There are now 100 different models of LSAs out on the market and the
quality of plane and customer service varies widely with them. I run a
large LSA flight school and we are a dealer for Tecnam aircraft. From a
flight school stand point, here are a few points to look into when
selecting a plane:
1. Useful load - only a few models have enough useful load for two
mature men and fuel. All of those have a Rotax engine so you'll want to
learn about these and send your A&P to Rotax school. Never trust the
published numbers when shopping. Many LSA manufacturers seriously
exaggerate their numbers. Always ask an owner what the actual useful
load is.
2. Composites vs. metal - While attractive, composites are a super pain
to get fixed. Doubly so when the A&P doing the work has to learn the
LSA fix-it rules and work with a company rep who is in a time zone on
the other side of the world. Also super expensive to fix with major
down time. Been there, done that, not fun.
3. Handling varies widely between models. Some LSAs handle like a very
light plane getting blown around in the wind. Some have some ugly stall
characteristics. I can vouch for the Tecnam P92 as not having any of
these issues and being a very gentle trainer. I have not been as
impressed with any of the other LSA land planes. (I did really like the
SeaRey.)
4. Factory support - The good news is that the FSDO is no longer in
your life for the most part when dealing with an SLSA. The bad news is
that the manufacturer of the plane controls every aspect of what you do
mx wise on your SLSA right down to deciding what brand of tires you can
use. It is IMPERATIVE that you work with a company with good US
support. Tecnam has provided that for us, allowing us to make repairs
and modifications with domestic parts and quickly shipping us any Tecnam
specific parts we need. Another company we deal with won't even let us
upgrade the brand of tires, makes us buy their parts at exorbitant
prices ($12 for a rubber washer), and then takes their good sweet time
sending them to us. Not a good recipe for a flight school.
5. ADs - SLSAs don't have ADs issued by the FAA but mandatory service
bulletins issued by the factory. Tecnam is really good about getting
these out to their customers in a timely fashion along with a factory
approved fix. Another company we used to deal with simply stuck their
head in the sand when problems arose. We had one instance when a
friction lock fell apart (a number of owners were having the same
problem) and not only did they not put out a SB or send us a fix but
they recommended that we repair it with tape!
6. Safety record - A search of the NTSB database will give you a good
idea of accident issues associated with different models of LSAs and
their survivability. In general you'll find a lot of LSA landing
accidents typically from older pilots who have transitioned over to LSAs
and underestimated the skill level required to fly them, especially in
crosswinds. (Not hard but you can't have flat feet.) Tecnam does not
have any US fatalities since all Tecnams are built with a steel roll
cage. Unfortunately that can't be said about other models.
Hope this heps.
Helen
chuck72360 wrote:
> We've been in the more traditional aircraft business and not very familiar with the LSA rules and trends.
>
> Thinking about buying a training LSA plane. What are the group's thoughts regarding a quality, reasonably priced, proven vehicle to expand our LSA presence.
>
> I am in a fairly remote area in northern Michigan with many former pilots. I think with the proper education I can train/retrain pilots and possibly sell them their training airplane and repeat the process.
>
> I am interested in the groups thoughts and experiences.
>
> Chuck
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
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