Newest Technology Comes To LSA Entry

SportairUSA, the North American distributor of the StingSport two-seat airplane, announced last week the firm will make the Garmin GPSMAP 396 system -- complete with XM Satellite WX and radio -- on the light sport aircraft.

"While delivering unparalleled situational awareness through XM WX Satellite Weather products, the GPSMAP 396 also offers 130+ channels of entertainment via XM Satellite Radio," said SportairUSA in a press release to Aero-News.

SportsairUSA is no stranger to using technology usually reserved for higher-priced aircraft on their LSA-category Stingsport. The company had already made a Ballistic Recovery Parachute System standard on the airplane -- similar to the system introduced on the Cirrus SR20 and SR22 -- and the company recently announced a new carburetor heat system on the aircraft.

Utilizing a metal sleeve through which warmed coolant (the Stingsport's Rotax engines are liquid-cooled) is circulated, the carburetor is warmed without needing diverted exhaust heat, thus enhancing safety without the usual power degradation associated with traditional designs.

Base price for the Stingsport (above) is approximately $96,000, according to a SportairUSA representative.

FMI: www.sportair-usa.com