Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Dman
#1912603
Hi
Anyone any experience with the SLA 80 Executive microlight?
Might have the chance of a 1 shortly, but not many around
By Big Dex
#1912628
What @lobstaboy said.

Wannabe Skyranger with a wildly different level of backup and after sales service, Skins likely to be sketchy unless changed recently (which seems unlikely; parts are not known for being readily available).

That being said: If it’s cheap enough for the engine and prop value to cover most of the purchase price, fair enough.
By JodelDavo
#1912654
Love the way it’s called an ‘Executive’.

Reminds me of that old Rothmans advert with the 4 stripe airline captain driving some fancy sports car, yet smoking a fag and giving a false impression of superiority. I guess that’s the kind of chap who’d be flying an SLA80 Executive.

(He’s probably died of lung cancer by now or at least lost his medical.)
By Peter D
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1912658
I remember that ad, I think the caption was 'When you know what you're doing' - with a Rothman fag packet by the gear stick!!
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By lobstaboy
#1912662
JodelDavo wrote:Reminds me of that old Rothmans advert with the 4 stripe airline captain driving some fancy sports car, yet smoking a fag and giving a false impression of superiority. )


You're using 20:20 hindsight there. At the time that was the definition of superiority, no false about it. I couldn't afford Rothmans - Players No 6 or rollies...

The other reasons I don't like the SLA80 in addition to those above are its rather flimsy undercarriage, the fact that it's really too heavy for the 450kg weight limit (big faff now if you wanted to go up in weight, though I guess it could be done), the glass cockpit that had to be used due weight, and to me the indifferent handling.
I'd prefer a C42 - and that's saying something.
I'd be interested in the response from TLAC. My suspicion is they took it over primarily to stop anybody else getting it, so support may not be that smooth - but then I'm a cynical old bu66er (and I should say that in my dealings with them Paul and his colleagues have been exemplary).
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By Dman
#1912663
Ok
A bit more info on this
Its a 2018 model Xlam skins with @25 hours on
Basically Medways demo
Been through the workshop at The Light Aircraft company, and is coming up for sale shortly.

I already fly a Skyranger swift, but at 6`4" tall, and most of it legs it gets a bit uncomfortable after a while
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By lobstaboy
#1912667
Ah. OK thats a lot more promising. If you like it and the price is acceptable, than its a definite maybe...
When I was involved Medways demo aircraft was a ghastly pink colour - it's not still like that is it?
(no it can't be, you say it's a recent one...)
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1912688
lobstaboy wrote:I'd be interested in the response from TLAC. My suspicion is they took it over primarily to stop anybody else getting it, so support may not be that smooth - but then I'm a cynical old bu66er (and I should say that in my dealings with them Paul and his colleagues have been exemplary).


I don't think TLAC have been particularly secretive about their motives - they're adapting it into a proposed future budget level production training aircraft they hope will occupy the sort of place that the Thrusters and AXs have been in the past. Paul Hendry-Smith has been fairly critical of the aeroplane since he took it on, but mostly from the perspective of what he considers to be poor production engineering, rather than an inherently poor aircraft. That probably does mean that by the time it's back in production, a lot of the individual parts may not be interchangeable with any legacy aircraft.

My advice to anybody thinking of buying an ex Medway aircraft, particularly if it's been through TLAC recently, is to phone Paul for a chat about it. He is well known for his extreme honesty, and I'd take on face value any advice he gives you.

G
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