Meg Godlewski has written a great article for General Aviation News about how light sport aircraft (LSAs) are increasingly attracting a different kind of pilot: The empty nester. According to Meg, the empty nester pilot is an aircraft owner who previously owned a much larger aircraft (e.g. a Bonanza or a Cessna 180) that could accommodate a whole family. However and when the children grew up, there was no need to have the extra seats and so these pilots are now choosing aircraft that are more in line with their space needs and often tighter budgets.
Hence, LSA’s are the perfect solution because after all, they were originally intended to be used by flight schools and student pilots as they tend to be more economical to operate.
Meg then wrote a detailed review about the TL3000 Sirius (as in the star system and not “Cirrus” or “serious”), a ready-to-fly composite high-wing built by Czech aircraft maker TL Ultralight, which she described as being perfect for empty nester pilots because the aircraft was designed for pilots who are getting out of the Cessna 170 or 180 series (but who still want an airplane with similar flying characteristics). Specifically, the aircraft was designed for cruise flight and has a useful load is about 250 kilograms (560 pounds) – approximately 2 people, 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of gear and half tanks. At gross weight, a user will get three hours of flight – which is probably the right amount of flying time for most pilots.
Depending on the options you choose, Meg noted that the TL3000 Sirius will cost anywhere from US$115,000 to US$152,000. Hence and if you are an empty nester pilot looking for a potential aircraft, Meg’s entire article is well worth reading as the TL3000 Sirius, and aircraft just like it, are well worth considering.
