I now fly an Light Sport Aircraft. It’s a Flight Design CTLS. Wonderful to still be flying - and especially happy to be flying under a BRS parachute [:)]
From my years as a Cirrus owner and COPA member I recall very careful records were kept of BRS deployments and SOB saves.
I’d be most grateful if someone could email me a summary.
The Flight Design owners have our website & forums www.ctflier.com where the subject of the 'chute comes up now and again. I don’t believe we’ve ever had a deployment. It would be a good thing I think to show how truly valuable that safety device can be.
Some information available on the BRS website, although it’s not been updated for ~3 years. According to their information, “lives saved #239 & 240” were in a CTSW.
How do you like the CTLS? I think it’s maybe the best LSA design and its sales record says that the market agrees. What’s it like to fly?
I’ll go over to the BRS website and have a look. Thanks Kevin! [:)]
The CTLS is a very comfortable cruiser. Cabin shoulder width of an SR with incredible visibility. There are 2 baggage doors which hold a combined 110 lbs max. And the uncertified avionics are astounding. 2 glass panels with synthetic vision, mapping, new ADS-B wx, EMS, 2 axis autopilot - plus a panel mounted Garmin 696/796 in between.The website shows it best www.flightdesignusa.com
The ROTAX engine offer up a bit more than the 120 kph advertised speed at 6 gph. Oh, and it prefers MOGAS. In fact it’s 50 hr oil changes with MOGAS instead of 25 hr with AVGAS.
The 34 gal wing tanks mean there’s a good 850nm range if you back off from WOT to around 115 kph.
CG is no problem - almost impossible to get out of balance. And it’s stall characteristics are well - docile. Keep the ball centered and it’s VERY hard to get it to do anything but flutter.
But it is an LSA. No IFR, 2 seat, 1320 MGTOW. But FUN. WOW. And it’s similar to when I got my first Cirrus in '03 - wherever you go people walk out on the ramp and ask about your plane. It DOES have ramp appeal.
That’s 120 knots, not “kilometers per hour,” correct? As I understand it, the European version that is not LSA category-constrained does close to 140 KTAS.
Would be great if one could get ethanol-free mogas here in the Peoples’ Republic of California.
Nice report, thanks. I’ve had my eye on the CTLS as a possible “someday” exit strategy from certified aircraft as I become increasingly decrepit medically speaking.
Where do you fly it? Having become accustomed to the high wing loading and relative indifference to light turbulence of the Cirrus, how much accommodation did you have to make to this in the CTLS? I’ve noticed LSA folks mentioning how bumpy it was
Oh, and how does one get mogas into a small aircraft, practically? I cannot imagine the hassle of sneaking fuel into the airport.