E-I-C Note: The Aero-TV Team -- Jim, Bill,
Birgit, Rob, Paul, Sarah, Nathan, The 'Other' Jim, Laura, Ben,
Scott, the 'Other' Scott, Wes, Klyde,
Anjin, and the rest of the aero-gnomes --
want to wish you a Happy New Year while we all pursue our own
various and sundry holiday diversions. Our regular daily webcasting
schedule will resume promptly on Monday, January 5th. In the
meantime, please enjoy this 'classic' episode of Aero-TV from
last year as we all recover from our various and sundry New
Year's celebrations...
One More E-I-C Note: We're immensely proud
of the work that Aero-TV has done in the past year with the better
part of 300 HIGH-Quality features shot and produced... and thought
that, with the 2009 Sebring US Sport Aviation Expo barely three
weeks away, that you might enjoy a chance to see what all the fuss
was about last year. . -- Jim Campbell, ANN
E-I-C.
The 4th Annual Sebring FL-based US Sport Aviation Expo is now
history and a fifth is nearly upon us. The growing (occasionally
struggling) LSA movement shows signs that it may mature into a
solid industry, providing a new entry-level option for those who
want to become pilots and aircraft owners. While there are still
too many manufacturers barely keeping the doors open, the entry of
industry heavyweights Cirrus Design and Cessna Aircraft was a
signal to one and all that the LSA market had to be taken
seriously.
Among the more significant news we heard from the 2008 USSAE,
was Cirrus Design's decision to start taking orders for their
speedy little SRS, the naming of US SkyCatcher completion centers
by Cessna, the unveiling of the new Flight Design CTLS, the
introduction of the TECNAM P92 Eaglet, the unveiling of the Gobosh
800XP, the chance to look over the updated Indus Aviation Thorpedo,
new options form American legend, a chance to look over the
Teledyne Continental O-200D (the engine that will power the
SkyCatcher), as well as the opportunity to catch up on all things
Rotax, AirCam, X-Air, Evektor, and so much more. in other words,
despite the rain, the cold and the wind; there was no lack of
things to see and do in Sebring, FL.
Still; there remains the specter of trouble ahead... as most of
the better offerings at the USSAE cost well over 100K... and we're
not sure that there is a sustainable market for aircraft in that
price range. Much has been written about the need to bring "new
blood" into the aviation business... how we need new pilots and a
way to provide ready access to the freedom of the skies for tall
those who have dreamed of playing among the clouds. We desperately
need a cost-effective path for people to follow to stretch their
wings... but to be honest, we're not sure that 100-130K LSAs are
the ticket we've been looking for. BUT... there was NO mistaking
the excitement of so many people we met at Sebring... people who
see LSA as THE answer to their search for wings... and see this new
market as a proper way for them to enter the world of flight... We
hope that their interest is a sustained phenomenon.
For an overview of last year's event, we spent some time
with USSAE Event Chairman Robert Wood, who has been watching this
industry as closely as anyone, for his thoughts and feelings on the
state of the art and the state of the market for Light Sport
Aircraft... Without further delay, let's check out Aero-TV's 2008
interview with USSAE Chairman Robert Wood.
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