Retractable Gear, Adjustable Prop, Lightweight Sporter

It's no secret that the market for sport aircraft is competitive, even busy, when the full spectrum of aircraft is considered throughout the world. The sum of hundreds of manufacturers worldwide, vying for the most diverse pilot groups in all of aerospace, trying to one-up each other while meeting varied worldwide requirements for size and weight. The cap on certain dimensions for ultralights, light sports, or similar classifications have resulted in a developmental arms race, with each brand striving to improve their products while maximizing market compatibility of their aircraft. Sport aircraft have become the one of the last bastions of enthusiasts, an endangered species of affordable, enj

World Record Made to Promote French Muscular Dystrophy Telethon

French balloonist Remi Ouvrard made his mark on hot air balloon history, when he rode standing atop a balloon envelope to a new record altitude. Launched from Chatellerault, France, Ouvrard made the feat to promote the 35th AFM Téléthon for the French Muscular Dystrophy Association. The target altitude, 3,637 meters, coincided with the Telethon campaign number, but the lift reached a maximum of 4,016 meters (13,176 feet) at its height. Dressed in a spacesuit costume, tethered to a small platform where he was equipped with a small, folding camp chair, he held up the telethon phone number for the photo op.