Chip Erwin is one of many who are trying to find less expensive ways for people to experience personal aviation. His company, Aeromarine LSA, fields a range of small aircraft, but he has taken a turn toward the lighter end of the market with his latest offerings. We wrote last month about his dinner presentation at the ninth annual Electric Aircraft Symposium and this month he’s followed up on several of the craft he discussed that night. His web site explains the different rules and regulations that govern small aircraft. Many rules are not yet established (electric motors in U. S. light sport aircraft, for instance). The second segment of the “About Us” section of Aeromarine’s web site describes each of four different sets of regulations – a collection that must stress aircraft designers working on small, light aircraft. Four major rules guide how ultralight aircraft may be flown. FAR Part 103, the guiding light for ultralight designers and pilots …
EAS IX: Chip Erwin Gets Personal with Electric Flying
Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), alas, haven’t lived up to their early hype, 100 manufacturers selling only 235 units in the United States last year. That bothers Chip Erwin, who would like a Personal Sport Aircraft (PSA) option. He’s working through his company, Aeromarine LSA, to do something about that. Chip explains that high prices for LSAs, brought on by doubling Rotax prices over the last decade and quadrupling of once cheap European labor rates, has put what were to be $50,000 airplanes into the $150,000 price range, barely able to compete with used Cessnas and Pipers. Having demonstrated two-stroke engines and an Electravia motor on his imported Zigolo ultralight glider, he has displayed an alternative motor designed by Don Lineback, first at last year’s AirVenture as a mockup, then as an operating prototype at the ninth Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium in May. Now he’s displaying it at AirVenture 2015, complete with an e-Prop four-blade, asymmetric propeller reputed to cut noise. …