Update-2n Annual Rocky Mtn LSA Expo

murphey

murphey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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murphey
Less than 2 weeks and so far, none of those in charge (and I use that term very loosely) are experiencing panic attacks, anxiety issues, or banging their heads on the wall trying to figure out why, just why, we agreed to do this again.

LSAs on display (or the company if I don't know specific aircraft):
Cessna Skycatcher
Gobosh/AT-4
PiperSport/Czech Sportcruiser
Pipistrel Virus & Sinus
Flights, Inc
TECNAM
Rans
World Aircraft Co
Back Country Aviation
Clark Aviation
AeroAT
NIU Group AD

And we're still getting requests for info/registrations

Of course it's also a flyin with pancake breakfast and lunch by the Flight Deck Grill, and all sorts of booths with interesting stuff. Hourly drawings of goodies including Intro flights, discount coupons at local businesses, Jeppesen has contributed a complete Sport Pilot training set, gift certificates, tshirts, hats, and so on.

And every day, praying for VFR weather...
 
I'm quadruple-booked on the 19th with a mandatory family event (VFW/USO show that mom directs -- since the 19th is Armed Forces Day -- and she's talking like she's stepping down from that after this one to take a break for a while) and am chatting with Jesse about a return trip to NE the following week, if we can work that out -- which would mean getting my butt moving that direction on the 20th, weather permitting.

And then we got the oldest nephew's graduation announcement in the mail today and it's... the 19th.

I also have an old friend who wants to get a couple of teenage lads up flying as a thank you for a bunch of work they've done in one of his organizations and he keeps pressing for the 19th. I think he's going to have to move that back. I'd love to help him out, but not on that specific day.

Everyone around here booked EVERYTHING on the 19th! Oh well. Priorities. Sorry Murph, LSA expo is going to lose out to multiple family commitments. The only good news is that with the VFW/USO thing being up in GXY, we just may have to use the 182 to shorten up that travel time between South DEN and there. Family is getting used to picking us up over at GXY. ;)
 
denverpilot said:
Everyone around here booked EVERYTHING on the 19th! Oh well. Priorities. Sorry Murph, LSA expo is going to lose out to multiple family commitments. The only good news is that with the VFW/USO thing being up in GXY, we just may have to use the 182 to shorten up that travel time between South DEN and there. Family is getting used to picking us up over at GXY. ;)
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Be warned --- EAA 1117 is flying Young Eagles out of GXY on the 19th, (in honor of Armed Forces Day), and EAA 43 has it's scheduled Young Eagles at Erie that day, too.
 
murphey said:
Be warned --- EAA 1117 is flying Young Eagles out of GXY on the 19th, (in honor of Armed Forces Day), and EAA 43 has it's scheduled Young Eagles at Erie that day, too.
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Thanks for the heads-up.
 
murphey said:
LSAs on display (or the company if I don't know specific aircraft):
Cessna Skycatcher
Gobosh/AT-4
PiperSport/Czech Sportcruiser
Pipistrel Virus & Sinus
Flights, Inc
TECNAM
Rans
World Aircraft Co
Back Country Aviation
Clark Aviation
AeroAT
NIU Group AD
Click to expand...

By the way, last year we had sanctioned displays by owners, e.g. Eric brought his Jabiru and let me sit in it. There was also a GX from a local fight schol. This year, I'm bringing N28GX, and will answer questions stricly unofficially, as a renter. Try not to sit in it in dirty pants, least the owner rips me a new one, and no chin-ups on the pitot tube, please. Also, I will not demonstrate wing-folding.

Notable misses are:

1. The Cub guy (American Legends) - personally I do not grieve about it, because I decided not to buy one after examining it. The quality is great, but boy, what an awkward airplane to sit in. I wonder if too many visitors came to the same conclusion :)

2. Jim Lee and Phoenix - last year I missed a chance to sit in Phoenix, and I came to regret it. Hoped for this year, but alas.

3. Sky Arrow - man I want to check that one out, and it's on my actual list to buy (although I think I'll go used)

4. Aerotrek A-240. That one is borderline for me, since even used ones are a bit expensive, and old ones are noticeably worse (nothing against Kitfox/Eurofox, they are fine airplanes, I am just saying relatively to improvements in A-240). Still, I may just be persuaded to bite into my nest egg for it if it's good enough...

Notable additions (to me personally, of course):

1. C-162 - there's so much talk about it, I want to see it, although most likely I'm not buying one. It's a high-wing, and a hideously expensive one at that. I'm curious though.

2. Virus - obvious, the gigantic hype machine

3. WAC - I was a bit pieved that they killed Savanna, but on second thought their new airplane is supposed be every bit as good for backcountry work, even if it does not look like a classic, ugly, mean STOL machine. If they do demos, it would be great, even looking from outside. The numbers they advertise are enough to take off from the pancake area across the parking at FTG.
 
I'm surprised Vans isn't bringing the RV12.
 
There's only so much any company is willing to spend ot sending demo planes to shows. Perhaps the RMLSA Expo just does not yet have the cachet of Sebring for Van. It's possible that Jim and Dave are skipping this year because they caught no sales at the 2011 Expo.
 
zaitcev said:
There's only so much any company is willing to spend ot sending demo planes to shows. Perhaps the RMLSA Expo just does not yet have the cachet of Sebring for Van. It's possible that Jim and Dave are skipping this year because they caught no sales at the 2011 Expo.
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Van's is so big that they can pick & choose where they want to go. Pretty much like Rotax. We tried for months to convince Rotax to come out to Colorado and conduct one of their owner-engine-training courses. Nope.

We do have an RV-12 just waiting for the owner to decide which engine to install. He might be willing to tow it over for people to gawk.

As for the Jabiru - yup, Eric said he'd fly over but not sure which day.
 
Looks like La Veta AWOS is dead again. Was it KVTS?
 
zaitcev said:
Looks like La Veta AWOS is dead again. Was it KVTS?
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La Veta tells lies half the time anyway...for a scenic route take Mosca and west of Pikes Peak (if'n ya haven't already). Rough country but a little smoother than the ever present bumps north of COS.
 
zaitcev said:
Looks like La Veta AWOS is dead again. Was it KVTS?
Click to expand...

KVTP

But it's on a tower, not easily accessible (by foot only) and can only be repaired in VFR & warm weather.
 
Clark1961 said:
La Veta tells lies half the time anyway...for a scenic route take Mosca and west of Pikes Peak (if'n ya haven't already).
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I was thinking about Mosca too, but not sure what it's like. Nick has flown La Veta at least. It also has a road webcam. Also, La Veta makes it easier to bypass the low MOA.
 
zaitcev said:
I was thinking about Mosca too, but not sure what it's like. Nick has flown La Veta at least. It also has a road webcam. Also, La Veta makes it easier to bypass the low MOA.
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I've only gone over Mosca southbound and really liked the views. If it's clear and good vis it's a good option compared to La Veta. The winds can vary a lot in that portion of the hills so maybe keep it in mind if La Veta looks dodgy. I say maybe because I certainly haven't figured out what conditions make one route okay while one 10 miles away is rough. That part of the hills is a little squirrelly.
 
zaitcev said:
I was thinking about Mosca too, but not sure what it's like. Nick has flown La Veta at least. It also has a road webcam. Also, La Veta makes it easier to bypass the low MOA.
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I usually fly all the way up the San Louis Valley and cross either Hayden or Poncha Pass then northeast across South Park and down the South Platte.
I've used Mosca if the northerly route is shutdown, just shoot for the sand dunes.

The flight up either side of the Sangre de Cristos is one of the best in Colorado, IMHO.
 
ejensen said:
The flight up either side of the Sangre de Cristos is one of the best in Colorado, IMHO.
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+1.

I also like looking over the expanse of the Northern valleys and Grandby after popping over Corona/Moffat.

Gunnison is also nice.

And TEX.

Aww heck, I guess I just like it all. ;)
 
This is, in my opinion, was the most impressive airplane on the show: a Tecnam 2002 Sierra. It has a decent steam gauge instrumentation and generally is a real airplane, just small. Excellent quality, 2 alternators. You can easily go IFR in it, if you fly on a Private ticket.

20120518_lsa_expo7.poa.jpg


I looked it up later. The thing cruises at 116 kts, Vne 128 kts - about the same as any other competitive LSA, but dirty stall is only 26 kts, and 22 kts demonstrated crosswind. Decent weights, in particular at the exhibited example (Tecnam designs tend to gain weight over time - P2010 is way heavier than Eaglet).

The downside is the price. This is an old demo with 700 hours or so, and they are selling it for $99k. Excuse me, what? I could buy an almost brand new Evector from a guy whose flight school collapsed a year ago, 225 hours for $72k.
 
I managed to make it this afternoon. The weather was much more favorable today. I had a good time seeing Eric and his Jabiru, and Murphey. I decided that my favorite LSA is the Carbon Cub...
 
The Cub was great, but I examined one last year and figured that it's not an airplane for me. I would hate to fly it from the back.
 
That Sierra looks pretty nice. Is that a camera angle thing or is that step in front of the wing?
 
You got it right, it's boarded over the leading edge. The no-slip strips do not even go near the flaps.
 
Yea, the Sierra does look nice, too bad it's too rich for my blood.
 
Everskyward said:
I managed to make it this afternoon. The weather was much more favorable today. I had a good time seeing Eric and his Jabiru, and Murphey. I decided that my favorite LSA is the Carbon Cub...
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The cub seemed like a really nice airplane. Those tundra tire made getting in and out interesting!
 
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