Plane & Pilot May 2014

The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) got another boost in December 2013, when the FAA announced the six states that are officially designated as test sites for UAV development. This is a key step in the expansion of commercial use of UAVs (sometimes called “drones”) in the skies above America. Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia were selected to host the research sites for UAV technology. Because the FAA is looking to introduce commercial drones into U.S. airspace in the safest way possible, these states were chosen for their climate, air traffic volume and geography. To date, UAVs have been used mainly by the military, but private industry is chomping at the bit to get into a business area that promises huge economic windfalls for early…

If you’ve looked into LSA, you’re likely aware that the Rotax, liquid-cooled, four-stroke family of powerplants lives under the cowl of around 80% of all models. There are many contenders for the propulsion throne, however: those mentioned above, proprietary engines from airframe makers such as CubCrafters’ 180 hp CC340, auto engine conversions, after-market mills such as the UL 260i, Viking and ICP M09, and more. Now comes the AeroPower series of engines from Italian manufacturer MW Fly. BushCaddy’s Tony Watkin added MW Fly to his stable of power plants to serve his diverse fleet. Several versions are available from 95 to 150 hp, with 180 hp and 220 hp versions in development. The gestation of the fuel-injected, electronic-ignition, liquid-cooled, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed block has spanned 10 years. Watkin likes it…