Friend/CFI is flying to Florida to check out some Flight Design LSA models...

[Hobobiker]

After selling his Dakota, an "SUV Airplane" as he called it, he's flying down to Florida this weekend to check out some of the Flight Design LSA models. I'm hoping my 265-lb frame can sit next to him without a W&B issue - and I've asked him to put me on the list of potential co-pilots for when he flies it back to PA from FL.

The models on the website look VERY cool. Anyone here have experience, good or bad, that I can share with him?

Thanks!

 

[frfly172]

Have a few hours in the CTs,nice aircraft,my friend who weighs in at 250+ fits without a problem. Like the CTs ,go over to the CT flyers forum,more than enough info there.

 

[Hobobiker]

Have a few hours in the CTs,nice aircraft,my friend who weighs in at 250+ fits without a problem. Like the CTs ,go over to the CT flyers forum,more than enough info there.

Thanks Ron! I txted him the address of the CT Fliers Forum...

 

[Florida Cracker]

I love LSA's but find CT is a little tight if you've got two grown men sitting side by side. Of course a 150 was tight, as was a 152, and then the 172, so I always take that with a grain of salt.

The JUST LSA is amazing and your friend needs to see it, while at Sebring. The owner has a hangar on an slope from the taxiway and I've people say they've seen him land on the up slope and stop in about 70 feet.

 

[EminiTrader]

Hobo - I took a flight in a CTLS-i about a year or so ago. I'm a big guy -about 220 and the guy I was with was about the same. It was hot outside and that little plane did a great job!! It's a great plane. Probably one of the best LSA planes available I think.

 

[zaitcev]

I have 1.1 in CTLS and about 50 hours in GX. GX is sweeter flying, but CT beats it in every practical respect. IMHO, CTLS is the best among the plastic-fantastic egg-shaped LSAs (such as GX, Fk9, BOT, etc.). I think I like CT better than Tecnam P92 even. I appreciate the space for my knees under the "mushroom" and the narrow window frames that help the visibility tremendously.

I weigh 230 lbs. The CTLS has a maximum pilot mass per seat of 260 lbs (118 kg). The "my 265-lb frame" exceeds that limit and cannot be carried, even solo. That is for N505MA though. Check with the specific airplane's POH. Flight Design were making revisions to the airframe over the years.

P.S. Fk9 has a limit of 240 lbs per seat. This is not unusual for German LSAs.

P.P.S. I know a couple of guys who downsized into plastic. One had a Cirrus. For a former Dakota driver, I would recommend giving a good look at Van's RV-12. It leads the "all-aluminum low-wing" category in the same way CTLS leads "sperm-shaped high-wing" category of LSAs.