumb afterwards. Been away from it too long I guess. That dog gone little airplane had a 2 axis AP with altitude hold and GPS tracking, only a $4500 option. There were t-storms far off to the SW and they showed on the EFIS GPS screen, it had mode S and since other traffic in the area was showing on the EFIS map as little diamond shape icons I guess it had TIS active as well. Super fancy for a two place LSA. Asked about the storms showing on the map and he said it was a free bonus of the mode S or something but I didn't catch what all he explained, I was too busy being amazed at what to me was that airline level MFD/EFIS in the panel and everything he was saying it could do. A lot of it went over my head.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
A few trips in a friend's Cirrus SR-22!have set my expectations for a GA airplane...just like yours. Good climb, quick cruise, reasonable efficiency. The SR with a diesel is an interesting development.


At the Expo today they were talking about a particular SR-22 that was up for the 10 yr re-pack of the ballistic parachute, or maybe a whole new one, but apparently it has to be done every 10 yrs. $17,000 job. Could that be true? I asked was that the cost of the annual during which they re-packed the chute and they said no that was just the re-pack job(?!)
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Originally Posted By: Astro14
A few trips in a friend's Cirrus SR-22!have set my expectations for a GA airplane...just like yours. Good climb, quick cruise, reasonable efficiency. The SR with a diesel is an interesting development.


At the Expo today they were talking about a particular SR-22 that was up for the 10 yr re-pack of the ballistic parachute, or maybe a whole new one, but apparently it has to be done every 10 yrs. $17,000 job. Could that be true? I asked was that the cost of the annual during which they re-packed the chute and they said no that was just the re-pack job(?!)



I'm not sure about the real world price of the "re-pack". However, I do believe the chute is ballistic powered with a some form of solid rocket motor. And according to the article below, the rework is governed by the ATF! The chute repack is supposed to be around $10,000 AND the rework of the fuselage is also expensive. As the chute is hidden under a thin fiberglass layer.

http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/cirrus_caps_parachute_rocket_repack_cost_208212-1.html
 
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LSA's are to aviation as motorcycles are to ground transport I think. I think as long as one acknowledges that rough analogy, and an LSA still fits their mission spec, then all good.

I want something that gets around 25 statute miles per gallon or better for 80% of the flying which will be solo. Of that solo, 50% punching holes in the sky, 50% point A to B. And the lower upkeep that comes from buying new or nearly new. No interest in pursuing the IFR ticket as I believe that unless one flies in actual IMC regularly, an IFR ticket can tempt you to take more risks than you would w/o it, because w/o it you would stay put on that marginal day or you would refrain from a lot of night flying. Both of which can pin you at or beyond your personal limits quickly.

The trick is finding a comfortable (I'm 6'3"), efficient, and robust LSA that meets the stated fuel economy goal. Have found only one so far. They are pricey, I will admit that.
 
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