That’s precisely what I was looking for as I walked the static displays at the 2014 U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida. The January event is a growing venue that unofficially kicks off a fresh flying season. I look forward to the show because I use it to gauge the health of the LSA market and to sample the mood of buyers in the lower end of the market. The Sun ‘n Fun international fly-in, which follows in early April, is more revealing.
Organizers said the 2014 LSA show was the most successful in its 10-year history, but that doesn’t necessarily mean vendors were selling lots of airplanes. The ones I talked with said the quality of the visitors was better than in previous years. In show talk, that means fewer tire-kickers and more qualified buyers. Thierry Zibi from Sam Aircraft told me that most of the potential buyers he spoke with were knowledgeable about the LSA market and came to Sebring ready to buy. Other vendors reported a similar trend, but not many orders.