Wisk Aero autonomously flew its fifth-generation âCoraâ eVTOL technology demonstrator at EAA AirVenture on Tuesday. The aircraft made several passes in front of the airshow crowd line and transitioned from hover to wing-borne flight four times. The unmanned flight also included multiple maneuvers, among them hover and 360-degree pedal turns.

This was the first public demonstration of the Wisk fifth-generation aircraft, and the flight was monitored by Wisk controllers in Mountain View, California.

Tecnam announced on Wednesday at EAA AirVenture that it will sell its P-Mentor training aircraft to North American customers. Flight school launch customers include Kansas-based Kilo Charlie Aviation, the Vermont Flight Academy, Melbourne Flight Training in Florida, and the Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.

The two-seat P-Mentor is powered by a Rotax 912 engine. It is fully IFR-capable with PBN/RNAV/AFCS compatible avionics and compliant with the applicable CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. It is equipped with a variable pitch propeller and simulated retractable landing gear. A ballistic parachute is available as an option.

Jack Pelton, the Experimental Aircraft Association chairman and CEO, praised the work of members of the U.S. House of Representatives in crafting the new FAA reauthorization Act but thinks the legislation could likely die when it reaches the Senate due to disagreements over airline-related issues including mandatory retirement age and minimum hour standards for crew. “I don’t think it is going to get through the Senate, but I was very pleased the way the House managed it,” Pelton said. “They put everything we asked for in it and then some.”

Pelton also was effusive in his praise for the FAA’s recent notice of proposed rulemaking on Mosaic (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates), noting that light sport aircraft will now be qualified based on performance as opposed to weight and can include aircraft with maximum speeds of up to 250 mph and be equipped with retractable landing gear and a constant-speed propeller. “It’s absolutely more than anyone ever dreamed of and constitutes a new offering in the light sport category,” he said. Pelton said the EAA intended to lobby the FAA to increase the allowable stall speed under the proposed rule to the equivalent of Part 23 standards from the proposed 54 knots and also oppose the requirement for a night vision examination. 

Diamond Aircraft received FAA certification for its $1.15 million DA50 RG turbodiesel-powered piston single Tuesday morning at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Subsequently, it made its first customer delivery for the type in the U.S.

Long-time Diamond dealer Premier Aircraft Sales of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, handed over the aircraft to customer Jordan Cram. It is one of four DA50s that Premier expects to deliver to customers this year.

Comp Air Aviation announced at EAA AirVenture that is taking $10,000 deposits on its $250,000 Model 6.2 kitbuilt aircraft, which is available with either piston or turbine engine power. With piston power via a 350-hp Lycoming TIO 540, the high-wing, fixed-gear, six-place aircraft has a cruising speed of 170 knots, maximum range of 800 nm, and useful load of 2,000 pounds.

The turbine version is slated to be powered by a 650-shp GE/Walter MD601D engine that boosts performance, resulting in a 230-knot cruising speed, 920-nm maximum range, and 3,530-pound useful load. The fuel capacity is 200 gallons.