Near ready to pull the trigger on a Flight Design CTLS. Thoughts?

N

Nick C

Pre-Flight
Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
38
Display Name
Display name:
Flyer18
As the title suggests, I'm planning to buy a Flight Design CTLS. I found a 2011 with decent airframe hours that, in a couple of weeks, will be getting a brand new engine. The plane has all the bells and whistles to make it a great little cruiser.

Since the plane is getting a new engine, I wasn't able to take it up when I went to look at it a couple of days ago. Does anyone here have a CTLS. If so, what are your thoughts? How does it fly? Do you prefer it over other LSAs? Over other planes in general?
 
They are light on the controls, and generally a light airplane making not seem as stable as heavier planes like a C-150. The view is different, I equate it to trying to fly a C-150 while sitting out on the wing strut. The panel is off to the side instead of in front of you and you can’t see the cowling at all from the cockpit making it hard to tell when you are straight during landing. Hint a piece of tape on the windshield will likely help for alignment.
Nose wheel is strong enough but not overbuilt and will not take abuse, learn to land on the main wheels.I have seen a few with collapsed nose wheels.

On the other hand is about the most capable light sport airplane I have seen with good load capability, speed and range.

Brian
 
brcase said:
They are light on the controls, and generally a light airplane making not seem as stable as heavier planes like a C-150. The view is different, I equate it to trying to fly a C-150 while sitting out on the wing strut. The panel is off to the side instead of in front of you and you can’t see the cowling at all from the cockpit making it hard to tell when you are straight during landing. Hint a piece of tape on the windshield will likely help for alignment.
Nose wheel is strong enough but not overbuilt and will not take abuse, learn to land on the main wheels.I have seen a few with collapsed nose wheels.

On the other hand is about the most capable light sport airplane I have seen with good load capability, speed and range.

Brian
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips, Brian! I was thinking the same thing about the windshield target. My wife has a Cricut, so I was thinking about cutting out a vinyl crosshair to slap up. If nothing else, it would help stay on the glide slope. As for the capability, I think you're right. In all my looking and reading, it knocks capability out of the park. Full glass panel w/ autopilot along with a giant range due to the fuel-sipping rotax. I'm pretty excited!
 
I have wanted one of these planes for years. I'm a C-150 flyer, love it, but the CTLS is 30% faster on the same fuel burn, wider cabin, better visibility, much longer range, modern avionics, and has a BRS. If you are inclined you can take the LSA repair course as well. Pretty much the only thing my 150 can do that a CT can't is IFR flight, which is pretty uncommon in 150's anyway. Of course the purchase cost is the big difference.

I've been planning my upgrade for years when finances allow, probably 3-4 years from now. For someone like me - 90% solo flying, 90% local, 1-2 long trips per year - it's a perfect fit for the mission.

Go for it and have a blast. Make sure you get plenty of dual, they are a handful if you aren't used to the light controls, but you will quickly adapt.
 
Mine's a 2018 with the 912 iS (great engine!), and we really enjoy it. Plenty of baggage space, wide comfy cabin, fantastic range, decent cruise speed of 110-120 kts, BRS, and burns E10 mogas. I put a little piece of tape on the edge of the glareshield as a reference for landing. Now I don't even need to look at it to land straight.
 
They nearly all have autopilots as well which is handy. I made it back from Seattle to NY in a day and a half in a CT. Less tiring having the autopilot on that trip.

It’s pretty hard to get worse than 6 gph on it. I flew around at 5 gallons an hour mostly. Holds 34 gallons. So it has a really long range.

The new Flight Design F2 has a cavernous cabin and the same great visibility. Great company and fantastic service in the US with Flight Design USA in Connecticut.
 
samiamPA said:
I have wanted one of these planes for years. I'm a C-150 flyer, love it, but the CTLS is 30% faster on the same fuel burn, wider cabin, better visibility, much longer range, modern avionics, and has a BRS. If you are inclined you can take the LSA repair course as well. Pretty much the only thing my 150 can do that a CT can't is IFR flight, which is pretty uncommon in 150's anyway. Of course the purchase cost is the big difference.

I've been planning my upgrade for years when finances allow, probably 3-4 years from now. For someone like me - 90% solo flying, 90% local, 1-2 long trips per year - it's a perfect fit for the mission.

Go for it and have a blast. Make sure you get plenty of dual, they are a handful if you aren't used to the light controls, but you will quickly adapt.
Click to expand...

Most of my dual has been in a few different “rust bucket” Cherokees. I’m looking forward to the sharpness of the CTLS. But yeah the plane fits my current mission perfectly.
 
FastEddieB said:
Reason for the new engine?
Click to expand...

According to the broker, there was some damage to the engine casing due to the cabin heat line being improperly installed or fastened. Due to the relatively cheap cost of the Rotax, it was more economical to just swap the engine out when labor is accounted for.
 
Kent Wien said:
They nearly all have autopilots as well which is handy. I made it back from Seattle to NY in a day and a half in a CT. Less tiring having the autopilot on that trip.

It’s pretty hard to get worse than 6 gph on it. I flew around at 5 gallons an hour mostly. Holds 34 gallons. So it has a really long range.

The new Flight Design F2 has a cavernous cabin and the same great visibility. Great company and fantastic service in the US with Flight Design USA in Connecticut.
Click to expand...

Yeah I look forward to having that autopilot. I’m really anal about keeping perfect altitude and heading, but it can be tough to do when I have to divert attention to navigation, frequency tuning, checklists, etc. There’s a reason I paid extra for the adaptive cruise and lane assist features in my car. Might as well have it in my plane, too!
 
GeorgeC said:
Just learned about this yesterday:
http://flightdesignusa.com/aircraft/ctsw-super/
Click to expand...

I’d say a step in the right direction.

The original goal of Light Sport was to provide simpler, cheaper new planes to pilots. If not the goal, at least the potential. But reality set in when the market leaned towards “gilding the lily” and adding more and more stuff to them, driving up both the EW and prices, now approaching and even exceeding $200k. Which is fine, but putting the planes out of reach of many pilots.

If history is any guide, this “new” CT will not sell well. But if I were in the market for a new Light Sport, I’d want to keep it as simple as possible, not only for cost and weight, but also because there’s less to troubleshoot and maintain.

But That’s Just Me! ™️
 
samiamPA said:
[..] Pretty much the only thing my 150 can do that a CT can't is IFR flight [..]
Click to expand...

It can be converted to E-LSA, what makes it eligible for IFR flight, like any other experimental. I understand that this can be done very easily.
 
My understanding is the more recent list of operating limitation choices include requirements that the ELSA comply with some SLSA restrictions which may well prohibit flight in IMC. One may find it worthwhile to carefully review the FAA Order 8130.2J Appendix D table D-1 Operating Limitations and discuss the limitations to be selected before committing to ELSA for the reason of IFR.
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_8130.2J.pdf
 
Nick C said:
Yeah I look forward to having that autopilot. I’m really anal about keeping perfect altitude and heading, but it can be tough to do when I have to divert attention to navigation, frequency tuning, checklists, etc.
Click to expand...

A good autopilot is a HUGE reduction in workload, especially when trying to navigate or taking direction from ATC. I find that in turbulent air, my autopilot does a fine job holding altitude and heading. Plus if you have ADS-B in and out, that's really helpful too (though it doesn't eliminate the need to look outside and keep your head on a swivel...)

Congrats on the CTLS!
 
Congratulations on your CT acquisition!
They are great little airplanes. I have owned mine for 7 years and enjoy it immensely.
 
Last edited:
German guy said:
It can be converted to E-LSA, what makes it eligible for IFR flight, like any other experimental. I understand that this can be done very easily.
Click to expand...

Yes, but maybe not. See the other post above. The other concern is That I believe the the Rotax manual, it is prohibited from IFR conditions.

All that said, I've seen at least one person on the CTflier forum who does it since the E-LSA conversion. EAA has a webinar on this exact topic coming up in a couple of weeks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top