Welcome to AviationBull, and thanks for stopping by. We designed this site to be a place where folks can discuss current events in aviation, so please feel free to look around and drop a couple of comments on the articles we've written. Make sure to stop by our projects page and our popular LSA comparison page to see what we've got cooking there. We're always looking for feedback to make the site better as well, so if you've got suggestions for a story, or just want to say hi you can send us a note here. Thanks for reading AviationBull, where pilots go to shoot the bull...
Who is the Light Sport Target Audience?
Ted — Mon, 02/11/2008 - 12:19
In our recent effort to categorize as many of the light sport aircraft (LSA) offerings as possible, we've been astounded by the shear number of choices out there. Upwards of 50 different types of LSA are entering the market now, prompting the question; who's going to buy them?
The two big dogs on the block are Cessna and Cirrus, both of whom are taking orders already. Cessna alone has already grabbed 800 or so pre-production orders. This would seem to establish the demand for the aircraft, but who's demanding them? They're definitely appealing as a training platform, less expensive now than a new Cessna 172, and less expensive to operate than their heavier brethren.
So what is the profile of the average LSA shopper? The way I figure it you've got about three categories.
1: The newly minted LSA pilot, eager to either build time towards more advanced tickets or happy simply boring holes in the sky during the daytime.
2: The private/instrument/commerical/ATP rated crowd looking for a new production quality airplane for less.
3: The Medically jaded, these folks are tired of the paperwork involved with special issuance etc. etc. and choose to fall into a light sport ticket.
Of the three groups, the most buying power lies with #2. Probably the largest and most spendy group, in order to win this business you're got to beat out proven used aircraft coming in a half the price of a new LSA. Group #1 would be great, but who's going to stop at the light sport license when you get more freedom/responsibility/speed when you move up in the ratings. Finally #3, these are going to be the loyal fan base because it's either this or stop flying...
LSA's represent a return to affordable aviation, even if that "afford ability" is only a slight drop below $100k. With any luck they'll be the shot in the arm general aviation needs to get more pilots in the door. Oh ya... please feel free to let us know what category you fall into, we'd appreciate the feedback.
- 261 reads
-
One more group
Jason — Mon, 02/11/2008 - 18:49I'm going to add a group 4 to this:
4. Flight training organizations and aero clubs/rental agencies.
A little known, but very important fact of the sport pilot rule [61.303(a)(1)(ii)] is that as long as the LSA is equipped for it, a properly licensed pilot can fly it at night and/or in IFR conditions. So a student pilot could learn to fly in an LSA, and progress all the way through his or her private and instrument ratings without needing anything more expensive to own or operate than an LSA. A person in group #2 could be the one renting from a place like this.
University of North Dakota's base training aircraft is the Piper Warrior that starts around $200,000 new. (Add $40K for a glass cockpit.) Embry Riddle's fleet starts at the Cessna Skyhawk for around $234,000. Imagine how much cheaper it would make flight training if places like these (or smaller training operations) could buy two LSAs for the price of one of their current aircraft. The LSAs perform well and meet all requirements without needing the expense of buying a 4-place aircraft to use as a 2-place trainer. Plus, they use half the gas and the engines are cheaper to overhaul. Win-win.
The only factory equipped LSA certified for IFR flight that I know of is the Zodiac CH601 XLi, though many other LSAs on the market would be acceptable for training a private pilot short of an instrument rating. I'm hoping some other companies will catch on and offer an IFR-equipped trainer version as cheap as the XLi.
Post new comment