Saturday, August 18, 2012

Would-be owners buzz Aircraft Expo

 
Pilot Don Bobo of Santa Ana listens to the virtues of the Diamond Aircraft Industries DA42 NG, from company representative Erick Bryant at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. 
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 
The most expensive aircraft at the California Aircraft expo is this $4.5 million turbo-prop Pilatus PC-12 NG. The expo is where the latest models of general aviation aircraft is on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana.
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
 Morris Hodges of Tustin talks with Pilatus Sales Director Larry Bardon of Carlsbad aboard the PC-12 NG at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. The Pilatus PC-12 NG sells for $4.5 million and is the most expensive aircraft shown at the expo.
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
   
Allen Yourman of Newport Beach finds out more about the Lancair Evolution, an experimental 4-passenger kit aircraft from company representative Doug Meyer, left, as Orange County Sheriff's Sgt. Robert Long listens during the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER 

 Andrew Brooks of Beverly Hills learns the fine points about flying a Aviat Aircraft Husky A-1C from Shane Sentz at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. The Husky is a bush plane that is usually used to fly to remote places in the world.
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
  
 Pilot and museum goers look over general aviation aircraft, like this Cessna Grand Caravan at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. 
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER



 
Michael Squadrille of Los Alamitos looks over a Cessna Light-Sport with his friend Ray Loehner of Huntington Beach in the cockpit at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. The light-Sport is one of the least expensive aircraft shown at the expo and can be flown without a pilot's license.
 KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Andrew and Ana Brooks of Beverly Hills study the rigging on a Husky A-1C by Aviat Aircraft at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana.
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

  
 Ron Chausse of Newport Beach, left, and Rich Parker of Costa mesa learn about the new avionics instrumentation available in the Cessna Grand Caravan from Mark Vanderpool, a Cessna Aircraft demo pilot, at the California Aircraft expo where the latest models of general aviation aircraft are on display Saturday at Martin Aviation and the Lion Air Museum in Santa Ana. 
KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER


By SABRINA LOUNSBURY / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER


 SANTA ANA – As commercial airlines jetted by on the runway, a crowd of aircraft lovers and curious passersby waited in line to enter the 3rd annual Aircraft Expo at Lyon Air Museum early Saturday morning. As each visitor was admitted through the hangar doors, they were greeted by large, gleaming aircrafts.

Martin Aviation teamed up with Lyon Air Museum to provide a day full of fun and excitement: seeing the latest in aircraft technology, as well as walking through a WWII-era museum.

Aircraft prices ranged from $200,000 to more than $4 million. A single-engine jet plane from Switzerland was well talked about among buyers, with its selling price around $5 million. The aircraft went above and beyond buyer's expectations: it had leather upholstered seats, a roomy cabin and many other amenities.

Nearly a dozen planes, with representatives from their companies, were on display to be sold. Buyers from all over Orange County were carefully studying each plane's interior and exterior. They were given the opportunity to go inside each aircraft, and airplane specialists were there to answer any questions.

Aircraft ranged from two seater Cessna's, to six seating passenger jet planes. Cessna, Piper, Hawker Beechcraft, Diamond, Husky, Pilatus, Lancair, Cirrus and many more were featured

Sales representatives took time to brag about their aircraft: newest technologies, whether it was to tell about a more fuel efficient aircraft, better technology inside the aircraft, or a custom paint job.

Not every person was there to buy, however: Visitors could also purchase insurance for their planes, as well as view the latest models in general aviation.

Children and adults alike climbed around inside airplanes, and talked about aircraft engineering and its history. To escape the heat, visitors had the opportunity to go inside Lyon Aircraft Museum and talk to Museum volunteers.

"Every plane or vehicle in this museum is fully functional. All the aircraft can fly just as they did 30 years ago, and the vehicles are all mobile. It makes this place unique, and all the volunteers work hard to teach young people the correct WWII knowledge," said Kirk Willis, a volunteer and commercial pilot.

The museum features WWII aircraft, varying from huge stealth bombers, to smaller fighter planes, as well as a personal collection of vehicles from Founder Major General William Lyon, USAF. .

The museum will be celebrating its third anniversary Oct. 8.

Read more and photos:  http://www.ocregister.com

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