SportsPlane.com to Market Explorer USA
In an agreement with Adventure Aircraft of Utah, SportsPlanes.com has signed up to market the new Explorer LSA. Introduced at AirVenture 2007, the Explorer is a high wing, all-aluminum design configured as a taildragger, which can quickly be converted to floatplane or ski plane mode. It is available with either a 100-horsepower Rotax 912 or 125-hp Jabiru engine.
The Explorer has a 700-pound useful load, allowing for two adults, full fuel and over 200 pounds of baggage. In terms of cubic footage, the Explorer may have the largest baggage area of any LSA, permitting extensive back-country adventures. “Anyone who takes the time to fly an Explorer is going to experience flight as it was meant to be,” says Josh Foss, president of SportsPlanes.com.
Because the Explorer was designed with float flying in mind, it has a large tail group with a highly effective rudder and elevator combination that damps adverse yaw in turns. The 44-inch wide cockpit is roomy and can accommodate people up to 6 foot 5 inches tall with ample shoulder and hip room. With the seat set all the way back, most people would not be able to reach the rudder pedals. The panel is large enough to accommodate a wide range of instruments including equipment necessary for IFR operations.
Takeoff for the Explorer at full gross can be accomplished in 200 feet, power-off stalls occur at 30 mph, and rollout for landing takes 350 feet, the company says.
For more information call 801/420-6176 or visit www.sportsplanes.com. A direct link can be found at www.kitplanes.com
.HOW-TO TIG Welding DVDTP America has introduced a new DVD that promises to bring novice TIG welders up to speed. The 70-minute instructional video, Welcome to the World of TIG Welding, gives explanations and examples of the welding process from start to finish, the company says. It also offers a through-the-helmet view of welding procedures, from running a bead to butt, lap and fillet welding in aluminum and steel.
The instruction also covers TIG torches, remote amperage control, arc starting methods, up and down slope as well as post slope, final current and pulsing. Two features found on newer welders, AC frequency and balance, are also covered.
The price is $29.95. For more information, call 800/USA-WELD (872-9353) or visit www.usaweld.com. A direct link can be found at www.kitplanes.com
.AEA Offers Free Avionics GuideThe Aircraft Electronics Associations 2007/08 edition of the Pilots Guide to Avionicsis available at no charge to pilots, avionics technicians, AEA members, flight instructors and others in the aviation industry. Topics of articles include: new products, buyers guides for audio panel systems and transponders, cockpit makeovers, cockpit portables, financing a panel makeover, 10 questions to ask before selecting an avionics shop and more. Also available are Intel sheets that offer briefs on avionics systems, and capture product specifications and descriptions.
For more information or to complete a request form, visit www.aea.net/pilot. A direct link can be found at
Anywhere Map previewed two new developments at AirVenture 2007: the latest iteration of Anywhere Map (2.0) and the Anywhere Glass display.
Anywhere Map 2.0 is the most significant upgrade yet to the portable moving-map navigation system, says CEO Jay Humbard. A new user interface will make it easier to use, he said, and new aviation and geographic features are being added. Charting elements include jet routes, crossing altitudes, MOCA and more. Shorelines and river depiction are high res, and there is a smoothed weather display. The 2.0 version is scheduled for release this fall.Anywhere Glass is a panel-mounted display offering engine monitor and moving-map capability to homebuilders. The engine monitor will include oil pressure and temperature, CHT, EGT, fuel pressure and level (two tanks), rpm, manifold pressure, and battery voltage. It will also display limits, trends and history. There are three versions, I, II and III, with varying capabilities. The II model adds an air data engine, and the III adds an attitude sensor for backup attitude indication.
Prices for the Anywhere Glass start at $1995 plus probes for the model I; $2495 plus probes for the II; and $2995 for the III. For more information, call 800/292-1160 or visit www.anywheremap.com. A direct link can be found at www.kitplanes.com
Three-Cylinder Engine Debuts
Powerplant Developments of West Sussex, England, announced at AirVenture that the company is developing a new liquid-cooled diesel engine for the LSA market. Along with the ability to run on Jet-A fuel, the new 100-horsepower, three-cylinder Gemini 100 design promises to deliver higher torque and greater power-to-weight ratios than conventional piston engines, the company says.
“The Gemini engine introduces a number of uncommon, yet proven, engine features to the aviation industry,” says Timothy Archer, president and CEO of Powerplant Developments. “For example, it has a unique two half-crankshaft, two-pistons-per-cylinder design, which is why it earned the Gemini name. This design eliminates the need for a camshaft, valve gear and cylinder head joints-three main causes of unreliability and high maintenance costs of older-generation piston engines.”
Derek Graham, chairman and co-founder of the company, added that, “The elegant and simple design of the Gemini engine allows significant weight and cost savings. For example, the typical installed weight of the 100-hp Gemini 100 is less than 166 pounds, which is about 34 pounds less than that of a 100-hp Continental O-200. Furthermore, the Geminis installed weight includes the engines heat exchanger and accessories.”
Castings for the first engine have been made, and the company will begin the ASTM approval process with the expectation to receive EASA and FAA certification on the 125-hp and the turbo supercharged Gemini 125 engine. Deliveries are predicted to begin by April 2008.
The engine price is estimated at $18,500, but an official announcement has not been made. For more information, call 214/404-3981 or visit www.jadeair.co.uk. A direct link can be found at http://www.kitplanes.com/
Sun Visor For RV-10
Rosen Sunvisor Systems, LLC announced a new sun visor system specifically designed for the popular RV-10 kit airplane.
The system for the RV-10 is designed to improve safety by filtering harmful ultraviolet radiation and glare without compromising the visibility of surrounding traffic. Its multi-positioning capability offers panoramic cabin protection against the sun.
The RV-10 system comes with customized, simple-to-follow instructions that allow installation to be completed in less than an hour, the company says.
The approximate dimensions are 8 x 15.5 inches, and the retail price is $407.05. For more information, call 800/284-7677 or visit www.rosenvisor.com. A direct link can be found at www.kitplanes.com
