News

Pilots crave flexibilitycall it the Type A personality in all of usand Stratomaster has provided just that in the new Ultra Horizon XL. This monochromatic EFIS has new user-configurable screens that allow for personalization; these screens can be customized to place the instruments in different places on the display but can also be disabled easily for a simplified layout. …

Groen Brothers Aviation announced that total sales of the company's SparrowHawk gyroplane and SparrowHawk/P modification kits have now reached 100. Sales have strengthened since the introduction of the new FAA Sport Pilot rules, the company says, since gyroplane builders with the appropriate license can now fly the SparrowHawk using a drivers license instead of an FAA medical certificate. …

Control Vision, makers of the AnywhereMap, AnywhereWx, Pocket Plates and Anywhere EFB portable navigation systems announced a new low price on its award-winning AnywhereMap software. Pilots who use handheld computers (Pocket PCs, PDAs and PDA/phones) can now add fully functional moving map navigation software to their units for only $95 including six months of updates. This is not a pared-down version of the software-it is the complete moving map system with flight planning, en route flight…

Just after we completed the final details on this years Plans Aircraft buyers guide (in this issue), we received word that Aircraft Spruce & Specialty has acquired the design rights for all three models of the Christavia aircraft. The Christavia MK-1, MK-2 and MK-4 were designed by homebuilder Ron Mason of Elmwood Aviation in Ontario, Canada. …

Homebuilt aviation guru and Fly Baby aficionado Ron Wanttaja, well known to KITPLANES readers for the myriad topics hes written on over the past 15 years, has published the third edition of Kit Airplane Construction, his venerable guide to building airplanes at home. Generally aimed at those in the audience whove yet to actually assemble a kit or build from plans, the book covers everything from an introduction to the Amateur-Built world and its regulations…

According to organizers of the US Sport Aviation Expo, to be held in Sebring, Florida, October 28-30, the event is being pushed back due to concerns about Hurricane Wilma. The new date is January 12-15, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.sport-aviation-expo.com/.…

Advanced Aviation has developed a firewall-forward package for the Lancair IV-P kit using the Garrett TPE 331 turbine engine. (Lancairs own Propjet uses the Walter 701E.) According to the company, five aircraft are under construction, with one flying and another just about ready to fly at press time. Advanceds use of the TPE 331 provides more power than the Walter894 shaft horsepower compared to 750and is said to burn 20% less fuel. In addition, the company…

Trio Avionics, manufacturer of the EZ Pilot autopilot for Experimental aircraft, announced that it has begun shipping its new EZ-1 Altitude Hold system. The EZ-1 is designed specifically for Experimental and Light-Sport Aircraft, yet the company says it has performance and safety features not found on many certified systems. The system incorporates a solid-state MEMS gyro for pitch stability, an accurate pressure sensor to measure altitude and accelerometers to monitor G forces. Fin adjustments to altitude…

Zenith Aircraft Company, manufacturer of kits for the popular Zodiac XL, STOL CH 701 and STOL CH 801 designs, has announced the availability of quickbuild (QB) kits for the Zodiac XL and 801. The Zodiac XL QB option promises to reduce construction time by 50%, from an estimated 500 building hours to about 250. Similarly, the 801 QB should drop build time from 750 to less than 400 hours. …

Lancair announced that full hull coverage for Lancair IV, IV-P and PropJet owners is now available through AIG Insurance for pilots who meet a number of criteria. Liability is limited to $1 million per occurrence and $100K per passenger. Full flight and ground coverage is available up to a maximum of $500K insured value. …