THE LEADER Flight Design: Head of the class There's a reason the guy in the cockpit is smiling. He's flying the best-selling LSA—the CTLS from Flight Design. With double the market share of its closest competitor, if you see an LSA at a flight school, odds are it's a Flight Design. Which is saying something. Because, let's face it—the CTLS is not the most beautiful airplane ever built. Fun? Yes. Beautiful? Not so much. But what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in flight. Gentle characteristics, a huge cabin for its small stature, and fuel burns down in the bicycle range all make this airplane a winner. FUN FACT: Flight Design had to slow down the CTLS so that it could meet the 120-knot airspeed limitation for LSA. MODEL: Flight Design CTLS WHERE IT'S MADE: Ukraine by a German company CONSTRUCTION: Carbon-fiber composite ENGINE: Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower CABIN WIDTH: 49 inches AIRFRAME PARACHUTE: Yes LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT MAY BE BRAND-NEW MACHINES THAT HAVE JUST ROLLED OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE, OR THEY MAY BE 70-YEAR-OLD CLASSICS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE RAMP FOR OUR ENTIRE LIVES. AUGUST 2011 FLIGHT TRAINING / 29