Light sport dying?

[ryoder]

I’m a fan but it seems like it’s dying off. This board has maybe one new post a week at best. I wish it wasn’t so but it seems like light sport is dying off.

[AviatorCrafty]

I don't check here as much as I used to but I still pop in. I haven't flown anything light sport in over a month and a half since I've been training towards my Private Pilot - Glider certificate. I don't think light sport is dying exactly, but I might be a little out of the loop.

[fatsportpilot]

I’m a fan but it seems like it’s dying off. This board has maybe one new post a week at best. I wish it wasn’t so but it seems like light sport is dying off.

This board's activity doesn't represent LSA as a whole and 99% of sport pilots never even visited this site. But you can say general aviation (including LSAs) is dying and it has been for decades as cost to live increases year by year and less people can afford the time or money to get into this as a hobby. Light sport aviation is not suffering more than usual. And the FAA is actively working to make it more accessible with their MOSAIC 2023 ruling (we'll have to wait to see if the results are really helpful or just recreational license 2.0.

https://www.bydanjohnson.com/category/l ... et-shares/

[JimParker256]

I'm on this forum several times per day (retired, mostly staying home due to the Covid-19 pandemic except when I go flying for fun. I see new posts (versus new threads) almost every time I login. I use the "Quick Links" to look at "New Posts" since I'm interested in pretty much everything Light Sport related.

Also, both the RANS and KitFox factories are running at max capacity for both S-LSA and kit manufacture, and have more than a 1-year backlog of orders. Not all of those are Sport Pilot eligible, but many certainly are. Many of those pilots tend to hang out more on the Backcountry Pilots forum than here. And a lot of the "Cub" type LS pilots hang out on the SuperCub.org forum as well.

Light Sport aircraft are alive and well!

[ryoder]

Ok maybe I was being too pessimistic. I have a private pilot cert but always wanted to own an operate a light sport. I’m still a fan.

[jetcat3]

I’m honestly surprised LSA’s don’t have much more presence here as there are many benefits from flying, renting, and leasing these modern aircraft. Heck, our flight school in the Dallas area uses them for Sport Pilot, Private, Commercial, and CFI! To me these aircraft are game changers for the future of training but I’m sure many others would disagree.

Speaking to this topic though, I shared as much as I could of an aircraft that was unveiled this spring and the response I got was very weak. This is one of the greatest STOL aircraft designs we’ve seen yet and nobody seemed to care. That probably has more to do with how little those people knew about the manufacture but still. I guess if CubCrafters had released the aircraft it would be the talk of the town. But what I’m trying to say is it just seems like the excitement around new aircraft is down? I don’t know.

[AGLyme]

I like this forum... but I noticed that aviation is "tribal". For example, the Flight Design forum is quite active for the amount of aircraft flying in North America... Each aircraft owner flocks to his own kind in order to share maintenance, performance and other experiences.

[3Dreaming]

I’m honestly surprised LSA’s don’t have much more presence here as there are many benefits from flying, renting, and leasing these modern aircraft. Heck, our flight school in the Dallas area uses them for Sport Pilot, Private, Commercial, and CFI! To me these aircraft are game changers for the future of training but I’m sure many others would disagree.

Speaking to this topic though, I shared as much as I could of an aircraft that was unveiled this spring and the response I got was very weak. This is one of the greatest STOL aircraft designs we’ve seen yet and nobody seemed to care. That probably has more to do with how little those people knew about the manufacture but still. I guess if CubCrafters had released the aircraft it would be the talk of the town. But what I’m trying to say is it just seems like the excitement around new aircraft is down? I don’t know.

As much as you talked about it I figured you were a salesman. In all seriousness an airplane like the Savage while it is cool, has a pretty limited market. I think it would be fun, but around here the fun would wear off pretty quick.

[Hambone]

Dying? There’s a nine month wait on a new Aerotrek 220!

[drseti]

Speaking of which, Ham, did you contact Bob up here?

[Warmi]

Dying? There’s a nine month wait on a new Aerotrek 220!

Perhaps because that’s how long it takes to manufacture a new plane?

[jetcat3]

I’m honestly surprised LSA’s don’t have much more presence here as there are many benefits from flying, renting, and leasing these modern aircraft. Heck, our flight school in the Dallas area uses them for Sport Pilot, Private, Commercial, and CFI! To me these aircraft are game changers for the future of training but I’m sure many others would disagree.

Speaking to this topic though, I shared as much as I could of an aircraft that was unveiled this spring and the response I got was very weak. This is one of the greatest STOL aircraft designs we’ve seen yet and nobody seemed to care. That probably has more to do with how little those people knew about the manufacture but still. I guess if CubCrafters had released the aircraft it would be the talk of the town. But what I’m trying to say is it just seems like the excitement around new aircraft is down? I don’t know.

As much as you talked about it I figured you were a salesman. In all seriousness an airplane like the Savage while it is cool, has a pretty limited market. I think it would be fun, but around here the fun would wear off pretty quick.

Seriously? Ever heard of Trent Palmer? STOL flying is the hottest thing going right now and the Norden is the ultimate in its class. If you can’t get excited about electric retractable slats something is wrong.

[FastEddieB]

Dying? There’s a nine month wait on a new Aerotrek 220!

Not sure of the model, but Dennis Long flew a new Aeroprakt into my new home base and I was very, very impressed with the design and build quality. Did not get to test fly it but would sure like to. Quite happy with my Sky Arrow after 13 years, but an Aeroprakt would certainly be on my short list of replacements.

[Warmi]

I’m honestly surprised LSA’s don’t have much more presence here as there are many benefits from flying, renting, and leasing these modern aircraft. Heck, our flight school in the Dallas area uses them for Sport Pilot, Private, Commercial, and CFI! To me these aircraft are game changers for the future of training but I’m sure many others would disagree.

Speaking to this topic though, I shared as much as I could of an aircraft that was unveiled this spring and the response I got was very weak. This is one of the greatest STOL aircraft designs we’ve seen yet and nobody seemed to care. That probably has more to do with how little those people knew about the manufacture but still. I guess if CubCrafters had released the aircraft it would be the talk of the town. But what I’m trying to say is it just seems like the excitement around new aircraft is down? I don’t know.

As much as you talked about it I figured you were a salesman. In all seriousness an airplane like the Savage while it is cool, has a pretty limited market. I think it would be fun, but around here the fun would wear off pretty quick.

Seriously? Ever heard of Trent Palmer? STOL flying is the hottest thing going right now and the Norden is the ultimate in its class. If you can’t get excited about electric retractable slats something is wrong.

Hottest thing around on YouTube perhaps - It is still a plane that goes 90 mph max and is a taildragger - the taildragger part being the main problem here, both in terms of additional skills required and risk ( which in turn translates into insurance cost etc )

[3Dreaming]

Seriously? Ever heard of Trent Palmer? STOL flying is the hottest thing going right now and the Norden is the ultimate in its class. If you can’t get excited about electric retractable slats something is wrong.

Yep, I've heard of him. Most people who want to emulate him are on a budget, so they are not a serious buyer. Those that do have the budget are likely going to go beyond the Norden for something like a Carbon Cub SS. It doesn't really fit the traveling LSA model, so like I said limited market. I think that market is pretty well covered here on the forum. You are head over heals, a couple think it is cool, but not cool enough to get really excited, and most are like "uh okay".