---------------------------------------------------------- Lightning-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 01/18/07: 7 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 02:54 PM - Lightning Flight Review (Phyrcooler) 2. 04:07 PM - Re: Lightning Flight Review (N1BZRich@AOL.COM) 3. 04:48 PM - Re: Lightning Flight Review (N1BZRich@AOL.COM) 4. 09:09 PM - Re: Answer to your question (Charles Dewey) 5. 09:25 PM - Re: Answer to your question (N1BZRich@AOL.COM) 6. 09:37 PM - Re: Answer to your question (Charles Dewey) 7. 09:52 PM - Re: Answer to your question (N1BZRich@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 02:54:48 PM PST US Subject: Lightning-List: Lightning Flight Review From: "Phyrcooler" Is anyone aware of any published, unbiased flight reviews of the Lightning? Like all good consumers, I am searching out as much info as I can find. And while I appreciate owners reports and manufacturers stats, it is nice to read reports from 3rd parties who have no emotion (meaning thousands of dollars or hundreds of hours) invested. Thanks all! Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=88693#88693 ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 04:07:49 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Lightning Flight Review ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 04:48:52 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Lightning Flight Review To Phyrcooler, Some time ago (I will have to check my log book, but probably early last summer) Pete of Arion Aircraft invited me to fly the prototype Lightning in order to provide an unbiased evaluation of the aircraft before they started selling kits. For insurance purposes Arion Aircraft had intended that the prototype only be flown by Nick, (He is their test pilot and production manager.) and then be destroyed when they had a production demonstration Lightning up and flying. This is not unusual for prototype aircraft - to either be destroyed or end up in a museum in a non flyable condition. Nick's evaluation of the Lightning had been all very positive and Pete just wanted someone that was not part of their company to fly the prototype to see if Nick (who had also been part of the design team) was "shooting straight". Pete was comfortable with me flying his airplanes based on my past flight and test experiences, total flying time, types of aircraft flown, and the fact that I had already made the initial test flight on five other different homebuilt aircraft. I had also previously flown the hybrid Lightning (Esqual fuselage with Lightning wings) several times as well as all models of the Jabiru aircraft that they sell. The results of my test flight were published on the Esqual yahoo list at the time (the Lightning list had not been started as I recall) and you can probably go there and read it. But the bottom line is - Nick is a straight shooter. The Lightning is a great flying kit aircraft. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone that wanted to get into the air quickly and economically in a beautiful airplane that has amazing performance on only 120 HP. When they finally do finish the demonstrator, everyone else will get a chance to see just what Nick has been saying. As I recall, Earl Ferguson (on this list) is the only other person up to now to fly a Lightning that is not someway connected with the Lightning company. He built one of the early Lightning kits and has flown off his test time and has his aircraft back home in Georgia. Several other Lightnings are very close to flying (may have flown this week) and plans are to have at least five flying Lightnings at Sun-N-Fun. Don't hesitate to ask additional questions. I may not get back immediately, but I will eventually get to your question. Blue Skies, Buz ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:09:45 PM PST US From: Charles Dewey Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Answer to your question I am in the process of building a Lightning and have never flown one. I did exhaustive, thorough research, well over 200 hours worth, before I ever sent a dime for the kit. I am an unbiased customer; I don't work for Arion Aircraft Copmpany and I don't own stock in their company. My biggest concern was to get a plane that had a BRS parachute recovery system. Although I know I will likely never use it, it's nice to know it is there. Cirrus is the best selling General Aviation plane for a reason- and the reason is the parachute system- the EXACT same system in the Lightning. Cirrus also is sleek and aerodynamic- a modern plane; as is the Lightning. With fuel prices as outrageous as they are and the polar ice caps melting, it's nice to know that the Jabiru 120 HP only burns 5.5 gph at 175 mph, which Nick has verified with extensive test flying up and down the east coast and to Oshkosh. I also wanted a 2-seater because, let's face it, 4 seats are great but how often are all four seats used in most planes? Most people fly alone or with one other person or dog the majority of the time. Who wants to pay the extra fuel burn for 2 unused seats and a much heavier plane? Not me. I like paying as low as possible for gas. And because the Lightning can run on mogas, this will save even more money. The next, and best, thing about the Lightning is the cruise speed. This plane is almost as fast as the base model Cirrus, which starts at $199,000 and burns a lot more gas and is much more difficult to fly. I have test flown the Cirrus and didn't like it. They eat up too much runway on take off and landing and are not fun in the air. They are way too stable and not nimble feeling. The base Cirrus cruises only a couple of miles per hour faster, so essentially the Lightning is as fast as the Cirrus for less than half the price and much lower operational cost and insurance cost. After trips to Sun 'n Fun, Oshkosh and doing tons of research on the internet, in bookstores and talking to a ton of people at the airshows, I decided on the Lightning. One of the biggest supporters of the Lightning is Brent Ackley, who works for BRS parachute systems. I highly recommend anyone considering buying a Lightning kit to call him. He has paid visits to the Lightning fuselage fabricator to inspect the channells in the body for the BRS straps to make sure they were up to snuff for BRS' strict standards. He was blown away by the quality of the job done. Brent flies a Sonerai, but secretly wishes he had a modern plane like a Lightning. Eventually I would like to cruise at 300-400 mph but I am going to take it one step at a time. The Lightning is the perfect intermediary between the easy flying slow trainer and the go-fast propjets. Hope this helped you make your decision a little easier on deciding on the Lightning. If you value speed, safety, money and good looks you should consider the Lightning dollar for dollar as the absolute best buy in general aviation. > --- nick otterback wrote: > The lightning is progressing well. As with anything > new we are trying to keep up with the growth and > intrest in this aircraft. Many things including > finished build and Flight manuals, as well as > improved kit components, are on e, thothe top of the list > of things to do. We currently are trying to deliver > 4 kits a month although its more like 3, mosly due > to supply from are OEM's and a lillte learning curve > too. There are some 28 kits out there with 10 to > deliver yet...5 are flying with several awaitng > there inspections. The portotype is still being > flown on a regular basis and makes apperances at > many shows until we get are Demo flying. the demo > aircraft is being built and should be off to paint > at the end of this week and flying in march. The > fiberglass shop that is building the major > componenets is always serching for new cores and > materials to get as much usefull load as we can out > of the plane. The last ones out are under 800lbs > empty for a very well equiped aircraft. 3 of > the kits deliverd have gone to australia with 2 > more this week and 3 more at the end of january. So > we have been very overwhelmed here and are just > trying to put things in a order we can deal with. > There will be 5 confirmed Lightnings for the SUN N > FUN show of which 3 will be customer built aircraft. > I am sorry that we haven't updated the web site and > will try to this week, with a few pics of the newly > finished planes, our build facility, and links to > the build and flight manuals. After trips to Sun n Fun, Oshkosh and doing tons of research on the internet, in bookstores and talking to a ton of people at the airshows, I decided on the Lightning. One of the biggest supporters of the Lightning is Brent Ackley, who works for BRS parachute systems. I highly recommend anyone considering buying a Lightning kit to call him. He has paid visits to the Lightning fuselage fabricator to inspect the channells in the body for the BRS straps. He was blown away by the quality of the job done. Brent flies a Sonerai, but secretly wishes he had a modern plane like a Lightning. > > Thank you very much for all of the intrest and we > hope to make big strides this year with the > Lightning. > > Nick Otterback > Production Manager > Arion Aircraft LLC > > Daniel Vandenberg wrote: > Laurie... > > That's good to hear. I'm fighting the "Lightning > vs. RV-9A" battle in my head. This has been > discussed before on this list. The 5100 would be a > great engine for the 9. It may be for the Lightning > too if the factory approves in the future. > > By the way...to the factory...for those of us > watching the Lightning development, more frequent > updates on the website would be helpful. As far as > I can tell the only update to the website (other > than adding a computerized digital paint job to the > prototype flying picture on the homepage) since > August has been to the price :-( > > Why not start a section on the home page that give > weekly or monthly updates something like the > following: > > 1. Number of kits paid for... > > 2. Number of kits delivered to customers (either to > the builders center or at home) > > 3. Number of kits under construction at the factory > assistance center > > 4. Number of kits under construction at customers's > homes/shops > > 5. Number of kits completed and flown. > > This sort of information, combined with more > frequent photo updates of customer's projects and > prototype improvements, would help us potential > customers to feel confident that the Lightning is in > the early stages of a long and successful production > run. > > Dan > > Laurie Hoffman wrote: --> > > Hi All, > The Jabiru 8cyl is currently out of production due > the > overwhelming demand for the 4 and 6 cyl engines. > > The factory said that there have been no technical > issues with the 180hp engine. They just cant supply > enough of the others at this stage with current > orders > not being able to be met till sept/Oct. > > They are increasing production capacity and will be > offering the 180hp engine again as soon as they > begin > to catch up with the 4s and 6s. > Laurie > Sydney > > --- Daniel Vandenberg wrote: > > > Somebody brought up the 8-cyl Jabiru 5100. You > guys > > in Tenn must have inside knowledge on this issue. > > My understanding was that the factory in Australia > > discontinued the engine because of problems with > > early production engines...combined with need for > > more production capacity for the 3300. > > > > What were the problems with the 5100? > > > > What are it's chances of re-entering production? > > > > Thanks... > > > > Dan > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > No need to miss a message. Get email on-the-go > > with Yahoo! Mail for Mobile. Get started. > > > > > We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to > --------------------------------- > The fish are biting. > Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search > Marketing. > > > > --------------------------------- > Expecting? Get great news right away with email > Auto-Check. > Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta. Bored stiff? Loosen up... Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games. http://games.yahoo.com/games/front ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 09:25:37 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Answer to your question In a message dated 1/19/2007 12:11:48 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, cdewey6969@yahoo.com writes: I am in the process of building a Lightning and have never flown one. Hi Charles, We need to get you airborne in my Esqual LS - not a Lightning but a pretty close hybrid based on the many Lightning mods I was able to incorporate while I was building. I have had a bad ear block for over a week, so have not flown recently, but that should clear up soon. I generally keep 31BZ at KJGG. I think I remember you saying you were in Virginia as well. I hope to head out to Shelbyville sometime soon, so if we don't get you up before I go, we can do it when I get back. Blue Skies, Buz ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 09:37:35 PM PST US From: Charles Dewey Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Answer to your question Buz- I can't believe anyone is up at this hour besides me! Good to see there are some faithful Lightning enthusiasts out there. I live in Aexandria and will likely base out of Potomac Airfield, but am not sure yet. I would love to go for a spin in your hybrid when you are feeling better. Where is KJGG? --- N1BZRich@aol.com wrote: > > In a message dated 1/19/2007 12:11:48 A.M. Eastern > Standard Time, > cdewey6969@yahoo.com writes: > > I am in the process of building a Lightning and > have > never flown one. > > > Hi Charles, > We need to get you airborne in my Esqual LS - > not a Lightning but a > pretty close hybrid based on the many Lightning mods > I was able to incorporate > while I was building. I have had a bad ear block > for over a week, so have not > flown recently, but that should clear up soon. I > generally keep 31BZ at > KJGG. I think I remember you saying you were in > Virginia as well. I hope to > head out to Shelbyville sometime soon, so if we > don't get you up before I go, > we can do it when I get back. > Blue Skies, > Buz > Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast with the Yahoo! Search weather shortcut. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#loc_weather ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 09:52:37 PM PST US From: N1BZRich@aol.com Subject: Re: Lightning-List: Answer to your question In a message dated 1/19/2007 12:38:43 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, cdewey6969@yahoo.com writes: Where is KJGG? KJGG is Williamsburg, but I also have a hangar at Franklin and Wakefield. I usually have the Esqual at JGG. Were you the guy at the Virginia Regional EAA fly that I met at the Green "Acres" booth? You are not too far from Rick Bowen - his Lightning will be flying pretty soon - probably February. Blue Skies, Buz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message lightning-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Lightning-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/lightning-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/lightning-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.