Light Sport Aircraft Magazine, covering the light sport aircraft marketplace in the USA.

Aventura, Special Light Sport Aircraft, by Aero Adventure.

#Aventura #SpecialLightSportAircraft #ByAeroAdventure

Two years ago, Aero Adventure was focused on their S-17 model featuring the 117-horsepower AeroMomentum engine. 

You could buy a factory-built version of this on a very limited basis as the company periodically put their airshow model up for sale as a used aircraft. 

For 2020, however, the DeLand, Florida company is throwing the door open much more widely.

Ekolot Topaz Light Sport Aircraft, Ekolot ELF, Ekolot JK 5 Junior, Ekolot America.



Ekolot America represents three handsome all-composite designs that boast very attractive prices to match their handsome exterior cleanliness and beautiful interior. 

Built in Poland and represented in three locations around the USA, here is an affordable aircraft you’d be proud to own.

MSquared Aircraft, Rotax 912 100 HP, Aircraft Engine Installation



Customers spoke and M-Squared acted. This proves the marketplace works, where customers “vote” with every dollar spent to acquire certain products. More importantly to pilots, this fact explains why a review of M-Squared’s new 2-seater – the Breese 2 – is good for customers.

Customers liked what M-Squared was doing. The 1996 company startup took a popular Quicksilver airframe design, added struts and beefed up the airframe to accept engines as large as the 100-hp Rotax 912S. 

But pilots also liked the way the original Quicksilvers (which are lighter) flew and handled. Being in business to serve customers, M-Squared acted appropriately.

Savage Shock Ultra, Light Sport Aircraft, SportAir USA.



Savage is not a term of anger but a reference to a series of models, of which Shock Ultra is the latest derivative. Let’s look at this newest entry more closely.
Shock Ultra has some features not found on all Zlin’s other models, including double slotted Fowler flaps that help lower stall speed to almost absurdly-slow levels (for proof with your own eyes, see our video below). 

In addition, Shock Ultra has leading edge wing slats though these, like the “Shock options” for the Titan-powered Shock Outback, are optional. 

The newest variation of this design uses the oversized outboard shock absorbers similar to those first seen on SuperSTOL and then Shock Outback. They are “to tame the landings,” said SportairUSA. All these design qualities combine to provide good visibility on approach thanks to a “flattened landing flare.”

Indeed, this all works, resulting in a “stall speed of 18 mph (solo) and 24 mph (dual).” Note that’s miles an hour, not knots (15.6 and 20.8 knots respectively). It felt rather amazing to witness an airspeed indicator bumping down toward zero while we flew near gross weight.

Rotax 915 iS aircraft engine, South Mississippi Light Sport Aircraft, Ronnie Smith.


Ronnie Smith of South Mississippi Light Aircraft, gives us a quick run down on the Rotax 915 iS turbocharged, 4 cylinder, liquid cooled aircraft engine.

The turbocharger has a compression ratio of 3.5:1 and the engine will have a critical altitude of 15,000 ft (4,572 m). 

It employs dual electronically controlled fuel injection, using dual channel Rockwell Collins ECUs, with dual ignition and produces 141 hp (105 kW) for take-off and 135 hp (101 kW) continuous. 

The engine can produce rated power up to 15,000 ft (4,572 m) and has a ceiling of 23,000 ft (7,010 m).

The engine is based on the Rotax 912, but differs in that it has fuel injection, a reinforced crankshaft, new pistons, a new gearbox and a turbocharger. Time between overhauls was expected to eventually be raised to 2000 hours with operational experience, but started at 1200 hours.


Light Sport Aircraft, Experimental Aircraft, EAB, LSA, ELSA - Explained.


BRM Aero was early to begin work with Rotax’s new 915 engine. Milan Bristela, son Martin, and their team started the installation and early flight evaluations long before the engine was released to the market.

In late March 2020, before coronavirus had completely invaded our lives, I went aloft to photograph Bristell’s Speedster powered by the Rotax 915iS that is becoming the engine of choice for developers of the fastest LSA-like airplanes.

Light Sport Aircraft, Experimental Aircraft, EAB, LSA, ELSA - Explained.



Dan Johnson and the Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer take a shot at explaining some of the differences between experimental amateur built aircraft, special light sport aircraft, light sport aircraft, and experimental light sport aircraft, while attending the Midwest LSA Show in Mt. Vernon Illinois.


A32, A 32 Vixxen, Light Sport Aircraft Pilot Report.



Dan Johnson takes us for a ride with Dennis Long for a video pilot report on the Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen.

Aerotrek ,Aerotrek A240, LIght Sport Aircraft Pilot Report, Rollison Aircraft



Dan Johnson takes us for a ride with Rob Rollison of Rollison Aircraft in the Aerotrek A240 for a video pilot report.

Light Sport Aircraft, KitFox ST i STOL, Light Sport and Experimental Aircraft Kit.



Dan Johnson talks to John McBean of Kitfox Aircraft about the introduction of several options available for his KitFox S7 Super Sport design. One is the NEW STi (STOL Inspired) retrofittable wing option, which cuts takeoff and landing ground roll by more than 150 feet.

Even though S7 Super Sport takeoff and landing ground rolls are around 300 feet — which usually suffice for island beaches, river sand bars, or the mountain backcountry — Kitfox Aircraft continues to get requests for shorter takeoff and landing distances.

LightSport Aircraft, Texas Aircraft, Colt LSA.


Hondo-based Texas Aircraft Manufacturing announced today that the new Light-Sport Aircraft builder delivered its first new-generation Colt to Richard “Ricky“ Youschak, of Gainesville, Florida. Colt has a history. 

While a clean-sheet design, the all-metal high-wing aircraft follows a successful design from Brazil, the Conquest 180. Built especially for the LSA market, Colt benefits from the earlier manufacturing exercise. 

Approximately 300 were delivered by the older Brazilian builder.

Jabiru Aircraft, Jabiru J 230 Light Sport Aircraft, U.S. Sport Planes, In The Pattern Flight School Texas


We are a Flight School and aircraft rental/services business based at Denton Enterprise Airport in Denton, Texas. We are very proud to serve aviators from students to professional pilots with their needs. Our mission is to serve you through excellence.
We offer a nice variety of rental aircraft to fit your needs. 
Our rates are competitive and our airplanes are excellent. Whatever your interests are in aviation, hit us up. We’d love to serve you and get to know you! A great opportunity to Experience Aviation? 
Come fly Bindi the Jabiru! She is a blast to fly...and she has an autopilot!! Consider getting checked out in Bindi...get on the schedule and start the check out process! Or consider getting your Sport Pilot License! Ask us how! www.inthepattern.com

Midwest LSA Expo, Midwest Light Sport Aircraft Expo Sept 10 - 12, 2020, Mt. Vernon Illinois.


The 12 th Midwest LSA Expo will be held Thursday, September 10 - 12, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. through Saturday, September 12, 2019 at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) Mt. Vernon, Illinois. 

Midwest LSA Expo. Inc. specifically organized the unique event to sell Light Sport Aircraft, LSA Ancillary Services, and LSA related Services.

Dan and I feel the Midwest LSA Expo is the most convenient and affordable of its type in the country. The host City and Airport are located at the crossroads of two major interstates and are 1 hour, 15 minutes by ground from Lambert St. Louis International Airport. 

Over 1200 hotel rooms and 60 restaurants are within three miles of the event site. Over 50% of the entire U.S. population is within an 8 hour drive from Mt. Vernon!

Jabiru Gen 4 Aircraft Engines, Arion Aircraft, Jabiru Engine Sales, Service,Parts.


Pete Krotje, owner of Jabiru North America stated: “Arion Aircraft has been a Jabiru Service Center for many years. 

Their experience makes this a perfect fit to advance the sales of Jabiru brand power products throughout North America. 

I’m eagerly looking forward to the energy and creativity that Nick Otterback and Arion Aircraft will bring to the Jabiru engine fleet in North America.”

Arion Lightning, Copperstate Fly In, Buckeye Air Fair,


Arion Aircraft designed and builds the Lightning series. You can own this sleek, graceful aircraft as a fully-built SLSA, and ELSA kit, or an Experimental Amateur Built aircraft. 

This all-American design hails from Shelbyville, Tennessee. The composite flying machine uses the Jabiru 3300 120-horsepower engine or Continental's awesome Titan X340 with 180 horsepower.

FX 1, Innovaviation, All Composite Light Sport Aircraft


FX1 is Alfredo’s latest and best design. “It features a totally new airframe that incorporates numerous improvements and refinements using state-of-the-art methods and materials,” said InnovAviation. “

FX1 is a high-performance sport plane that reflects Alfredo’s great sense of style, his attention to detail, and his high standards for airworthiness and safety.”

Use the top navigation bar to navigate Light Sport Aircraft.

Yamaha RX1 snowmobile engine to aircraft engine conversion, with Rotax C Drive adapter by Skytrax


Teal Jenkins takes us through the process of installing his adapter onto a Yamaha RX 1 snowmobile engine, which then allows installation of a Rotax C drive reduction drive.



SeaMax Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft, SeaMax Aircraft Florida.


Seamax designer, Miguel Rosario, acknowledged my judgment that Seamax is a performance aircraft within the LSA seaplane category. 

How does the aircraft earn such a call? In one simple way: empty weight is surprisingly low 715 pounds. Fabric-covered wings are one of many ways Miguel keeps Seamax weight on a diet.

Ryan ST-L, Replica kit aircraft by Timber Tiger Aircraft


One aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh really caught my eye. OK, truth be told, dozens of aircraft caught my eye but this shiny example seemed to be looking back at me. We simply had to do a video interview with the developer of the 1930s-era Ryan ST because of its fascinating history and its handsome good looks.

If you love vintage aviation, this should grab your attention as it did mine. Nick Pfannenstiel is a young developer with a mission, to create or, more accurately, re-create the Ryan ST-L.

He began the design phase of his 95% scale Ryan ST in June 2015 and construction began in early 2016. By 2019, you see the aircraft in finished form. 

Ryan’s ST-L featured two open cockpits in tandem seating with a semi-monocoque metal fuselage. A main steel ring forms the backbone of the Ryan ST replica but most of the fuselage uses aluminium alloy 

TEKNOFIBRA aircraft firewall, exhaust, electrical, fuel system heat and sound absorbing material.


Working with Teknofibra The magical material is made of carbon fiber (about 80%) and the balance a closely-guarded secret. 

Soft to the touch, something like felt, Teknofibra cuts easily with a scissors and does not produce fibers that are harmful. 

Ceramic fibers may have similar heat resistance but working with such material requires a breathing filter, gloves, and other protective clothing. If you’ve ever rubbed again fiberglass insulation with bare skin, you know how uncomfortable that is and it can itch for days. 

AHRS, Attitude Heading Reference System, Air Data Reference System, Wingbug


TThe WingBug is a personal, portable, self-encompassed, pitot-static precision measuring device that gathers true ADAHRS (Air Data Attitude Heading Reference System) flight information. 

Utilizing the WingBug app, it provides a traditional flight instrument “Six Pack” as well as AOA (Angle of Attack), Side Slip/Skid, and ADS-B In situational awareness in a digital display for pilots of all levels.

Aircraft Camera Mounts, Go Pro, Garmin, Rock Steady, Camera Mounts by Flight Flix


The Rock Steady Gopro style ball mount is the durable and versatile low profile design that you have been looking for. This quality all metal mount will not move, bend, or fail, unlike plastic mounts. The metal GoPro adapter is compatible with any GoPro style camera. This unique Gopro adapter allows more motion than any other Gopro adapter. 

The knuckle clamp attaches to any Rock Steady base. The ball and socket adjusts a full 360 degrees and then locks your camera into position with a clean hex drive screw, or by hand with an included T-handle screw. 

Buy multiple Rock Steady bases to add numerous quick change mounting locations at an affordable price. Compatible with All Gopro cameras, and Garmin Virb XE, Ultra 30, Virb 360, or any Go Pro style camera.

RANS Aircraft, RANS Coyote, S6LS, light sport or experimental aircraft.


As the dawn of the sport pilot rule changes approaches, Kansas-based RANS Inc. is one of the most successful kit aircraft manufacturers in the light aviation industry.Randy Schlitter, RANS’ boss and founder, is now a seasoned veteran of the kit airplane business. 

Over his years in business, he has created several popular aircraft designs that have found favor in the United States, Europe, and about 50 other countries around the globe.



TECNAM Aircraft, Tecanam ASTORE, low wing ,all metal, light sport aircraft


I want to talk about a 71-year-old company and a 71-year old airplane design, Astore. First came a 1948 Astore. 

Tecnam’s Astore is their all-new two-seat, low-wing, next-generation Light-Sport airplane celebrated as part of the company’s 65th Anniversary. 



Deland, Sport Aviation Showcase, Deland Municipal Airport 2019


The DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase is an annual, three-day event focused entirely on recreational flying and sport aviation.

The Sport Aviation Showcase is held at the DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED) in the town of DeLand, known as "The Athens of Florida" for its rich, creative culture featuring art venues, unique stores, international cuisine, night life and live entertainment. 

Plus, the weather in early November is perfect for a fun Florida weekend. More than one hundred exhibitors featured all kinds of sport aircraft, ultralights, trikes, rotorcraft, powered parachutes and paragliders, engines, avionics, pilot gear and flight schools. 

Attendees enjoyed demo flights, interactive workshops, educational forums, keynote speakers, food concessions, live music, underwing camping, pre-owned aircraft sales, and more! 

Sling, Sling TSI, Rotax 915 iS, Aircraft Review


I have been waiting 3 months to fly this airplane. It had been away doing airshows and demo flights but finally it was my turn to get my hands on this beautiful new experimental Sling TSI aircraft. 

The Airplane Factory really out did themselves when designing this plane. With a climb rate of over 1500 feet per minute and cruise speeds nearing 150 knots, this sure is a thriller that makes you feel like a little kid. 

The performance improvements over the Sling 4 is amazing.

Bristell aircraft owners perspective.


Bristell USA represents the airplane of the same name. After representing others and using decades of aviation experience, Bristell USA's longtime expert, Lou Mancuso, settled on this handsome, highly regarded Light-Sport Aircraft.

Sundancer, Motor Glider, Distar USA


Michael Tomazin flew from California with Distar Production manager Elias Khelil to attend DeLand Showcase 2019. 

They flew 3,000 miles to do so as they wandered around to fly over spectacles such as the Rocky Mountains, Monument Valley, and Grand Canyon. 

How’s that for a view of America? Elias was thrilled with the experience to span this vast country, several times his home land of the Czech Republic.

Aeromomentum, Automotive Aircraft Engine Conversion Installation


Today I got a good look at the new Aventura S-17 built in DeLand, Florida — also home of the Aerolite 103 and the DeLand Showcase …plus a large volume of sky diving.


In a word, S-17 is hot! One word is not enough, though. This light kit seaplane is also an unusually good value for a long-proven airframe that Aero Adventure has significantly beefed up.

The business is Aero Adventure, run by Alex Rolinski who bought the well-known design. He’s a high-energy fellow who quit his bank officer job to go full time and the operation has plenty to keep him busy.

IFR In An ELSA, Bristell Light Sport Aircraft, Bristell Aircraft USA


Think about IFR in an LSA this way: Can you fly IFR in a homebuilt aircraft? Can you do so in a Cessna 172?
Does it matter that these two distinct types have not gone through a thorough IFR evaluation by FAA?

If you know IFR can be done in either aircraft type — assuming aircraft and pilot are qualified and current — then why should such flying be prevented in LSA?

The matter might become cloudier if you heard the advice issued by ASTM F37 on this subject to LSA producers.

Single Lever Throttle Control on light sport and experimental aircraft 

This phrase, Single Lever Control, communicates two things:

(1) that the system on the airplane seen in the video adjusts the prop to optimal pitch for the phase of flight, and 

(2) that the system does so based on the pilot’s movement of the throttle combined with its own information about parameters of the aircraft at that time. In short, call it an “auto prop.”


Aerotrek,  Aerotrek A240, LightSport Aircraft Review, Rollison Aircraft.



Aerotrek has steadily risen from an unknown brand to the #9 position in the all-time-fleet market share. The brand is one of only ten that have registered more than 100 aircraft in the United States.

Excellent prices help but that’s not the whole story.

Click Here For More Information

American Ranger, AR 1 Gyroplane, Aircraft Review, Silverlight Aviation Florida

The world's state-of-the-art gyroplanes employ tails with larger vertical and horizontal surface that provide exceptional stability making the rotary-winged aircraft much more predictable to fly.

Beside adding stabilizing features companies have partially enclosed the cockpit with half-height fuselages making them more user-friendly than past-generation gyrocopters (the industry-preferred term for the older, less desirable models of many years past).


Savage Shock from SportAir USA.


Savage Shock, Savage Outback Shock from SportAir USA. It has been several decades since Piper’s PA-18 SuperCub set the bar for bush flying. 

Since then a series of technological and design innovations have enhanced the off-runway performance of cub-like aircraft with more power, lower weight, added lift, better control and braking.

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Subscribe to the Light Sport & Ultralight Flyer Web Video Magazine.

Lifetime Subscription To The Light Sport And Ultralight Flyer Web Video Magazine! ONLY $99.95. U.S.
Your subscription includes Rotax 582, and HKS aircraft engine rebuilding videos, which are EACH nearly 2 hours in length! PLUS hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of web video interviews with designers, manufactures, builders, and suppliers of ultralight light and light sport aircraft parts and accessories.

STOL Competition | AOPA Tullahoma TN

STOL Competition AOPA Tullahoma TN 2019 Airshow. Take a tour through this years AOPA event at the Tullahoma TN airport featuring a STOL "Invitational" that was sponsored by Zenith Aircraft Company and had MANY aircraft participating! Kitfox. Zenith CH701.

Just Aircraft. Carbon Cub just to name a few. This was my first time at this airport and this event and I was impressed of the SIZE of the airport and the facilities. They offered CAMPING onsite at the airport this year which we took full advantage of and absolutely enjoyed the experience. 

Courtesy of: Experimental Aircraft Channel


Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly Airplane, The Rancher by Ed Pitman


More than just a tow plane. The Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly is a workhorse and a productive tool for the farm or ranch too. Affordable crop dusting for hard to get to locations or small fields. The Rancher configuration was designed by Ed Pitman for owner operators. 

When you need crop dusting, fence line patrol, or checking on livestock, The Rancher is the best modern option for your ranch or farm. Extremely short takeoff runs on unimproved runways, roads and fields. The Dragonfly with a solid 36 year history has been configured as "The Rancher" Light Sport Aircraft (LSA.) We're ready to ship today. Also check out 


ICON A5 amphibious light sport aircraft pilot report


ICON A5, Icon Aircraft Pilot Report and A 5 Aircraft Review. Dan Johnson take us for a ride in the ICON A5, from Icon Aircraft.

To help us bring you even more of these awesome videos subscribe to our video magazine below.

Subscribe to the Light Sport & Ultralight Flyer Web Video Magazine.

Lifetime Subscription To The Light Sport And Ultralight Flyer Web Video Magazine!
Lifetime Subscription ONLY $99.95. U.S.
Yearly Subscriptions  ONLY $29.95  U.S. 

Your subscription includes Rotax 582, and HKS aircraft engine rebuilding videos, which are EACH nearly 2 hours in length! PLUS hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of web video interviews with designers, manufactures, builders, and suppliers of ultralight light and light sport aircraft parts and accessories.