Each year the staff of the Aero-News Network attempts to name
those aircraft that distinguish themselves in the previous year.
This year, like previous years, has been a difficult one to judge
from the standpoint of determining what we like to call the "Best
of the Breed."
The general aviation industry, after
several years of somewhat revolutionary updates, is settling into a
more evolutionary path at the moment... one that eschews truly
monumental upgrades, but still manages to demonstrate exciting
progress and better products from year to year. And, as each of
these products evolves and becomes better from year to year, it
sure as hell makes our task a whole lot more difficult in
trying to distinguish one truly outstanding aircraft from another.
2006 represents the most difficult year we have encountered in
attempting to not only name the best Plane Of The Year, but the
best plane in a number of pivotal categories.
As a matter of fact, it strikes us that naming an overall "best"
aircraft across the entire spectrum of general aviation is probably
no longer reasonable. There are simply too many aircraft that have
distinguished themselves in too many outstanding ways for one to
truly be called better than the other on an overall basis. One
man's perfect high-speed Hot-Rod, for instance, becomes the
expensive "way too hot to handle" mistake of another pilot whose
mission requirements may differ markedly. So... we're going to cop
out -- just a bit, mind you. We will name the best aircraft in
individual categories, and reserve the right in the future to
whittle down those categories as necessary. But, the fact of the
matter is that no one airplane is all things to all pilots, and
within the spectrum that we have decided on, these are the aircraft
selections that truly impressed us in each of five categories.
- GA Piston Single
- GA Piston Twin
- SA Experimental Kit
- E-LSA Kit
- S-LSA RTF (Ready To Fly)
Let me also note that while aircraft that previously were named
Best Of Breed in any category, or overall, are eligible for
inclusion in this year's list, we have decided to make it more
difficult (in our judging protocols) for a previous winner to take
the top spot in our judging criteria, so that a repeat winner truly
earns the distinction. Please also note that there are a number of
new categories under consideration, covering other aspects of
aviation, included the BizAv segment, but that we're going to wait
until 2007 before we add those aircraft our annual judging
criteria.
Herewith, our final selections for the category of Sport
Aviation Amateur-Built/Experimental Kit...
AAI/GBA Sparrowhawk II
The AAI/GBA Sparrowhawk filled a need... a need postulated by
the original RAF 2000 gyroplane. What the sadly-lacking RAF 2000
promised -- stability, dependability and performance-wise, the
Sparrowhawk sought to deliver. Better yet, after pioneering a
laudable development and production effort with the Sparrowhawk I,
GBA has followed up on this program not too long ago with the
much-updated Sparrowhawk II.
The Sparrowhawk II gyroplane is a two-seat, pusher gyro
that can be constructed as an Experimental-Amateur-Built gyroplane,
in which case it requires a minimum of a Private Pilot license (in
Rotorcraft/Gyro for passenger-carrying privileges), or as an
Experimental Light Sport Aircraft, in which case it requires a
minimum of a Sport Pilot license with a Gyroplane rating.
The bird offers up a useful load of 650 pounds, a 70 knot
cruise, ground rolls of 100-500 feet, and a solid 500 fpm ROC. The
new Sparrowhawk II has a lower empty weight, and some improvements
in construction procedures. The difficult-to-assemble cruciform
tail is now preconstructed at the factory (previously a popular
$948 option, selected by about three quarters of Sparrowhawk
builders) and the landing gear has been simplified, eliminating
some of the most difficult and frustrating assembly steps.
BTW.... much to their credit, the company continues to offer a
stability and control enhancement kit for RAF 2000 gyroplanes.
However, not all Sparrowhawk parts retrofit to AAI-modified RAFs.
For example, the Sparrowhawk cabin cannot be used on an RAF 2000,
even with the AAI modifications (Groen Bros. and AAI are not
affiliated with RAF).
Glasair Aviation Sportsman 2+2
This is not your Father's GlaStar... it's something even better,
and the 2006 season has been even better to this aircraft with the
advent of a revolutionary factory build program that can get a
builder set up to taxi his or her bird in just a few weeks after
opening the box.
Fly this with your eyes closed and you'll swear that you're
flying a GlaStar… which is a really good thing… but
open your eyes, and see all the extra room and payload, and you'll
know that the seemingly perfect little GlaStar SportPlane has
finally been topped… by it's own kin.
The Sportsman 2+2 gives its pilots reason to brag about 155-161
mph cruise speeds (180-200 hp), and a Vso of only 48 mph... making
the S2+2 an easy STOL performer needing as little as 375 feet for
takeoff and 260 feet for landing. Climb rates range from 1950 fpm
(solo) to 1000 fpm (gross). At 65% power and standard tanks, the
S2+2 will get you 886 sm down the road. It has 1000 pounds of
useful load, and a small bench seat behind the two front seats
(good for an adult or two small kinds... or an amazing load of
crap, uh, gear). Its up to you, because even if you fill both seats
and gas it all the way up, there's still 300 pounds of useful load
left.
The stretched and tweaked Sportsman 2+2 is every bit as good as
the GlaStar was (high-praise--it was on my Top Ten list for
years)... and maybe just a little bit nicer, in terms of
load-carrying, and overall stability and control (the very tight
static/dynamic pitch profile is even better defined... which we
weren't sure was possible til we flew it). A solid company backs
this bird and the value is exceptional... especially when you add
in the availability of their new builder's program and financing
packages. One final note... on a set of Montana Float Company's
amphibs, this thing is absolutely amazing. Highly recommended.
Lancair Legacy
I've been a bit perplexed by the seeming diminishment in the
popularity of the high-performance class of SportPlanes. Not too
many years ago, you were nothing if your bird couldn't flirt with
300 mph, and there seemed to be no lack of birds trying to give
that target a run for its money. Many of those birds are long gone
-- the Questair Venture, White Lightning, SX-300, and others...
It's a crying shame they're AWOL, since so many of them were
legitimately talented flyers that lacked for nothing --
except the requisite number of customers necessary to allow
the boss to keep the doors open.
One of the true survivors of this industry is the Lancair
Legacy, a fire-breathing two place hot-rod that is a very happy
camper with 200-260 HP and a maniac with 310 HP. Available in both
Fixed gear and Retractable, the RG version is a smoker... with a
310 HP Continental IO-550, the Legacy cruises 276 mph and still
stalls at 65 mph. With a service ceiling of 18,000 feet, the Legacy
RG can get off the deck in just 850 feet and touch down in 900'. A
65 gallon fuel system allows for a 1150 SM range, and the ROC
is a whopping 2700 fpm when flown solo (YEEHAW!).
The company offers extensive builder support programs, including
some excellent on-site factory assistance programs that can
significantly cut down on overall build times. The pre-preg
composite aircraft is kitted for $59,500 in "Quick-Build"
configuration, though there are 2 week and 4 week builder assist
programs (at extra cost) that can get the lion's share of the work
done under the supervision of Lancair experts.
The bird is a very responsive airplane but with proper
adaptation and orientation, we found that the general personality
of the bird was honest enough to transition the lion's share of
pilots with some high-performance aircraft time. Overall; the bird
handles very well, and we very much enjoyed both the high-speed
performance and the reassuring low-speed envelope.
Van's RV-8 QB
We're not prepared to just come out and say that Dick Van
Grunsven can do no wrong... but darn it if Dick Van Grunsven can do
no wrong... this two place tandem hot-rod is an excellent STOL
flyer, pretty much a rocket-ship in cruise (200 mph or so), as
mild-mannered as they come in slow-flight but with a rowdy soul if
ya gotta get acrobatic for a while. It rocks, it rolls... it makes
julien fries... NOT-- but what a hot-sh*t little airplane, we kid
you not.
The RV-8 accepts mills in the 150-220 HP regime, but gives you
back 680-733 pounds of useful load. This results in cruise speeds
of 195-210 mph, takeoff distances of as little as 250-300 feet
(solo), landing distances of 350-500' (solo/gross), rates of climb
from 2000-2700 fpm, and 940-103 sm range (55%/8000'). Those are
numbers ya gotta like -- and hundreds of customers have voted so
with their pocketbook.
Sleek, pretty and incredibly functional, the RV-8 is one of
Dick's best designs... though we beg all those who are interested
in the bird to stick to the taildragger persuasion... as God
himself intended, because a bird this cool and this rough and
ready, simply looks at a nosewheel as an insult (grin). Still, if
you want trike gear, the RV-8A trike gear version just might be
your ticket -- but mark our words... God WILL get you for this
blasphemy.
The kits are exceptionally well-done (especially the quick-build
versions), customer support is well-executed, and the camaraderie
of OVER 4000 other RV builders is a benefit that can NOT possibly
be overvalued. Highly recommended, this is about as low-risk a
selection as there is in the sport aviation biz.
Be sure to check back with us in a few days to see which of
these aircraft earned Top Honors as the "Best of the Breed" in this
category!
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.03.24): Area Navigation (RNAV)
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