The preceding year saw a number of stories of inspiration in sport aviation, and of loss... while the clouds of impending legislation and anti-homebuilder sentiment in one large metropolitan area hung over the community as a whole. What these portents may mean for sport aviation in 2009 remains to be seen.

In much happier news, the ever-burgeoning light sport aircraft segment saw a number of upgrades for existing models of LSA, as well as a few promising new players in that segment. There are also a couple of new pilots enjoying their sport pilot licenses, as well...

January

• Cessna defends its choice to build the upcoming SkyCatcher LSA in China on a company Web site. Over 200 people chimed in with their comments, many of them lamenting Cessna's decision
• RANS announces its S-19 has achieved S-LSA certification, and will enter series production as the S-19LS.
• At Sebring, Cirrus Design starts taking orders for its SRS light sport aircraft; Flight Design USA unveils its new CTLS light sport plane (below), a notable upgrade to its already popular CTSW; Tecnam intros its improved P92 Eaglet; and Gobosh Aviation introduces its all-composite 800XP

• Boeing President and CEO Scott Carson takes delivery of a brand new CubCrafters Sport Cub S2
• Also at Sebring, TL-Ultralight announces its own upgraded Sting S3 LSA

February

• Balloonist Michio Kanda (shown at right) disappears over the North Pacific, about 435 miles south of Adak Island in the Aleutians chain. The world record holder was flying from Japan to Oregon.
• Cessna curiously axes its former blog-style web site for its SkyCatcher LSA, replacing it with a page on Cessna's corporate site. With the change in presentation comes a shift in policy... as Cessna announces it will hearby moderate all comments on the site, including those critical of Cessna's decision to source the Model 162 from China
• ANN catches up with Able Flight Scholarship winner Sean O'Donnell, who opened a Pennsylvania flight school to teach pilots of all stripes -- including disabled persons -- to earn their sport pilot license
• Members of EAA Chapter 172, who discovered their clubhouse at Pea Patch airport near Blythe, GA was vandalized the morning of January 28, didn't stand still for very long in trying to return things to normal. Several chapter members got together days later to repaint the front of the clubhouse.
• The FAA posts notice in the Federal Register that, until further notice, the agency's Aircraft Certification Service has suspended courtesy inspections of aircraft kits for "amateur-built" status. The purpose of these evaluations was to indicate if a prefabricated amateur-built aircraft kit could be eligible for certification as an amateur-built aircraft
• Eccentric adventurer Maurice Kirk is rescued, after being forced to ditch his prized -- but long-suffering -- "Liberty Girl" restored Piper Cub in the Caribbean.

• The Groen Brothers SparrowHawk III is added to the FAA's list of eligible amateur-built aircraft

March

• An Australian paraglider and his pet chihuahua find themselves stuck in a tree more than 100 feet above the ground, after a flight gone wrong

• SeaMax USA tells ANN of the recent S-LSA certification of its amphibious aircraft (shown above), as well as the first delivery of a customer plane in the United States. The company believes this is the first flying boat delivery to a retail customer certified under the ASTM standards
• The Experimental Aircraft Association calls on its members to set the FAA straight on the so-called "51 percent rule"
• Sonex marks its 10th year of aircraft kit construction
• Cessna completes the first flight of its Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft prototype
• Radio-controlled model aircraft enthusiasts in Central Florida will be allowed to continue leasing property on which to enjoy their hobby, but will have to accept some new terms to accommodate neighbors

• Lancair's Evolution turboprop-powered kitplane makes its first flight
• An inquest into the January 2006 downing of a skydiving plane in Queensland, Australia uncovers a wide range of safety discrepancies and oversights, a number of which likely contributed to the crash that killed five of the seven people onboard

April

• The National Transportation Safety Board issues recommendations to the FAA and the Soaring Society of America for new policies on gliders, stemming from an August 28, 2006 midair collision near Smith, NV between a sailplane and a corporate jet, that amazingly resulted in only minor injuries to those involved
• Light sport aircraft distributor SportAirUSA has two of its hangars damaged by a small but furious tornado at the North Little Rock Municipal Airport (KORK)
• Van's Aircraft begins taking orders for the wing portions of its new RV-12 Light Sport Aircraft kit.
• The FAA proposes amended rules for sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating, in an NPRM entitled, "Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light Sport Aircraft; Modifications to Rules for Sport Pilots and Flight Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating"
• IndUS Aviation debuts a diesel-powered Thorpedo, the world's first Light Sport Aircraft to be powered by a diesel engine.
• Brazilian priest and amateur balloonist Rev. Adelir Antonio di Carli goes missing while attempting to set a new world record. His body is found in the Atlantic Ocen three months later
• EAA files a request to the FAA for regulatory exemptions that would allow the use of electric motors in ultralight and light-sport aircraft

May

• Two 27-year-old BASE jumpers are arrested after their nighttime jump from the roof of a building in Sydney coincided with the passing of a routine police patrol

• ANN Managing Editor Rob Finfrock (above) begins chronicling his adventures earning his sport pilot license (You may read his entire "Earning My Wings" series here )
• The NTSB concludes performer Jim LeRoy's failure to maintain ground clearance during maneuvers as the primary cause of his fatal July 28, 2007 crash at the Dayton Vectron Airshow. Restricted visibility from the smoke in the air from the performance was cited as a contributing factor.
• Rob Harrison, 66, is taken to a nearby hospital after his Zlin 50 impacts the ground near the end of his routine at Modesto Airport Appreciation Day. Harrison -- who performs under the nickname "Tumbling Bear" -- said he was "okay" as rescuers helped him from the stricken aircraft
• Randall Fishman takes flight in his electric-powered Moni motorglider

• In something of a Monty Python-esque ending to Michel Fournier's latest attempt to set three new world freefall records, the French skydiver's massive balloon decides to take flight on its own... somehow breaking free from its ties to the ground, and ascending into the sky without him.
• Gyroplane and rotor-wing developer Groen Brothers Aviation announces that following the delays in its Heliplane program for DARPA and current conditions in capital markets, it is undertaking cost-cutting measures -- including significant jobs cuts -- that it hopes will allow it to continue to develop its technology on a reduced scale

June

• The Aero Club of New England honors decades of accomplishments by Tom Peghiny (below), president of Flight Design USA who also chaired the ASTM Airplane Committee during its benchmark creation of industry consensus standards covering the majority of LSA now available for sale

• Bob Rockford of Overland, MO is selected as the 2008 recipient of the Experimental Aircraft Association's Tony Bingelis Award, recognizing his involvement as an active volunteer Technical Counselor and aircraft builder
• Authorities investigate why 29-year-old Sloan Carafello, an observer aboard an aircraft used as a skydiving platform, exited the airplane without a parachute and fell to his death.
• ICON Aircraft unveils its inaugural product, the ICON A5 amphibious light-sport aircraft, at a flashy private unveiling in Los Angeles
• The flying ends early on first day of an informal rotorcraft meet in Utah, when veteran helicopter pilot and airshow performer Dennis Kenyon crashes in a Schweitzer 269C. Kenyon suffered minor injuries, but the machine was destroyed (below)

• TL-Ultralight completes the first series of test flights of the high-wing TL-3000 Sirius in the Czech Republic
• To celebrate the return of the Red Bull Air Race World Series to London, then-current World Series leader Paul Bonhomme takes the controls of a 1940s Supermarine Spitfire in a race against a modern MX2 aerobatic plane piloted by Nigel Lamb. By virtue of its 100 knot top speed advantage, the vintage fighter wins

July

• A Florida doctor is the sole casualty in the takeoff crash of a homebuilt Lancair IV-P... the fourth fatal accident involving the popular single-engine aircraft type (shown below) in three months

• Flight Design debuts its new aluminum-skinned MC, aimed primarily at the training market
• Cessna unveils to the public the first production Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft, complete with a production interior, at AirVenture 2008
• As many as 5,000 eager spectators are on hand in AeroShell Square to witness the first public flight of the much-anticipated Martin Jetpack... which really wasn't, and managed to take flight for just a few seconds
• Garmin announces its new GMA 240 audio panel, a noncertified audio panel designed for experimental and light sport aircraft
• The upgraded Remos GX light sport aircraft makes its debut. Among the changes incorporated are a new wing, changes to the fuselage that allow a greatly expanded cargo area, a ground adjustable Sensenich propeller and night VFR certification, plus design features which enhance crew safety in the event of a mishap

• Investigators into a deadly skydiving accident over Georgia recover the victim's helmet-mounted camera, a find they hope will help them understand what went wrong
• Yuma, AZ homebuilder Bob Noll's RV-9A airplane is recognized as the honorary 30,000th US-registered homebuilt at a ceremony at AirVenture 2008

August

• Homebuilt and LSA 'glass cockpit' provider Dynon Avionics provides an early glimpse of its next generation glass-cockpit EFIS technology

• Accomplished aerobatic performance pilot and air show veteran Patty Wagstaff has an altercation with field security and Winnebago County sheriffs deputies at Oshkosh 2008, while attempting to drive back from the "Gathering of Eagles" dinner... on the grounds of Wittman Field
• Noting a number of seeming inconsistencies in the rule as it stands, in a two-part feature ANN contributor Dave Slossen asks, "Should the FAA revisit the definition of LSA?"
• Airgyro receives S-LSA certification for the Australian-sourced Outback 2
• A Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2A glider collides with an AB Sportine Aviacija Genesis 2 glider during a gliding competition near Bracketville, TX. Both pilots involved survive, but with injuries
• The famed Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome suffers a tragedy when a simulated dogfight, a part of a scheduled aerial performance for the NY area tourist mainstay, goes awry
• Three people, including the pilot of a Velocity 173RG, are killed when the experimental aircraft impacts a home in North Las Vegas, NV -- prompting cries from city officials to ban all flights of homebuilt aircraft from the metropolitan airport

• On the list of what NOT to do when flying an aircraft... we imagine "crashing after buzzing golfers, and kids playing soccer" is pretty close to the top
• BRS Parachutes chalks up its 214th save, when the pilot of an FK14 Polaris light aircraft reportedly loses aerodynamic control of his aircraft upon encountering severe weather near the city of Cologne, Germany

September

• With slightly more than a month remaining in an official public-comment period, EAA President Tom Poberezny encourages members and other concerned pilots to express their views to FAA policymakers in Washington regarding the agency’s interpretation and enforcement of the "51% Rule."
• Reno Air Race competitor Erica Simpson is killed when her Cassutt IIIM experiences structural failure during an evaluation flight
• In the wake of deadly back-to-back light airplane crashes into residences near North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) in Nevada, and subsequent comments from the county's aviation authority about banning operation of experimental aircraft there, a group of pilots comes together to form a public outreach effort
• The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team announces the addition of Bryan Regan as its newest member. Regan, former team lead of the Red Baron Pizza Squadron, will be stepping in to fill the role of interim team lead while Alan Henley, Team Founder and team lead recovers from a serious injury he sustained in late July

• Cessna's prototype Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft (above( crashes near Douglass, KS on what was described as a routine test flight. The pilot bails out safely after reportedly entering an unrecoverable flat spin at 11,000 feet.
• The NTSB rules GEICO SkyTypers pilot Jan Wildbergh withheld crucial medical information from the FAA when applying for renewal of his medical certificate, information that might have led to denial of his flying privileges ahead of his fatal September 2007 crash during a performance
• Police in Killeen, TX offer a crimestoppers reward for information on two unidentified white males who apparently stole a Quicksilver MX-II, then crashed it into some mailboxes and ran away
• Swiss airline pilot and part-time adventurer Yves Rossy parachutes to a safe landing in Dover, England after completing a roughly 10-minute flight across the English Channel using a jet-powered wing strapped to his back

• French pilot Stephane Rousson's attempt to pilot a human-powered airship across the English Channel comes to an end, when shifting winds make it impossible for him to complete the 34-mile journey

October

• Hoping to prove the timeless adage there's a sucker born every minute -- er, that there's a buyer for practically anything -- Moller International puts its M200X (below) up for sale on eBay. A high bid of $20,000 fails to meet the unlisted reserve price

• Balloonist Keith Sproul and passenger Stephen Lachendro fall from their "Wings of Wind" balloon after impacting power lines near the Enchanted Hills neighborhood of Rio Rancho, NM during the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Sproul is severely injured; Lachendro is pronounced dead at the scene
• Being born without arms doesn't keep Jessica Cox of Tucson, AZ from meeting the challenge of earning a Sport Pilot certificate. The Able Flight Scholarship winner passes her checkride after several months of training with instructor Parrish Traweek in his Ercoupe 415C

• LOBO -- the Lancair Owners and Builders Organization, a new support group representing Lancair aircraft enthusiasts -- is formed by a group of Lancair owners and builders to promote the brand, and to address challenges their community faces
• The Winnebago County Sheriff's Department adds a new charge against Patty Wagstaff -- a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer, in addition to a previous first-offense drunk driving charge stemming from the late-evening incident July 31 on the grounds at Wittman Regional Airport
• A new and novel safety feature first seen this year on planes costing as much as $600,000 trickles down to the light-sport aircraft segment, as SportAirUSA introduces the "Straight|Level" system on its Sting S3 LSA

November

• Zenair expresses 'surprise' after the Dutch Civil Aviation Authority grounds CH601 XL aircraft, following a fatal crash attributed to structural failure of the wing

• Cessna says it is on course to begin deliveries of the Model 162 SkyCatcher during the second half of 2009, despite the loss of its prototype aircraft two months before
• Glasair Aviation says its innovative "Two Weeks To Taxi" program has passed an FAA audit to determine compliance with the 51-percent rule
• The endurance record for a fuel-cell-powered aircraft of about nine hours, set by a California engineering company, is beaten by a team of college kids with a $2,500 cash budget and some donated fuel cells
• Skydivers and pilots who use parachutes now have an extra 60 days between mandatory repacks of their parachutes, under a revised regulation published by the Federal Aviation Administration
• Pilot Eric Scott rockets 1,500 feet across Colorado's Royal Gorge near Cañon City with a jet pack strapped to his back. He obviously had great confidence in the machine, since he flew without a parachute

December

• After breaking an astounding 30 World Records, Bruce Bohannon's Flyin' Tiger retires from service

• Aero-TV profiles Charles "Chuck" Aaron's HELI-AEROBATIC airshow act, then spends some quality time at the Lee Bottom Fly-In
• Eyewitnesses to the crash of a Forney F-1 Aircoupe near Sebring, FL say the plane suffered an in-flight break-up as it flew over a local country club, scattering debris over the course and nearby homes
• Patty Wagstaff says she's "focused on getting back to work for my fans" following the resolution of legal matters surrounding an incident during AirVenture 2008.  After pleading no contest to first-offense drunken driving and a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer -- for which she was forced to relinquish her driver's license -- sponsor Cirrus Design says it will stick by the accomplished air show pilot

FMI: www.aero-news.net