Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/323139
EAA Experimenter 35 PARADISE CITY, the ultralight and light-sport area at the Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In & Expo in Lakeland, Florida, had a great week. Area Chairman Dave Piper said it was the best weather in 12 years, and a total of 233 pilots registered to fl y from the sod runway, up almost 70 percent from last year. It was perfect fl ying weather all week, and overall the fl y-in experi- enced about a 20-percent increase in attendance. No major storm systems blocked aircraft arrivals from around the country, as often happens, and some aircraft park- ing areas were full for the fi rst time in memory. The ultralight fl ightline hosted more spectators than it has seen in many years. Along with fl ying all day, every day from the expanded grass runway, the Paradise City Headquarters Tent hosted 14 forums with 161 attendees. Excellent weather permitted a dawn balloon launch every morning from the ultralight area, which was followed soon by the launch of powered paragliders and ultralights. Helicop- ter activity was also on the increase as more of those aircraft moved to Paradise City from the Chopper Town location, which was still used for transient helicopters. With the major changes to the road that now passes through Paradise City and the inclusion of the LSA Mall, the former little grass runway has become a major hub of activity. Flight operations now use a dedicated aircraft frequency for adviso- ries issued from an elevated observation booth. Observers can inform incoming pilots about the pattern direction or about slow fl ying aircraft on fi nal approach. Here is a sample of some of the new airplanes and products seen at Sun 'n Fun 2014. NE W ULT R A L IGH T S Chip Erwin made the fi rst fl ight of an electric ultralight that fl ew into Paradise City; it may be the fi rst electric-powered ultralight to fl y into any fl y-in in the United States. Chip arrived from his base at South Lakeland Airport just 4 miles away. His Italian-designed Zigolo SSDR (Single Seat De-Regulated) ul- Paradise City 2014 A roundup of new aircraft and products BY DAN GRUNLOH Chip Erwin's Zigolo electric motorglider was fl own in from South Lakeland Airport. LIGHT PL ANE WORLD Photography by Dan Grunloh E A A E X P _ J u n e 1 4 . i n d d 3 5 EAAEXP_June14.indd 35 6 / 3 / 1 4 8 : 4 1 A M 6/3/14 8:41 AM