Just got off the horn with Mike Zidziunas, who's Mike Z Sport Aviation, Plant City, Florida, is a viable model of how a small LSA flight training operation can thrive.
Mike started ops in 2005 and during the busy seasons (any time it's not sweltering), has had as many as 9 students taking lessons in his Ikarus C42 trainer at one time. A dozen of his students have gone all the way through to get their Sport Pilot licenses.
In what he calls a bit of a "scoop", he told me that Plant City Airport, the FBO where Mike hangs his shingle, has seen the light.
Plant City, just five air minutes away from Lakeland Linder Regional, Florida’s host airport for the annual EAA Sun ‘n Fun Fly In, is a popular place for vendors such as Diamond and Cirrus to demo their planes. I've photographed many, many airplanes over the years out of Plant City, renting their Cessna's and capable pilots for my missions on behalf of P&P.
Anyway, next year (April, 2010), says Mike, Plant City is so eager to attract LSA attention, it is offering LSA distributors use of the airport for its flight demos during the show for free. All they ask is that the aircraft refuel there.
You heard it here first, folks.

The construction of aircraft fuselages evolved from the early wood truss structural arrangements to monocoque shell structures to the current semimonocoque shell structures.

Truss Structure
The main drawback of truss structure is its lack of a streamlined shape. In this construction method, lengths of tubing, called longerons, are welded in place to form a well-braced framework. Vertical and horizontal struts are welded to the longerons and give the structure a square or rectangular shape when viewed from the end. Additional struts are needed to resist stress that can come from any direction. Stringers and bulkheads, or formers, are added to shape the fuselage and support the covering.

As technology progressed, aircraft designers began to enclose the truss members to streamline the airplane and improve performance. This was originally accomplished with cloth fabric, which eventually gave way to lightweight metals such as aluminum. In some cases, the outside skin can support all or a major portion of the flight loads. Most modern aircraft use a form of this stressed skin structure known as monocoque or semimonocoque construction. [Figure 2-14]

Monocoque
Monocoque construction uses stressed skin to support almost all loads much like an aluminum beverage can. Although very strong, monocoque construction is not highly tolerant to deformation of the surface. For example, an aluminum beverage can supports considerable forces at the ends of the can, but if the side of the can is deformed slightly while supporting a load, it collapses easily.

Because most twisting and bending stresses are carried by the external skin rather than by an open framework, the need for internal bracing was eliminated or reduced, saving weight and maximizing space. One of the notable and innovative methods for using monocoque construction was employed by Jack Northrop. In 1918, he devised a new way to construct a monocoque fuselage used for the Lockheed S-1 Racer. The technique utilized two molded plywood half-shells that were glued together around wooden hoops or stringers. To construct the half shells, rather than gluing many strips of plywood over a form, three large sets of spruce strips were soaked with glue and laid in a semi-circular concrete mold that looked like a bathtub. Then, under a tightly clamped lid, a rubber balloon was inflated in the cavity to press the plywood against the mold. Twenty-four hours later, the smooth half-shell was ready to be joined to another to create the fuselage. The two halves were each less than a quarter inch thick. Although employed in the early aviation period, monocoque construction would not reemerge for several decades due to the complexities involved. Every day examples of monocoque construction can be found in automobile manufacturing where the unibody is considered standard in manufacturing.

Semimonocoque
Semimonocoque construction, partial or one-half, uses a substructure to which the airplane’s skin is attached. The substructure, which consists of bulkheads and/or formers of various sizes and stringers, reinforces the stressed skin by taking some of the bending stress from the fuselage. The main section of the fuselage also includes wing attachment points and a firewall. On single-engine airplanes, the engine is usually attached to the front of the fuselage. There is a fireproof partition between the rear of the engine and the flight deck or cabin to protect the pilot and passengers from accidental engine fires. This partition is called a firewall and is usually made of heat-resistant material such as stainless steel. However, a new emerging process of construction is the integration of composites or aircraft made entirely of composites.

Pumpkin time is coming early to the LSA ranks with two new ASTM-certified SLSA swelling
the already-well populated list (103 now!) of two-seat light sport aircraft. The new offerings span the price and performance range of the LSA spec.
The first (#102) is the Trident, put out by Ramphos. Dan Johnson reports in his blog that the company was hanging on by it's toenails after spending all its money to get the cert for the boat-hulled, amphibious LSA.
Then along came China, throwing lots of money, machines, engineers and builders around to help the Aussie-based company make big noise with several of its upcoming LSA designs.
Now get this: Ramphos has the right idea in these challenging times, with two versions (Rotax 582 or 912) coming in at $40K and $50K respectively!
Dan also reports that China is pushing sport aircraft hard by building airports and supporting manufacturers to grow their markets in Asia and abroad.

Next is the TL 3000 Sirius, a new SLSA distributed by SportAirUSA, which also carries the low-wing Sting S3 we just covered in dead-tree P&P.
Sirius is the number #103 ASTM-certified light sport and they've done a lovely job. Just a few features: carbon-composite construction, 48" wide cabin (almost a foot wider than a Cessna 172 - an airplane it bears more than a passing resemblance to), range of 800 miles, good 116-knot cruise to go with it and loaded with electronics and a Galaxy emergency 'chute to boot, priced at just under $131,000.
Things That Caught My Eye Dept: Twin yokes (the Cessna Factor), tush-pleasing contoured seats, that four-foot wide cabin!, electric flaps, lots of baggage room (something many top LSA are deficient in).
I also like the engine/cabin synergy: the Rotax 912 ULS (100 HP) and cabin design deliver a low 58 dbA noise rating. FYI, loud conversations such as a dyspeptic spousal unit come in at 50-65 dbA, while heavy traffic is 90.
The carbon fiber-reinforced cockpit cage has integral rollover protection, and fiberglass main gear should be up to the rigors of student ops.
Can't wait to get some time in these two exciting additions to the fleet (or flotilla).

---photos courtesy Ramphos and SportAirUSA

The subcomponents of an airplane include the airframe, electrical system, flight controls, and brakes.

The airframe is the basic structure of an aircraft and is designed to withstand all aerodynamic forces, as well as the stresses imposed by the weight of the fuel, crew, and payload.

The primary function of an aircraft electrical system is to generate, regulate, and distribute electrical power throughout the aircraft. There are several different power sources on aircraft to power the aircraft electrical systems. These power sources include: engine-driven alternating current (AC) generators, auxiliary power units (APUs), and external power. The aircraft’s electrical power system is used to operate the flight instruments, essential systems such as anti-icing, etc., and passenger services, such as cabin lighting.

The flight controls are the devices and systems which govern the attitude of an aircraft and, as a result, the flightpath followed by the aircraft. In the case of many conventional airplanes, the primary flight controls utilize hinged, trailing-edge surfaces called elevators for pitch, ailerons for roll, and the rudder for yaw. These surfaces are operated by the pilot in the flight deck or by an automatic pilot.

Airplane brakes consist of multiple pads (called caliper pads) that are hydraulically squeezed toward each other with a rotating disk (called a rotor) between them. The pads place pressure on the rotor which is turning with the wheels. As a result of the increased friction on the rotor, the wheels inherently slow down and stop turning. The disks and brake pads are made either from steel, like those in a car, or from a carbon material that weighs less and can absorb more energy. Because airplane brakes are used principally during landings and must absorb enormous amounts of energy, their life is measured in landings rather than miles.

Information can be obtained from the FAA by phone, Internet/e-mail, or mail. To talk to the FAA toll-free 24 hours a day, call 1-866-TELL-FAA (1-866-835-5322). To visit the FAA’s web site, go to www.faa.gov. Individuals can also e-mail an FAA representative at a local FSDO office by accessing the staff e-mail address available via the “Contact FAA” link at the bottom of the FAA home page. Letters can be sent to:


Federal Aviation Administration

800 Independence Ave, SW

Washington, DC 20591

Although airplanes are designed for a variety of purposes, most of them have the same major components. [Figure 2-4] The overall characteristics are largely determined by the original design objectives. Most airplane structures include a fuselage, wings, an empennage, landing gear, and a power plant.

Fuselage

The fuselage is the central body of an airplane and is designed to accommodate the crew, passengers, and cargo. It also provides the structural connection for the wings and tail assembly. Older types of aircraft design utilized an open truss structure constructed of wood, steel, or aluminum tubing. [Figure 2-5] The most popular types of fuselage structures used in today’s aircraft are the monocoque (French for “single shell”) and semimonocoque. These structure types are discussed in more detail under aircraft construction later in the chapter.

Wings
The wings are airfoils attached to each side of the fuselage and are the main lifting surfaces that support the airplane in flight. There are numerous wing designs, sizes, and shapes used by the various manufacturers. Each ful.lls a certain need with respect to the expected performance for the particular airplane. How the wing produces lift is explained in Chapter 4, Aerodynamics of Flight.

Wings may be attached at the top, middle, or lower portion of the fuselage. These designs are referred to as high-, mid-, and low-wing, respectively. The number of wings can also vary. Airplanes with a single set of wings are referred to as monoplanes, while those with two sets are called biplanes. [Figure 2-6]

Many high-wing airplanes have external braces, or wing struts, which transmit the flight and landing loads through the struts to the main fuselage structure. Since the wing struts are usually attached approximately halfway out on the wing, this type of wing structure is called semi-cantilever. A few high-wing and most low-wing airplanes have a full cantilever wing designed to carry the loads without external struts.

The principal structural parts of the wing are spars, ribs, and stringers. [Figure 2-7] These are reinforced by trusses, I-beams, tubing, or other devices, including the skin. The wing ribs determine the shape and thickness of the wing (airfoil). In most modern airplanes, the fuel tanks either are an integral part of the wing’s structure, or consist of .exible containers mounted inside of the wing.

Attached to the rear or trailing edges of the wings are two types of control surfaces referred to as ailerons and .aps. Ailerons extend from about the midpoint of each wing outward toward the tip, and move in opposite directions to create aerodynamic forces that cause the airplane to roll. Flaps extend outward from the fuselage to near the midpoint of each wing. The .aps are normally .ush with the wing’s surface during cruising flight. When extended, the .aps move simultaneously downward to increase the lifting force of the wing for takeoffs and landings. [Figure 2-8]

Alternate Types of Wings

With the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) recent addition of the LSA category, various methods are employed to control flight and to produce lift. These methods are discussed in Chapter 4, Aerodynamics of Flight, which provides information on the effect controls have on lifting surfaces from traditional wings to wings that use both flexing (due to billowing) and shifting (through the change of the aircraft’s CG). Handbooks specific to each category of LSA are available for the interested pilot. LSA illustrate various lifting surfaces and control methods. For example, the wing control aircraft is highly swept, and the to provide controlled flight. [Figure 2-9]

Includes the entire tail group and consists of as the vertical stabilizer and the horizontal movable surfaces include the rudder, the or more trim tabs. [Figure 2-10]

The rudder is attached to the back of the vertical stabilizer. During flight, it is used to move the airplane’s nose left and right. The elevator, which is attached to the back of the horizontal stabilizer, is used to move the nose of the airplane up and down during flight. Trim tabs are small, movable portions of the trailing edge of the control surface. These movable trim tabs, which are controlled from the flight deck, reduce control pressures. Trim tabs may be installed on the ailerons, the rudder, and/or the elevator.

A second type of empennage design does not require an elevator. Instead, it incorporates a one-piece horizontal stabilizer that pivots from a central hinge point. This type of the weight-shift shifting of weight Empennage The empennage fixed surfaces such stabilizer. The elevator, and one design is called a stabilator, and is moved using the control wheel, just as the elevator is moved. For example, when a pilot pulls back on the control wheel, the stabilator pivots so the trailing edge moves up. This increases the aerodynamic tail load and causes the nose of the airplane to move up. Stabilators have an antiservo tab extending across their trailing edge. [Figure 2-11]

The antiservo tab moves in the same direction as the trailing edge of the stabilator and helps make the stabilator less sensitive. The antiservo tab also functions as a trim tab to relieve control pressures and helps maintain the stabilator in the desired position.

Landing Gear

The landing gear is the principal support of the airplane when parked, taxiing, taking off, or landing. The most common type of landing gear consists of wheels, but airplanes can also be equipped with .oats for water operations, or skis for landing on snow. [Figure 2-12]

The landing gear consists of three wheels—two main wheels and a third wheel positioned either at the front or rear of the airplane. Landing gear with a rear mounted wheel is called conventional landing gear.

Airplanes with conventional landing gear are sometimes referred to as tailwheel airplanes. When the third wheel is located on the nose, it is called a nosewheel, and the design is referred to as a tricycle gear. A steerable nosewheel or tailwheel permits the airplane to be controlled throughout all operations while on the ground. Most aircraft are steered by moving the rudder pedals, whether nosewheel or tailwheel. Additionally, some aircraft are steered by differential braking.

The Powerplant

The powerplant usually includes both the engine and the propeller. The primary function of the engine is to provide the power to turn the propeller. It also generates electrical power, provides a vacuum source for some flight instruments, and in most single-engine airplanes, provides a source of heat for the pilot and passengers. [Figure 2-13] The engine is covered by a cowling, or a nacelle, which are both types of covered housings. The purpose of the cowling or nacelle is to streamline the flow of air around the engine and to help cool the engine by ducting air around the cylinders.

The propeller, mounted on the front of the engine, translates the rotating force of the engine into thrust, a forward acting force that helps move the airplane through the air. The propeller may also be mounted on the rear of the engine as in a pusher-type aircraft. A propeller is a rotating airfoil that produces thrust through aerodynamic action. A low pressure area is formed at the back of the propeller’s airfoil, and high pressure is produced at the face of the propeller, similar to the way lift is generated by an airfoil used as a lifting surface or wing. This pressure differential pulls air through the propeller, which in turn pulls the airplane forward.

There are two significant factors involved in the design of a propeller which impact its effectiveness. The angle of a propeller blade, as measured against the hub of the propeller, keeps the angle of attack relatively constant along the span of the propeller blade, reducing or eliminating the possibility of a stall. The pitch is de.ned as the distance a propeller would travel in one revolution if it were turning in a solid. These two factors combine to allow a measurement of the propeller’s efficiency. Propellers are usually matched to a specific aircraft/powerplant combination to achieve the best efficiency at a particular power setting, and they pull or push depending on how the engine is mounted.

End of strike near?

UPDATED at 21.00

Despite the cancelation of all of Jat Airways’ flights tonight, there is still hope that the strike will end in the late evening hours. The government is still, at this moment, talking to both Jat Tehnika and Jat Airways about a possible end to the dispute. Jat Airways says that Jat Tehnika will inccure the biggest loss from this industrial action. The airline says that Jat Tehnika will be obliged to pay up all losses that Jat has incurred due to the strike and said that if Jat Tehnika has no aircraft to service from Jat Airways, the company will go bankrupt.

Jat Tehnika has continued its strike grounding Jat’s entire fleet and leaving thousands of passengers angry and without flights. Jat Airways has done all it can to secure seats on other airlines for the grounded passengers and has also offered hotel accommodation to those passengers that have been delayed by more than 24 hours. Jat’s CEO Srđan Radovanović claims that in the past 48 hours the airline has lost 500.000 Euros and has labelled the behaviour of the technician’s trade union as selfish. Still, a breakthrough is expected to occur on Thursday evening when the government will discuss the current dispute between the two companies. It is speculated that flights could begin on Friday morning and that the airline would normalise its schedule during the weekend. The Serbian government has said that the dispute will be solved by the end of the week. Yesterday the only Jat flights that took off from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport were those to Moscow, Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Airbus, with impeccable timing, decided to drop in for a chat with Jat’s CEO. It is believed that alarm bells have gone off at Airbus after Boeing’s recent visit to Serbia. Heading the Airbus delegation is Gregory Desois, Airbus’s sale manager for Eastern Europe and Monique Brepson, EADS vice president. These high ranking officials have come to discuss the airline’s 1998 order for 8 aircraft. The order, which cannot be cancelled, is extremely damaging for Jat. At the time the order was made Jat could not order aircraft from the United Sates (namely from Boeing) due to sanctions. Thus, Airbus decided to significantly inflate its price knowing that Jat had no choice. Jat is hoping it can exchange the order for 8 ATR72-600 aircraft. The two Airbus representatives told Jat’s CEO that they know all about striking technicians, pointing towards their own recent troubles with aircraft engineers in Toulouse.

Updates regarding the strike throughout the day.