Light Sport Aircraft

The SkyRunner can rip over the ground at speeds up to 70 mph (113 km/h), then shoot through the air at up to 52 mph (84 km/h) with a separate drive system. And now it can be yours ... for a price.

Looking more like a high-tech fighter than a light plane designed for private use, the Valkyrie from Cobalt aircraft boasts a canard front wing, sleek aerodynamic shape and a turbocharged 350 hp (260 kW) engine that propels it to speeds of up to 260 knots (482 km/h, 300 mph).

Back in 2008, we heard about a parasail-equipped dune buggy, known as the Parajet Skycar. One epic 6,000-km (3,728-mile) drive/flight later, its creators got some ideas about how the design could be improved. The result is the lighter, better-flying and less-polluting SkyRunner.

Stefan Klein has announced the first flight of his Aeromobil Version 2.5, a flying car prototype he has been developing over the last 20 years. This vehicle is a strikingly beautiful design with folding wings and a propeller in the tail. But will it fly as well as it looks?

The Terrafugia Transition roadable airplane has completed the first phase of flight testing.

European ultralight aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel has taken note of the ever increasing prices being quoted for entry-level Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and has done something about it.

As it edges closer to production, ICON Aircraft has announced two major design enhancements designed to simplify aircraft complexity and increase safety for its A5 amphibious, two-seat, composite carbon fiber plane.

The FAA has made a weight exemption for the Terrafugia Transition flying car, in order for it to meet road safety requirements yet still be classified as a light sport aircraft.

The ICON A5 amphibious sportsplane features a folding wing design which allows the plane to be towed on the road like a speed boat and stored at home rather than paying for space at an airport.

The Cessna SkyCatcher, which has been attracting a steady stream of attention since the program was officially launched last year, will have a prototype ready to fly in the coming months.

August 16, 2007 Despite the preconceptions of affluence, private aviation is gradually descending from the realm of John Travolta into the realm of Joe Average.

July 26, 2006 An interesting new flying car is being launched this week at Oshkosh. The Transition is a Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) designed to make general avi