Today’s Top Pick is a 2018 EDRA Aeronautica Super Petrel LS.

The EDRA Aeronautica Super Petrel serves as a reminder that there are amphibian light sport aircraft (LSA) in the air that are not ICON A5s. Indeed, this unusual biplane design has been on the market for more than 20 years and evolved from kitbuilt amphibians as far back as the early 1980s.

The Super Petrel is known for its combination of high lift, thanks to its two wings, and maneuverability, due in part to its relatively short wingspan. Built in Brazil, the composite aircraft is also renowned for its build quality.

Owners, however, are likely to love the Super Petrel for all of the truly out-of-the way destinations it can reach with relative ease.

The aircraft’s retractable landing gear allow pilots to kick off adventurous itineraries from their local airport and wind up moored in a scenic remote cove an hour or two later. How many times have you been at a waterfront restaurant, watching diners arrive by boat, and pictured yourself pulling up in a seaplane?

Perhaps your time has come.

This Super Petrel has 50 hours on the airframe and on its Rotax 912iS engine. Pilots who want an amphibian LSA with unique design features that enhance handling while also turning heads should consider this 2018 EDRA Aeronautica Super Petrel LS, which is available for $68,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: What Is the Best Amphibious Aircraft?
• FLYING Magazine: Here’s a Look at Some Affordable Aviation Favorites
• FLYING Magazine: Photos: DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase
• Plane & Pilot: Beyond ICON: 5 Seaplane Alternatives
• Plane & Pilot: Top Picks in Today’s Light Sport Aircraft Market
• AVweb: Podcast: Super Petrel Gathers a Crowd

The post This 2018 EDRA Aeronautica Super Petrel LS Is a High-Lift ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2007 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey Adventure.

Progressive Aerodyne’s SeaRey amphibian started out in the early 1990s as a kitbuilt aircraft, though it evolved from designs that were flying in the 1970s, driven by enthusiasm for homebuilt ultralight and experimental sport aircraft. Today the Adventure and Elite models are available as production-line LSAs, and technological advances in engines, airframes, and systems have helped these aircraft develop into notable performers.

The SeaRey has built a following not because of speed, comfort, load-carrying capacity, or most of the other qualities pilots typically tout when discussing their traditional certified aircraft. Indeed, it does not excel in any of those areas. The aircraft’s fun factor, though, is extremely high according to people who fly them. They provide a tactile, engaging, even raw flying experience that can be difficult to find today, despite the vast number of aircraft types available.

This 2007 SeaRey Adventure has 208 hours on the airframe, its Rotax engine, and its three-blade carbon propeller. The aircraft’s avionics include a Dynon EFIS, King radios, Mode C transponder, and two-place intercom.

Pilots looking for a fun, engaging introduction to flying off water should consider this 2007 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey Adventure, which is available for $58,500 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: FAA Certifies SeaRey Production LSA
• FLYING Magazine: Seaplane Adventures for Pilots
• FLYING Magazine: Rising Stars: Light Sport Universe
• Plane & Pilot: Beyond ICON: 5 Seaplane Alternatives
• The Aviation Consumer: SeaRey Elite: Upscale Amphib LSA
• AVweb: Progressive Aerodyne Offers Searey for Promotions

The post This 2007 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey Adventure Is a Responsive, Modern, Amphibian ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Among the most interesting case studies are those that start with a common mission and reimagine the ordinary, eschewing the tried and true in favor of exploring new concepts. The Anderson Greenwood AG-14 is one such example. Aiming to gain a foothold in the personal aircraft market during the postwar years, it incorporated a decidedly unconventional layout that featured a single pusher engine and a twin-boom tail.

The fundamentals of the aircraft were common to existing types, however. Like many Cessna 140s, Luscombes, and Ercoupes, the AG-14 was equipped with a run-of-the-mill Continental C90 engine and a fixed-pitch propeller and weighed less than 1,000 pounds (empty) with a two-person capacity. This commonality of these foundational elements effectively isolated the pros and cons of the unique airframe layout, enabling an interesting side-by-side comparison with conventional types.

The most significant benefit of the unorthodox design was the completely unrestricted visibility from the cockpit. With no wing creating a blind spot either upward or downward, no engine cowling limiting forward visibility, and no propeller arc through which to look, the occupants’ field of vision is not unlike that of some helicopters. Indeed, had the design been given the opportunity to evolve, some panel reconfiguration could have enabled the introduction of a fully glazed forward cockpit like the Partenavia Observer. Such a modification might have appealed to the market as a low-cost helicopter alternative for duties such as pipeline inspection, law enforcement, and aerial survey missions.

A secondary benefit to the design is the configuration of the propeller and tail. Completely nested within the tail booms, the pusher propeller is shielded from wayward pedestrians who might carelessly wander around the airplane. Although the pilot cannot visually confirm the prop is indeed clear before engine start, the safety benefit of its position within the tail booms is legitimate.

Chief among the disadvantages of the AG-14’s layout is weight and balance. When it comes to aircraft design, it’s preferable to position the location with variable weight (such as fuel tanks and the passenger cabin) as close to the center of gravity (CG) as possible. This minimizes the effect varying weights will have on the CG, simplifying the concern of staying within that envelope. 

By positioning the passenger cabin well forward of the wing (and CG), the AG-14’s design introduces some unique characteristics. With little effort, one person can lift the nose wheel up and tip the airplane back onto its tail. Pilots report that the nose wheel can be held off the ground indefinitely while taxiing, even at low speeds. While Anderson Greenwood sufficiently addressed any issues related to this aft CG to achieve type certification, it was undoubtedly a major concern during the design and certification phase. It’s possible the decision to limit pitch authority and make the airplane stall and spin resistant was a decision driven by the negative effects of a particularly aft CG in stalls and spins.

The additional structure and complexity of the twin-boom tail inevitably add additional weight compared to conventional tails. This naturally limits useful load, adds drag, and makes inspections and maintenance more complex. Nevertheless, Anderson Greenwood managed to achieve performance comparable to the Cessna 150, with a cruise speed of 110 mph and a climb rate of 630 feet per minute. One minor downside with which the Cessna doesn’t contend is related to the pusher configuration—positioned directly behind the nose wheel, the propeller is susceptible to damage and wear from foreign object debris.

The AG-14’s design was intriguing enough to inspire a derivation in the form of the Cessna XMC research aircraft. First flown in 1971, Cessna studied the nearly identical side and configuration in pursuit of noise reduction and improved visibility for personal flying and training purposes. Ultimately, only one example was built, and Cessna did not pursue the concept any further.

After being introduced in 1950, only five AG-14s were produced. Today, four remain on the U.S. registry, and at least one or two are maintained in flying condition. Occasionally, one of the owners attends fly-ins like EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where one can see and admire the unique little airplane in person. While it is unlikely the design will reemerge in the form of a modernized version, advanced materials such as carbon fiber could enable further evolution of the concept.

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