The preceding year saw a number of stories of inspiration in
sport aviation, and of loss... while the clouds of
impending legislation and anti-homebuilder sentiment in one large
metropolitan area hung over the community as a whole. What these
portents may mean for sport aviation in 2009 remains to be
seen.
In much happier news, the ever-burgeoning light sport
aircraft segment saw a number of upgrades for existing models
of LSA, as well as a few promising new players in that segment.
There are also a couple of new pilots enjoying their sport pilot
licenses, as well...
Cessna curiously axes its former blog-style web site for
its SkyCatcher LSA, replacing it with a page on
Cessna's corporate site. With the change in presentation comes a
shift in policy... as Cessna announces it will hearby moderate all
comments on the site, including those critical of Cessna's decision
to source the Model 162 from China
SeaMax USA tells ANN of the recent S-LSA certification of its amphibious
aircraft (shown above), as well as the first
delivery of a customer plane in the United States. The company
believes this is the first flying boat delivery to a retail
customer certified under the ASTM standards
An inquest into the January 2006 downing of a skydiving plane
in Queensland, Australia uncovers a wide range of safety discrepancies and
oversights, a number of which likely contributed to
the crash that killed five of the seven people onboard
The NTSB concludes performer Jim LeRoy's failure to maintain ground clearance during
maneuvers as the primary cause of his fatal July 28,
2007 crash at the Dayton Vectron Airshow. Restricted visibility
from the smoke in the air from the performance was cited as a
contributing factor.
Rob Harrison, 66, is taken to a nearby hospital after his Zlin 50 impacts the ground near the end of his
routine at Modesto Airport Appreciation Day. Harrison
-- who performs under the nickname "Tumbling Bear" -- said he was
"okay" as rescuers helped him from the stricken aircraft
In something of a Monty Python-esque ending to Michel
Fournier's latest attempt to set three new world freefall records,
the French skydiver's massive balloon decides to take
flight on its own... somehow breaking free from its
ties to the ground, and ascending into the sky without him.
To celebrate the return of the Red Bull Air Race World Series
to London, then-current World Series leader Paul Bonhomme takes the
controls of a 1940s Supermarine Spitfire in a race against a modern
MX2 aerobatic plane piloted by Nigel Lamb. By virtue of its 100
knot top speed advantage, the vintage fighter wins
July
A Florida doctor is the sole casualty in the takeoff crash of a homebuilt Lancair
IV-P... the fourth fatal accident involving the
popular single-engine aircraft type (shown below) in three
months
Garmin announces its new GMA 240 audio panel, a noncertified
audio panel designed for experimental and light sport aircraft
The upgraded Remos GX light sport aircraft makes its
debut. Among the changes incorporated are a new wing,
changes to the fuselage that allow a greatly expanded cargo area, a
ground adjustable Sensenich propeller and night VFR certification,
plus design features which enhance crew safety in the event of a
mishap
BRS Parachutes chalks up its 214th save, when
the pilot of an FK14 Polaris light aircraft reportedly loses
aerodynamic control of his aircraft upon encountering severe
weather near the city of Cologne, Germany
In the wake of deadly back-to-back light airplane crashes into
residences near North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) in Nevada, and
subsequent comments from the county's aviation authority about
banning operation of experimental aircraft there, a group of pilots comes together to form a
public outreach effort
The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team announces the addition of Bryan
Regan as its newest member. Regan, former team lead of the Red
Baron Pizza Squadron, will be stepping in to fill the role of interim team lead
while Alan Henley, Team Founder and team lead recovers
from a serious injury he sustained in late July
Hoping to prove the timeless adage there's a sucker born every
minute -- er, that there's a buyer for practically anything -- Moller International puts its M200X
(below) up for sale on eBay. A high bid of $20,000
fails to meet the unlisted reserve price
Balloonist Keith Sproul and passenger Stephen Lachendro fall
from their "Wings of Wind" balloon after impacting power lines near
the Enchanted Hills neighborhood of Rio Rancho, NM during the
annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Sproul is severely injured; Lachendro is pronounced dead at
the scene
Being born without arms doesn't keep Jessica Cox of Tucson, AZ
from meeting the challenge of earning a Sport Pilot certificate. The Able Flight Scholarship winner passes
her checkride after several months of training with
instructor Parrish Traweek in his Ercoupe 415C
The Winnebago County Sheriff's Department adds a new charge
against Patty Wagstaff -- a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer,
in addition to a previous first-offense drunk driving charge
stemming from the late-evening incident July 31 on the grounds at
Wittman Regional Airport
A new and novel safety feature first seen this year on planes
costing as much as $600,000 trickles down to the light-sport
aircraft segment, as SportAirUSA introduces the "Straight|Level"
system on its Sting S3 LSA
November
Zenair expresses 'surprise' after the Dutch Civil Aviation
Authority grounds CH601 XL aircraft, following a fatal
crash attributed to structural failure of the wing
Also: SkyReach Parts Support, Piper Service Ctr, Airliner Near-Miss, Airshow London The Judge overseeing Icon's convoluted Chapter 11 process has approved $9 million in Chapter 11 >[...]
ILS PRM Approach An instrument landing system (ILS) approach conducted to parallel runways whose extended centerlines are separated by less than 4,300 feet and at least 3,000 feet >[...]
Aero Linx: FlyPups FlyPups transports dogs from desperate situations to fosters, no-kill shelters, and fur-ever homes. We deliver trained dogs to veterans for service and companion>[...]
Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight>[...]
Also: NBAA on FAA Reauth, DJI AG Drones, HI Insurance Bill Defeated, SPSA Airtankers The Beechcraft Denali continues moving forward towards certification, having received its FAA T>[...]