Ultralight and Light Sport
Aircraft are also featured in their own section "down on the farm" at the
south end of the airport. The "Farm" has it's own commercial display area,
forums, builders section, runway and campground.
It also has it's own announcing stand, and announcers. This year the
voice of Frank Beagle could again be heard booming over the loud speakers,
with the Vernon Peckham giving able assistance.
For those shopping for ultralight or light sport aircraft and
accessories Airventure's vendors and aircraft owners provide a wealth of
knowledge and experience.
Seminars on engines, forums on building, rules
updates, new products, or old products with new and updated features are
all part of the "food" served on the farm each year.
This year was no exception with the biggest story being the new "Light
Sport Category" introduction. This long awaited rule change is now law. It
will be interesting to see how it effects the U.S. "ultralight industry"
in the coming months and years.
Several new ultralight and light sport aircraft designs were introduced
at Airventure, while other designs have undergone changes or modifications.
Robert Gaither the new owner of U.S. Light Aircraft had the latest model
of the Hornet on display and flying at the show.
The Hornet is now available with the Rotax line of engines, including
the Rotax 503 and Rotax 582 two strokes, using a belt drive system and is
currently being set up for installation of the Rotax 912.
Robert is currently touring the U.S. demonstrating the Hornet to
dealers and new customers. For more information contact 760-518-0838.
Another design that has undergone modifications
is
the Ranchair from Valley Engineering.
The Ranchair is a side by seating two place tail dragger
powered
by a Volkswagen engine conversion using Ranchair's belt reduction drive.
In the past the unit was flown as a long wing taildragger. This year
it was being flown as a short wing bi-plane.
 The Legal Eagle from Leonard Milholland is a back
to basic ultralight which in the past has been flown on a 1/2 Volkswagen
conversion. This year UltraVair had a Legal Eagle powered by their 1/3
Corvair engine conversion.
This neat little 4 stroke takes 2 of the 6
cylinders from a Corvair car engine to make a light weight direct drive
power plant that puts out 39 hp at 3,000 rpm. You have to see and hear to
really appreciate it.
Airventure also had something for the "young aviation enthusiast." Back
in the early days of ultralight aviation we had aircraft called
"Penguins."
These craft couldn't actually fly but were used to demonstrate control
inputs, throttle settings etc.
This year the Microlite Flyers of Wisconsin
had a "Young Eagle Simulator" on display. It features all of the standard
controls found in a conventional tail dragger and was even powered - by a
little single cylinder Weed Eater engine.
Youngsters were lined up
to get into it, from early morning till dark waiting to get their "first
flight experience" |
