The Lazarus Machine

Back finally from 12 days at Oshkosh and the DC-3 fly-in that preceded it, I'm cranking out images and stories gathered there but couldn't wait to get this one to you.

Below is a condensation of my column that will run in the November issue.  It involves an airplane that caught everybody's eye when it debuted a few years back, but languished from lack of development and promotion and seemed on its way to obscurity.
It was called the Phantom then, when T&T Aviation brought it to America from its native Hungary.

Cruising into the big Lycoming display at Oshkosh in search of the new 115 hp, IO-233-LSA, I was once again gobsmacked by the low-riding, beautiful Falcon LS -- the name T&T certified it under back in 2008 -- as number 82 on the current list of 109.
In the interim, Renegade Light Sport and its principal go-to guy Chris “Doc” Bailey have just bought out T&T’s interest in the LSA.  For various reasons T&T decided they couldn't fully run with the project.
Meanwhile, Doc has some big, big plans. 
Here are the highlights:
<> The supersexy Falcon LS resembles a Red Bull race plane for a good reason: its makers, Corvus Aircraft of Hungary, also build the Racer 540 that crack pilot Peter Bensenyei flies in Red Bull Air Races.
<> 15,000 hour professional pilot Doc Bailey has already ordered the first 100 Lycoming IO-233 engines and plans to put them in Falcons...and sell the first 100 for $115,000!
<> Why is that news? Every one of those Falcons will be delivered with Grand Rapids synthetic vision EFIS...with built in GPS...and built-in autopilot.  That makes the price considerably more attractive.  Can you say “loss leader?”
<> Doc plans to build the airplane entirely in Kansas City, making it an all-American product.
<> The airplane is all-composite construction, with kevlar, carbon fiber and e-glass components.
<>“We hope to give a boost to the market,” Doc says with infectious enthusiasm.  If he can pull this off, it sure won’t hurt!
<> He plans to have that first 100 Falcons out and flying “within two years – and every airplane will have the IO-233 - with fuel injection.”

<> New owners will be given checkout transition training for free...as much as they need and want.
Stay tuned...once they’ve flown off the hours, I hope to fly the airplane at the Midwest LSA Expo next month.
Meanwhile, it’s great to see the Falcon LS back in the news...it is an exciting, gorgeous LSA with a conventional American powerplant that should push a lot of LSA buyers who’ve been waiting right off the fence and into LSA ownership...because that terrific price won’t hold forever.