Echterdingen, GERMANY / 8 April 2008 — Flight Design is serious about quality. The company conducts internal audits as required by ASTM standards that govern certification of Light-Sport Aircraft. Flight Design has obtained the German LTF-BfU seal of approval. The company has been through independent audits from the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA). And most recently, Flight design successfully completed ISO 9001-2000 certification. “The principal company philosophy of Flight Design is to achieve complete customer satisfaction,” said CEO Matthias Betsch. “To improve quality and processes Flight Design has first participated successfully an LAMA audit in 2007. To further improve systems in 2008, Flight Design went through the ISO 9001-2000 certification process.”

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EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. - (April 8, 2008) - The EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan, which already serves thousands of aircraft owners throughout the United States, is now available to even more owners. For the first time, powered parachute and weight-shift trike owners and pilots can obtain extensive liability and aircraft hull coverage through a U.S.-based aviation insurance company. The expanded insurance offering, announced today at the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Fla., encompasses a large number of powered parachutes and trikes within the Experimental/Amateur-Built, Special Light-Sport and Experimental Light-Sport aircraft categories. It is available for EAA members from student pilots to airline transport pilots, as well as dual flight instruction.

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Three times PWC winner Chrigel has already proved, many times, that he doesn’t only fly straight. He’s just accomplished a very special flight in the shadow of the Berner Oberland 4,000 m peaks. We sincerely congratulate Chrigel - here’s his own report : Infinity Tumbling, an interesting challenge ! After Antoine Montant outdid Raul Rodriguez’s 80 in September 07 with 122 I was itching to see how much skipping I could do. Basically the number of tumbles you can make is limited by the height available, the glider and your physical condition. I got some really good height by taking off in perfect weather from the Jungfraujoch, and then flew past the Mönch and the Eiger. I hoped I could arrive over Grindelwald at around 2000m, high enough to get a few rotations in.

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Since the 03rd March of 2008 LH Aviation has occupied its new premises. Engaged in an industrial process and quality, LH Aviation left the region North and Merville Airfield to reach the centre of Aerospace Activity of Melun-Villaroche in Seine et Marne near Paris. The entire production and sales of LH-10 Ellipse will be fulfilled on the Melun-Villaroche airfield near SNECMA, a subsidiary of SAFRAN GROUP. It is a great step forward for the company. LH Aviation left its 500sqm for a factory with over 3000sqm including a clean room, which is ideal for the company to achieve the highest quality composite production for the LH-10 Ellipse. They are now ready for series production. LH Aviation has doubled its workforce in the last year and now employs 18 people.

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March 26, 2008, Oshkosh, WI - Sonex Aircraft, LLC announced the latest evolution in the AeroConversions product line this week with the introduction of the AeroVee 2.1 Engine Kit. AeroVee 2.1 is now the standard AeroVee engine kit, replacing the AeroVee 2.0. The AeroVee 2.1 continues the Sonex Aircraft and AeroConversions tradition of simple, elegant design. Due to the increasing volume of AeroVee engine sales, Sonex and AeroConversions has been able to incorporate new features that enhance the already robust AeroVee design. The new AeroVee 2.1 features a purpose-built custom crankshaft that has a larger diameter and longer prop hub interface. This new design also eliminates the distributor drive gear and the racer spacer, making for an easier assembly. AeroVee 2.1 continues to use standard bearings, eliminating the need for custom bearings and allowing for easy replacement at overhaul time. All external steel conversion components are also now zinc plated for improved aesthetics and additional corrosion resistance.

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LISA Airplanes arose from an observation. The aviation of the 21st century will not look like that of the previous century. In front of the emergence of new needs of movements, the requirement of comfort and security, and the world environmental stakes, LISA Airplanes began to position as a major actor of aircraft manufacturing. On the basis of innovative technologies, Erick Herzberger and Luc Bernole, both co-founders of the company, create a new market segment. Through its two programs of aircrafts, the AKOYA and the Hy-Bird, LISA Airplanes brings an original solution: offering a range of products and services adapted to clean and up-market leisure aviation.

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The Red Bull Air Race World Series features the world’s best pilots in a motor sports competition based on speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes, pilots navigate a low-level aerial race track made up of air-filled pylons, flying at speeds reaching 400 km/h while withstanding forces of up to 10 Gs - take off, be part and help making spinal cord injury curable. At a starting bid of €1 you can bid on a package for two at the Red Bull Air Race in the US and many more outstanding experiences at the Wings for Life Charity Auction @ eBay. Either San Diego or Detroit – it’s the buyers’ choice. To be part of the Red Bull Air Race in the US behind the scenes and up in the air will be a once in a life time experience anywhere. Would world champion Mike Mangold be the one to choose the buyer it would be: “A thrill seeker, an extremist, one who thinks in three dimensions,” and continues,” someone willing to give, so that others may live a full life.” As all proceeds of this extraordinary charity auction on the world’s largest online marketplace will be used for research in the field of spinal cord injury.

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Since November 2007, Seagull Aviation in The Netherlands has been responsible for the distribution of Wills Wing hang-gliders, which are made in the USA. All of the latest models will be available. Due to the DHV certifications for Germany, most models will be available in Germany in spring 2008. This new distributorship will meet the requirements of many hang-gliding pilots in Central Europe.

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March 7, 2008, Oshkosh, WI 2008 is a special year for Sonex Aircraft staff, owners, builders, pilots and enthusiasts, as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Sonex design and Sonex Aircraft, LLC. February 28 was the official start of the anniversary celebration, being the 10th anniversary of the first flight of the Sonex prototype in 1998. Sonex Aircraft, LLC (originally established as Sonex-Ltd.) was established soon thereafter and sale of the first set of Sonex plans quickly followed in August of 1998. The rest, as they say, is history.

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South Woodstock, CONNECTICUT / March 6, 2008—Flight Design USA unveiled their new CTLS to a warm reception at the January 2008 Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo. As the German producer promised, this was not an introduction to be followed by a long wait before manufacturing started. In keeping with corporate policy, aircraft are fully certified when released and can be ordered immediately. In late February, orders placed at Sebring were received following ocean shipment and clearing of customs and security. National Sales Director, Ken Godin reported, “Our distributor, Airtime Aviation based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, received their first shipment of three Flight Design CTLS aircraft on February 28th. After a busy weekend in their shop, they got all three assembled, certified, and flying by March 3rd.” Airtime Aviation has a dozen units of the new model on order.

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Echterdingen, GERMANY / 6 March 2008 — According to government records in each country, Flight Design owns approximately 20% of the market in the two largest aviation nations: the USA and Germany. And, the company says, it has maintained or increased this share over several years. Elaboration of FAA’s aircraft registration database show the German brand has held this dominant portion of the market for the three years that Light-Sport Aircraft have existed, despite a fury of activity to launch 75 new models of Light-Sport Aircraft. Flight Design has more than twice the number of registered LSA of its closest competitor, American Legend, and their Cub replica. Further, Flight Design has more market share than the combined registrations of the 3-, 4-, and 5-ranked companies (Evektor, Tecnam, and CubCrafters).

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Chandler, AZ—Mooney Airplane Company, manufacturers of the world’s fastest single engine piston airplane, will conduct an exclusive one-day workshop featuring technical seminars on Mooney maintenance, aircraft modifications, Teledyne Continental engines and Garmin avionics. On Saturday, March 1, Mooney representatives will be at Landmark Aviation’s Scottsdale Airport (SDL) location from 10 AM until 3 PM. The event will be hosted by Chandler Aviation, Mooney’s authorized service representatives in the Valley of the Sun and will include lunch and door prizes for attendees. Wayne Fischer, Mooney Team Representative for the Southwestern United States, will also provide demonstration flights in a new Mooney Acclaim. Two attendees will be eligible to receive $400 off of their next annual inspections at Chandler Aviation.

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February 15, 2008, Oshkosh, WI - Sonex Aircraft, LLC announced this week the availability of Sport Acro Ailerons for Sonex and Waiex aircraft. All new Sonex and Waiex Complete Airframe Kits shipped after February 1, 2008 include Universal aileron skin stock that may be trimmed appropriately to fit either traditional or Sport Acro aileron dimensions. Also included are all flap and aileron ribs required to perform either installation, along with all required documentation. Existing customers may purchase from Sonex Aircraft, LLC all parts necessary to retrofit their aircraft with Sport Acro Ailerons. Sport Acro Ailerons are intended to increase Sonex or Waiex roll rate for added fun and enhanced aerobatic capability. The standard Sonex or Waiex aileron provides a roll rate of approximately 80 degrees per second. Very preliminary test flight video footage has shown that Sport Acro Ailerons provide at least 105 degrees per second of roll at 125 mph.

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Echterdingen, GERMANY / 14 February 2008 - Flight Design and LAMA, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, jointly announced at the 2008 Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo that Flight Design successfully completed an independent audit of the ASTM standards compliance. Third-party audits such as LAMA facilitates are well received by customers, insurance companies, membership organizations, FAA, and NTSB officials. The audits assure industry consensus standards are being followed. Such audits are voluntary and performed at the expense of the manufacturer. At a ceremony in front of the company’s newly certified CTLS model on January 19th, LAMA president Tom Gunnarson presented Flight Design USA president Tom Peghiny with a certificate of completion. With the process complete, Flight Design may begin applying the LAMA Label, a seal authenticating that Flight Design declaration documents are valid as the company has demonstrated meeting every section of the F37 standard 2245. This ASTM standard includes sections such as Design and Performance, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Continued Airworthiness, and more.

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Sebring, FLORIDA / February 14, 2008 — Lockwood Aircraft announced its first Exotic Destination Fly-Out, this one to the Bahamas. Air-Cam Director of Sales and Marketing, George Weber, explained, “We have assembled 14 Air-Cam owners who will fly en masse across the Atlantic from Florida’s St. Lucie Int’l Airport (FPR) airport to the Marsh Harbour Airport (MYAM) in the Bahamas.” The fly-out will depart the mainland on Friday March 7, 2008 and return on Sunday the 9th. All arrangements have been made with Bahamian authorities to receive this fleet of one-of-a-kind open cockpit twin-engine aircraft. “The Air-Cam entourage will be met by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism staffer Keith Gomez, who promises to make the international entry a pleasure,” Weber indicated. And, on the arrival evening, the Ministry of Tourism will host a reception for the aviators and their copilots at the host hotel, Abaco Beach Resort.

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Congratulations to Tony Lewis, with build partner Jim Newman, of Winter Haven, Florida, whose AeroVee powered, Tri-Gear Sonex (S/N 858) flew for the first time on January 30. First flight was made by Jim Newman. “No problems, the plane flew great just as a Sonex should,” reports Tony Lewis. Gold Wings are on the way to Tony and Jim! This first flight (reported to Sonex on Feb. 8) marks the 200th reported Sonex Aircraft Completion, however, the chronology of first flights on the Sonex Completions Gallery actually shows that Stuart Trist flew the 200th completion, with a first flight of February 2. Sonex would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations and thanks to Stuart, Tony and Jim for helping us ring-in “Number 200!”

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We are happy to announce that our new intermediate glider SPORT 4 (class 1-2) is released and certified in sizes S, M, L and XL! Using new technology fed down from our World Champion winning competition wings we managed to create an intermediate glider with siginficantely higher performance. Improved pitch and roll stability make this extra performance easy to use – it literally floats to the top of the stack with minimal inputs and glides away from the pack. Certified to the new European Standard EN 926 as well as to the German LTZ it passed with an amazing test result of 21 A and only 3 B which equals a very safe, medium skill 1-2 glider.

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Sweden was today unveiled as the latest country to host a round of the incredible Red Bull Air Race World Series. The announcement that a race will be held in Stockholm for the first time was made by Bernd Loidl (CEO) in the dramatic surrounds of Hangar-7 at Salzburg Airport in Austria. Bids from around the world were considered before the final calendar was decided. For the first time, Detroit will appear as the second city in America to host a round of the 2008 World Series. Rotterdam is back on the calendar after a successful Red Bull Air Race in the Dutch city in 2005. Spain will also stage a race (city to be announced soon). Ten cities in all will make up the 2008 Red Bull Air Race World Series calendar with the traditional season opener in Abu Dhabi on the 10th and 11th of April. The remaining cities, who all hosted a round in 2007, are San Diego, London, Budapest, Porto and Perth.

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The Company JIHLAVAN airplanes Ltd. – Czech manufacturer of the airplane KP-5 well known in the USA will with the cooperation of their official US distributor, Mr. Edwin Miller from Kappa Aircraft (PA), present modernised S-LSA airplane KP-5 under new name SKYLEADER on the occasion of U.S. Aviation Expo Sebring, Florida (USA). The airplane is certified as Special Light-Sport Aircraft and distributed in various alternations in many countries all over the world since 1997. SKYLEADER is especially intended for customers with above standard requests for long Cross-Country flights, Flight Schools and individual recreational-sport flying. Its privileges are high performance and safe flight characteristics, extremely roomy and comfortable cockpit and most accessible advanced electronics in its category.

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Antoine Montant of France was crowned the first ever Red Bull Speedride champion, ahead of Mathias Roten (SUI) and Francois Bon (FRA), after completing two stunning runs on the Kreuzjochspitze Mountain in St. Anton am Arlberg in Austria on Wednesday January 23rd. The top three had been chosen to compete in a superfinal after a qualification process held two days earlier which had seen 16 speedriders from six nations battle it out on Arlbergs Mattun mountain. The pilots themselves had made the selection at a public judging event on Tuesday evening by means of a video analysis. Riders were judged by nine other athletes according to their chosen line down the ultra-steep and rocky Kreuzjochspitze, which is only accessible by helicopter, by their Touch and Go creativity, flying skills, skiing skills and energy and smoothness of the run. Heavy snowfall on Tuesday night coupled with brilliant blue skies on Wednesday set the scene for a mighty showdown between the trio.

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January 28, 2008, Sandpoint, ID…Quest Aircraft Company is pleased to announce the first customer delivery of the KODIAK. The completed aircraft was delivered to Spirit Air in a presentation ceremony Friday, January 25, at the company’s headquarters in Sandpoint in the presence of the entire Quest team. Accepting the KODIAK were the co-owners of Spirit Air, JoAnn Wolters and Dan Schroeder. Spirit Air was the lead commercial customer for the KODIAK when the company began taking deposits in May 2005.

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At only 38 years old, the experience of Rémi Artusio is very impressive. 17 hours on Cap 10, 900 hours on TB30 Epsilon of which 750 as instructor, 130 hours on Alfa Jet, 1550 hours on Mirage 2000 and 350 hours on Mystere 20. He also has a hundred hours on planes flying club. Moreover he holds a captain and Deputy Chief Monitor licences. His military discipline as well as his experiences brings a lot to the development of the tests and flight of the aircraft.

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January 18, 2008 (Sebring, FL) – X-Air announced today that they have joined LAMA (Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association). “LAMA is the premier LSA advocate and provides services unique to the aviation industry,” stated David McRae, responsible for X-Air’s flight test and training program. “LAMA is an active organization that is constantly in pursuit of the interests of our category aircraft.” X-Air is in the process of completing the requirements for the consensus standard to attain SLSA status with the X-Air LS. The LS is on display at the Sebring Expo with a demonstration aircraft on hand as well. Priced at $46,900, the X-Air LS is sure to attract attention for its affordability but also for its easy handling characteristics.

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SEBRING, FLORIDA (January 17th, 2008) -ByDanJohnson.com went live a few months before the Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft rule was announced at AirVenture 2004. Three years later the website has become a valued resource for buyers of LSA, ultralights and kit-built aircraft that Sport Pilots may fly. At the LSA-only trade show in Sebring, Florida, ByDanJohnson.com announced a new resource, the FIRM List ByDanJohnson. FIRM List stands for Flight Instruction, Rental, and Maintenance of Light-Sport Aircraft. In column form, the directory reveals verified businesses across the USA that provide these services. The list can easily be sorted in a variety of ways to help buyers or potential buyers find places where they can receive these essential services. Links to the FIRM List can be found on the home page of ByDanJohnson.com.

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Seventeen speedriding pioneers and stars will fly into St Anton am Arlberg, in the heart of the Austrian Alps on January 21st, 2008 for the first international Red Bull Speedride big mountain event. Speedriding is a combination of skiing, flying and speed, with a large dose of adrenaline thrown in for good measure. Athletes rapidly descend mountain pistes wearing skis and using a small paraglider to propel them to frightening speeds, which often exceed 80km/h. Using the glider’s controls, the pros can reduce speed, increase lift and utilise obstacles and ground irregularities to jump over cliffs tens of metres high or soar for long distances just a few metres over the surface. Fans and newcomers alike now have the possibility to experience speedriding at close range at the first Red Bull Speedride in St. Anton am Arlberg, which starts on January 21st.

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