DavePilot

Peter i understand. the answer, like any aviation question is “It Depends…” Does a potential buyer have a great bargain deal pending on an extraordinarily well maintained older SportCruiser ? Does the SportCruiser fit the potential owner’s MISSION for the aircraft ? Is the potential owner (or their Mechanic, or both ?) capable of making/building their own “aircraft specific” parts or willing to search an aircraft salvage yard for these factory used airplane specific parts ? Is the new owner willing to immediately convert the S-LSA SportCruiser to Experimental E-LSA ? Has the S-LSA SportCruiser aircraft been kept in “factory stock S-LSA” condition with excellent LogBook documentation ? Are there Factory signed tail number specific LOA’s for any “non-factory built” S-LSA aircraft modifications ? Can the potential new aircraft owner easily pay for a new Bristell or Tecnam ? (I am NOT in that situation, but if I win the lottery, I would go for a Bristell with the Rotax 915iS engine…) Or is the “buy an aircraft” budget very tight ? There are lots of factors. And these factors CHANGE depending on the potential buyer. Factory support is certainly one of the factors. A very big factor to some, if not many. “Slightly bending” an aircraft can be an eye opener to some. And, the SportCruiser is STILL a great airplane… we absolutely love ours. And I enjoy upgrading the airplane well beyond what the Czechs build today. Also, I recently found some excellent “aircraft specific” CRUZ parts at salvage. A bargain ! And, my superb A&P / IA Mechanic can make just about anything himself. And I LOVE wiring up new Avionics systems… These “it Depends…” factors are all choices. Owning an airplane is NOT a necessity… Dave

Shawn right now, I am in a “Fly the 914 Turbo engined E-LSA SportCruiser aircraft FLYING phase” in as many different weather / flight conditions as possible. I want to fully understand what the 914 Turbo powered airplane can (and can’t) do ! I really don’t want now the “added distraction” of taking the airplane off flying status to install my already wired and Avionics Bench Tested GTN 650 Xi suite of NEW avionics including the awesome Garmin G5 PFD / CDI / HSI, SmartGlide, and FlightStream 210, more., …, avionics equipment. My general plan is to give the Czechs until about January 2024 to supply me the simple center instrument panel bracket for my GTN 650 Xi upgrade modification needs. Yes, getting a factory aircraft part from the Czechs that “soon” is probably wildly optimistic, but why not FLY now ! COLD, sometimes icy January weather is a good time to start installing the new GTN 650 Xi / G5 / SmartGlide / FS 210 … avionics equipment into the aircraft. Of course, I can build my own custom bracket at any time …if the Czechs meet standard (ie very low) expectations… But FLYING the Rotax 914 Turbo equipped SportCruiser is the priority now…and also LOTS of fun … D Rotax 914 Turbo Engined SportCruiser E-LSA - FLYING NOW ! Avionics Upgrades in work : my GTN 650 Xi Avionics “Hot Mock Up” bench test equipment, with a Garmin G5, SmartGlide Activation button, FlightStream 210, more… the AirGizmo mount for the Garmin Aera 760 (already flying now) needs to be moved UP in the center instrument panel stack about 1/4” to accommodate the taller GTN 650 Xi NAV/COM, and so, the new, (taller than the existing SL30) Garmin GTN 650 Xi IFR Capable NAV/COM requires a slightly modified center to side instrument panels’ interconnect aircraft center stack bracket. All of the new GTN 650 Xi interface wiring is complete and tested on my “Hot Mock Up” avionics test bench PS - Duh - my SportCruiser is Experimental E-LSA, making all these awesome upgrades possible ! An example of Rotax 914 Turbo CLIMB RATE IMPROVEMENTS in my E-LSA SportCruiser. More CLIMB RATE Improvements to come soon with COOLER Winter WEATHER ! And, the instrument panel center stack bracket I am waiting for, called “Angle”, SF0085N, Item 6 in the IPC, is shown below. I plan to FLY the 914 Turbo aircraft in cold weather now while I am WAITING Patiently for this bracket from the Czechs… Item 6 below is what I want:

A final note on the fact that some potential new SCFLIER SportCruiser forum members are NOT replying to my Admin email. WHY do I care ? Many of the new SCFLIER Forum members that I initially “met” via that simple two way email communication have become personal friends of mine. And we continue to communicate over the years on details about the SportCruiser aircraft and the Rotax engine. Meeting new people Interested in the SportCruiser / PS-28 aircraft and Rotax engines, and learning more is important to me. Fun and rewarding ! Dave your friendly SCFLIER Admin

Dale WELCOME to the SCFLIER SportCruiser forum ! Jump on in ! The water is fine ! Participating offers lots of opportunities to LEARN about the Awesome SportCruiser LSA and our incredible Rotax engines ! This forum includes an open, welcoming crowd where everyone RESPECTS each Member’s Opinions, even when they may disagree on a few details ! Have FUN flying your SportCruiser ! D

Lots of good points in Shawn’s post above. Recommend a VERY thorough pre-buy inspection from a SportCruiser S-LSA / Rotax Trained knowledgeable Mechanic. I believe a typo correction from Shawn’s above posting from “can see the cracks” to ”can’t see the cracks” …when the Main Landing Gear are still mounted on the airplane… is needed. The SportCruisers that I have seen can be “flyable” with 6000 hours IF properly maintained. In fact, I flew one with about that many hours on it at KADS Addison Airport ThrustFlight a few months ago. This SportCruiser was on its fourth Rotax 912 engine, of course… This well used SportCruiser S-LSA training aircraft had full SkyView displays, a Dynon AutoPilot, a Garmin 796 GPS Map, …more… when I took a few laps of the pattern with an excellent ThrustFlight CFI with me in the right seat to “get my SportCruiser muscle memory back in great condition” after a six month or so reduced time of flying of my own 1550 hour Rotax 912 ULS original engine in our 2010 PiperSport (CRUZ) Experimental E-LSA that now has a NEW Rotax 914 Turbo engine in it. Our Rotax 914 Turbo equipped Experimental E-LSA CRUZ Light Sport Aircraft is flying now, I Completed the FAA required Phase I Experimental E-LSA Flight Test, and the 914 Turbo engine provides a great CLIMB RATE improvement ! But that’s a whole nuther story - CruiserAircraft does NOT innovate, nor does it support USA Already Sold aircraft owners, so it is up to us mostly Experimental E-LSA SportCruiser owners to develop and implement new ideas on our CRUZ aircraft. Risk vs Reward… Also, be aware that CruiserAircraft does NOT issue Tail Number specific Letters Of Authorizations for ANY changes to factory built S-LSA SportCruisers, as they (then called Czech Sport Aircraft) once did when Patrick Arnzen / US Sport Aircraft helped the Czech CRUZ S-LSA Manufacturer at KADS North Dallas and US Sport Aircraft (now ThrustFlight) was the 2nd location of the USA Importer of CRUZ S-LSA SportCruisers. A Pilot’s mission is VERY important to consider before buying ANY airplane. And, if scuffed up leather seats and a less than perfect interior - from Student Pilot’s daily use- can be OK to you, and that aircraft fits your mission and style, GO FOR IT ! - but ONLY after you get a thorough Condition Inspection done by a Rotax / SportCruiser knowledgeable Mechanic. The CRUZ aircraft’s Rotax 912 engine condition is FAR more important than the interior leather. Duh. I would rather buy a ten year old airplane with 1000 hours of regular use and well done regular maintenance than a similarly equipped 10 year old airplane with, for example, only 147 hours TOTAL on the Hobbs meter of the ORIGINAL 912 engine - now 10 years old. To me, that may indicate an airplane that SAT on the ground for MANY years. WHY ? MY CONCERNS about this hypothetical ten year old ORIGINAL 912 ULS Engine - Why wasn’t the owner flying the hypothetical “For Sale” airplane REGULARLY ? - my example - with only 147 hours time over ten years ??? Is the aircraft still airworthy ? Using still the original oil ? Ouch. Rubber hose condition ? Parked in a hangar or left outside to rot ? The Aircraft Maintenance Logs May tell the real tale… SportCruisers are great little airplanes. They fly “relatively fast”, are easy to fly, very economical and FUN. A capable Dynon autopilot, glass Dynon instrument panels, … some CRUZ LSA are equipped very well ! But most all CRUZ LSA have a useful load under 475 lbs. Two 200 lb occupants and just a light sandwich with a Gatorade, and only 16 gallons of fuel is likely overweight of the USA FAA LSA’s Maximum 1320 lbs Takeoff weight. Dave PS - there ARE a few A&P Mechanics with Inspection Authority that DO KNOW the FAA Light Sport Aircraft USA regulations and also maintenance of the Rotax 912 powered SportCruiser aircraft VERY well. ThrustFlight in North Dallas (KADS) is where you can find some of these A&P/IA’s. But they are very busy and in constant very high demand. Certus in Wisconsin is another excellent A&P / IA source of knowledgeable SportCruiser / Rotax 912 engine Maintenance techniques. And Certus will come to you and your airplane. https://www.certusaircraft.com/ However, unfortunately, MANY other A&P/IA “regular” General Aviation knowledgeable Mechanics know lots more about (just a couple examples) Cessna 172 and Piper Warrior “CertIficated” GA airplanes - when compared to their Rotax or SportCruiser knowledge (not much), or in many cases, their very lacking knowledge of the USA FAA Light Sport Aircraft Regulations !!! The FAA Maintenance rules are VERY different for those “Cessna 172 type” - much more “routine, common” GA aircraft, and you can get in trouble quick if the A&P Mechanic doesn’t have a clue about the Consensus ASTM Standards coupled with FAA LSA regulations, not to mention some Czech aircraft manufacturers that don’t have USA SportCruiser S-LSA Aircraft Support in their Top Ten list. Today’s FAA LSA Maintenance / Rules and the Rotax 9XX engines are VERY DIFFERENT from the FAA rules and Lycoming / Continental engines that apply to a Cessna 172, Mooney, … Piper Saratoga… ! There is NO FAA “Form 337” for S-LSA aircraft “field” mods. And STC’s ? Nope. P&E: Savvy Maintenance - AOPA https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/april/pilot/pe_savvy

As of 3/1/2023  the number of   Active, Validated SCFLIER SportCruiser Forum Members with Log-In Privileges  increased to   632  SCFLIER Forum Members. D

1) Agree. But, of course, that doesn’t make it right. 2) In the Mike Busch article “Savvy Maintenance”, Mike says “…. if I have to be regulated, I’d much rather it be by the FAA than by the manufacturer of my aircraft or engine. We all love to complain about the FAA, but at least it is primarily motivated by a concern for safety, and is subject to numerous laws intended to protect us from overzealous regulation. In contrast, my experience with aircraft and engine manufacturers is that they primarily are motivated by concerns about being sued, and frequently act in ways that are harmful to those of us who own their products.” That Mike Busch guiding concept is why, especially with a SportCruiser S-LSA, built by (today) the third aircraft manufacturing company (led by many of the same people) after two bankruptcies (CZAW and CSA), an aircraft owner going Experimental E-LSA is simpler, easier, and ALLOWS aircraft owners to UPGRADE and INNOVATE new ideas for their well built, solid, known worldwide, easy to fly SportCruiser. The E-LSA “Rules” and Regulations are all spelled out for you in your USA FAA E-LSA Operating Limitations. There are ZERO surprises coming from the S-LSA Aircraft Manufacturer protecting them (not you) against lawsuits for X, Y, or Z. 3) While I never expect CruiserAircraft Management to change philosophy and start allowing Letters Of Authorization (LOAs) for their factory built S-LSA SportCruiser aircraft, I AM Interested in the LOAs that you (Ronin5573) have gotten for your 914 Turbo powered Tecnam S-LSA. WHY ? Those Tecnam approved LOA ideas may be just what could make my Experimental E-LSA SportCruiser aircraft perform even better ! NEW IDEAS - the lifeblood of an Experimental aircraft owner’s passion for flying. Thanks Dave P&E: Savvy Maintenance - AOPA https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2016/april/pilot/pe_savvy

PilotPete an excellent point. The F, A, and A is totally focused on safety, a good thing, but SPEED is NOT one of their “things”…

Opinions 1) wait to go E-LSA if you think you might sell the aircraft soon. Some potential buyers don’t understand, nor do some value Experimental Aircraft of any kind. 2) don’t wait to go E-LSA if you are committed to improving and upgrading the aircraft, all within the scope of USA Light Sport Aircraft. D PS - make sure your Mechanic understands both Rotax engines and the SportCruiser LSA.

As of 1/31/2023  the number of   Active, Validated SCFLIER SportCruiser Forum Members with Log-In Privileges  increased to   630  SCFLIER Forum Members. D

The SCFLIER SportCruiser forum Members count had a strong finish to 2022, with SEVEN new members added in December, including 3 already owning a SportCruiser, and 4 new members considering / looking to buy a SportCruiser. As of 12/30/2022  the number of   Active, Validated SCFLIER SportCruiser Forum Members with Log-In Privileges  increased to   628  SCFLIER Forum Members. D Happy New Year and Best Wishes for lots of fun flights in PS-28 / SportCruiser aircraft in 2023 !

What is the state of your aircraft’s starter battery ? Have you checked the Aircraft’s heavy gauge wires and connections between the battery, starter solenoid on the firewall, and engine starter motor ? The engine grounding wire ? How about your ACS Key switch ? Service bulletin completed ? http://acsproducts.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SB92-01.pdf https://cruiseraircraft.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SB-CR-073.pdf What type of starter motor do you have ? They are relatively easy to replace… D

Shawn and Kevin thanks for the great panel pics ! looks like an excellent panel upgrade result with some powerful avionics ! D

Kevin Great looking SportCruiser ! I love the paint scheme ! Could you send some pics of the Instrument Panel ? I would love to learn how well the TWO G5’s and GMC 305 Autopilot work together…I assume you have Garmin Servos for pitch and roll ? Is there a way to add a Garmin Yaw (rudder) Servo for Yaw Damper ? Dave (aka Garmin Fanatic) Garmin GMC 305 Auto Pilot Control Panel | Aircraft Spruce https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/garminG3X-touch_11-11446.php Garmin GMC 305 Great discussion from Vans Aircraft forum on the benefits of a Yaw Damper: Garmin G3X RV-10 Autopilot Yaw Damper Option - VAF Forums https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=119555 and, for Experimental E-LSA, the Garmin GMC 507 looks interesting also… Garmin GMC 507 Yaw Damper

As of 10/27/2022  the number of   Active, Validated SCFLIER SportCruiser Forum Members with Log-In Privileges  increased to   618  SCFLIER Forum Members. D Estimated active members regularly participating : maybe 18. THANK YOU ! Estimated members “lurking” in the background but not participating : < 300 Estimated members that have not logged in to SCFLIER in years : > 300. Estimated members that have purchased and still own a SportCruiser : < 150 Known members that regularly participate, but no longer own a SportCruiser : 3 Comment - your input - readable on the forum by all when an Active SCFLIER member participates, providing interesting & USEFUL information about SportCruiser / PS-28 aircraft and Rotax engines, Garmin and Dynon Avionics, Interior and Exterior CRUZ aircraft equipment, Maintenance tips and Experimental E-LSA CRUZ Upgrades is VERY VALUABLE ! Thank you ! RESPECT and COURTESY responding to other members input is IMPORTANT to the success of our SCFLIER SportCruiser forum. AWESOME !!!! Dave