The regulatory hassle difference between ULM style aircraft and conventionally certified aircraft is a European thing, the product of over regulatIon of standard category light aircraft, and it obviously could be fixed if anybody had the will to do it.
In the US there isn’t a huge difference between the two, with the notable exception that you can convert a factory built LSA aircraft into an experimental category E-LSA. That solves the big practical problem with FAA LSAs which is the legal requirement to purchase all parts from the airframe manufacturer, including engine parts, brake pads and everything else. If it wasn’t for that possibility, maintaining an LSA would be somewhat harder than an FAA certified plane of the same complexity, not easier, especially after the airframe manufacturer goes broke. The remaining issue for some is that the conversion to E-LSA is not possible if the plane is to be used commercially.
On the other hand, from the used plane buyers perspective, the depreciation of FAA LSAs is huge because of those same maintenance hassles among other issues, so you can buy a pretty nice one for $60K. Then you convert it to E-LSA. It’s what I’d do if I could no longer qualify for a 3rd class medical or Basic Med, but still felt safe to fly. A used Tecnam Astore would cost quite a bit more than that $60K but would do 130 kts TAS at altitude. That would be a good, if expensive solution to the medical certification problem as long as I was prepared to deal with a turbo-Rotax engine, which for me would be a downside.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Actually, 18 mpg at 160 KTAS is slightly more than 10 gph!
Agreed, seems like the Comanche is the only plane out there getting 165kts (I get 167 consistently with the new engine TAS) at 10Kft at 13GPH.. (edited as I’m clearly not good with math..)
A well rigged J without too many antennas etc will get there at probably 12 GPH but the thought of burning that much gas is unpleasant for Mooney owners!
Are we talking KIAS as measured by IAS (Internet Air Speeds)
LFHNflightstudent wrote:
Agreed, seems like the Comanche is the only plane out there getting 165kts (I get 167 consistently with the new engine TAS) at 10Kft at 13GPH.. (edited as I’m clearly not good with math..)
I actually prefer doing 150 KTAS at 10-12 kft at less than 9 GPH for cruise in my Comanche 
(nautical miles and U.S. Gallons of course). So far, this doesn’t change a bit up to FL190, because with less cooling air we have to throttle down to stay LOP. But we did 150 KTAS at 19kft on same fuel flow, for whatever it’s worth. But I’m still chasing / improving cooling and baffles.
This totales to about 10 GPH includes for taxi, climb fuel and so on. So in total we do 900 nm in 6 hours on 60 GAL engine on → engine off. And that with 5 POB and baggage.
I also see typically ~165-167 KTAS on 13 Gal/h in my Comanche, fully loaded, as most of the times we fly. But efficiency is so much worse flying ROP. In winter (cold air) and lightweight I saw up to 177 KTAS in 12 kft (goal is to stay below 380°F) on 13 Gal/h. (This is more efficient because the red box is a tad smaller in colder air) But I really prefer LOP on long range flights and to arrive with significant amounts of fuel to still have all options.
Those are very impressive speed numbers on 260hp engine, 13gph is about 50%-55% cruise?
No no, 13 gph should be around 70%. If it was on peak EGT it would correspond to 75% of available power. You can set something useful up to 14 gph and thereafter it’s a hyperbolic increase of fuel flow without any really noticeable effect in cruise speed.
Sweet spot ROP is 13 gph and LOP below 11 gph in my case. My settings correspond to around 50% power.
I have to say I begin to consider ULs as a long term solution to be able to afford more than the minimum hours.
That would be bad. And not a single word about it in AIP/VAC…
Thing is, this would be in a rental, so I would need the rental company‘s details and the VAT calculated separately on the invoice, so I can‘t just use my Totalcard…
Wouldn‘t the pompiers (whenever present) still be able to do that at all?
Pity everything has gone so much downhill there…
