Exploring Low(er) Cost LSA Options

by ANN Correspondent Scott Wagner

Since the inception of the Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft regulations, we've been promised that they would lower the cost of learning to fly. Integral to lowering the cost is for manufacturers to offer lower prices on their aircraft, so a larger segment of the population can afford to buy and maintain an airplane.

While we have seen some improvement in this area -- and certainly LSAs are cheaper than their larger, certified cousins -- many feel the price tag on a new, ASTM certified Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) is still beyond their reach. So far, demand for S-LSA has far exceeded supply, and many manufacturers have significant backlogs in their order books.

Fact is, as long as it remains a sellers market, manufacturers can, and will charge a premium for their product.

There is hope, especially for those who aren't afraid to dig in and get their hands dirty. Dozens of Experimental-Amateur Built aircraft designs fit the LSA mold perfectly. Homebuilts, as they are often called, are available in several forms. Many are available as a kit, where the manufacturer does some degree of work prior to shipping to the builder.

For the truly industrious builder, many planes can be built purely from plans and raw materials. This is often the most economical road to aircraft ownership, but is also the most labor, time and skill intensive. Often, kits and ready to use parts are available from plans providers, especially for difficult to build parts.

At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, I decided to investigate some of the lower priced ways to get into the sky. Powered Parachutes and Trikes can regularly be found for under $10,000, especially on the used market, so I wanted to focus on fixed-wing LSA. I stopped by the LSA Mall to see what I could find.

On the Experimental side, I checked out the Double Eagle and the Pietenpol. Both feature traditional tube and rag construction, with conventional controls and open cockpits. They differ in their cockpit layout and powerplant options.

The Double Eagle (shown above) was originally designed as a two seat, side-by-side trainer for its single seat ultralight predecessor, the Legal Eagle. The Double Eagle represents one of the most affordable and simplest aircraft on the market. The prototype was built for $5,000, and designer L.E. Milholland believes that most builders will be have a complete airplane for under $7,000.

Laser cut metal fittings and welded fuselages are available for the airplane. Even if a builder takes advantage of every pre-fabricated part available, including the engine, the finished product should fly for around $12,500. To date, around 250 sets of plans have been sold, and several are flying.

The model has an active Yahoo group devoted to construction and flying the budget bird. With an empty weight of just under 400 pounds, and a gross of 900, the Double Eagle has a generous payload. "Basically, if any two people will fit into the airplane, it will fly." said Milholland.

The Pietenpol is another aircraft that attracts the thrifty. Hundreds, if not thousands Air Campers -- as the aircraft is less commonly known -- are flying around the world. That's not surprising, given The Piet's almost 80 year history.

With its open cockpit, tandem seating arrangement and parasol wing, one can easily daydream that you are an Airmail pilot, flying the line in a WACO, Fleet or Jenny. The Pietenpol is a purely plans-built aircraft, in that there are no kits available. There is some availability of components from individual providers, but the Pietenpol (shown above and below) is essentially a build-it-yourself project.

Currently, there are several providers of plans, including designer Bernie Pietenpol's son and grandson. You can locate information on any of the providers through a quick search online. Pietenpols have been build for as little as $3500, although they relied heavily on scrounged materials. A better estimate would be in the $10-12,000 range, and about 1000 hours of construction time.

Moving on to the S-LSA department, we discovered the M-Squared Breese 2 (shown below). Originally designed by Paul Mather as an ultralight trainer, the Breese 2 is expected to receive its ASTM certification as an S-LSA within the next 30 days. First delivery will occur immediately, as the company has supplies on hand for several airframes. It will take approximately a week to prepare each individual airplane for delivery. Each is test flown by the designer, and company instructors provide up to five hours of transition training to get the buyer properly checked out in the airplane. "Paul knows his product best, so he's the best person to test fly the plane and determine that its safe", said M-Squared dealer and ultralight flight instructor Sharon Westcott.

With a pricetag of $32,995, the Breese 2 comes complete with a BRS airframe parachute, ELT, digital engine monitoring instruments, and analog airspeed, altimeter, VSI, and compass. While the Breese 2 will not be certified for night flight, it does have dual landings lights for collision avoidance purposes.

How do they keep the price down? Simplicity of design, a simple structure, and use of the less costly Rotax 582 versus the 912, Jabiru or Continental O-200. Other cost savings come from the custom made Dacron sleeve used to cover the wing, which is designed for easy installation, and eliminates hours of labor normally associated with a rag wing.

One interesting design point of the Breese 2 is its removable fiberglass pod. The entire three-piece pod can be removed, by the owner, and still flown as an S-LSA. All together, there are about 250 M-Squared aircraft flying, spread out amongst the single seat Breese, the two-seat ultralight trainer Breese 2, which is the exact same aircraft soon to be certified as an S-LSA.

Flying will probably never be an inexpensive hobby, that much we know. These options, as well as any number of other choices are a good indication that costs can be reduced, through creativity, hard work and determination.

FMI: www.sportpilot.org, www.doubleeagleairplane.com