Matt Ricciardi

I went with the cognac leather, too. Looks great next to the blue paint on the exterior. Dynon avionics aren't advertised as an option anymore, although you might be able to get them by special request. I've only flown Garmin panels since transitioning from a traditional six pack years ago. Lots of G1000 time, plus some G3X Touch and G500/GTN650 time. Dynon is popular in homebuilt experimental airplanes here in the States, mostly due to lower pricing and good support, I think.

We don't have views like those here in the States, at least on the East Coast! Love the paint colors. My plane just got back from the paint shop with a similar shade of blue, along with light and dark silver, in the 916iS Limited "pixel" design.

Yep, I was thinking along the same lines. This forum uses the same backend as the very popular Mooneyspace.com forum for Mooney aircraft. Seems to be working well so far and plenty of room for growth. Many of the core JMB folks are on here, along with customers, brokers, and insurance agents. I created a new "Australia & New Zealand" regional forum for you and others "down under" to coordinate. Didn't realize several VL3s were already flying there but glad to hear it!

Hey, John... Welcome to the forum. Our first member in the Southern Hemisphere, so far as I'm aware! Thanks for this data and the couple other practical tips just posted. Most of us here in the States are still eagerly awaiting our planes, so advice from experienced VL3 pilots is very much appreciated!

While patiently waiting for my VL3 to be shipped across the pond, I'm continuing to build retract hours in a rather "well-seasoned" Piper Arrow: The conventional six-pack and spinning knobs on a 530 will no-doubt make me appreciate the new panel that much more. But, seriously, glad I learned to fly on these older panels--and still fly on them in decent weather. Only 10.6 more hours to 1,000 hours total time (and, hopefully, an insurance premium break)! For those looking for a fun destination in the mid-Atlantic region, I flew into Harrisburg International (KMDT) for a nearby Harrisburg Senators minor league baseball game with a non-pilot buddy: Good stadium and operations, and a good value at $41 for front row behind home plate and all-you-can-eat buffet in the clubhouse. Beer not included, but I obviously wasn't drinking anyway! Only a $5 government landing fee at KMDT (and no parking, ramp, handling, security or other fees) with the purchase of at least 10 gallons of moderately over-priced 100LL from AvFlight. Very nice facilities and friendly staff. The FBO is walking distance to the airline terminal, so Uber/Lyft is readily available.

Nice segment with @Matej talking about the VL3 on a popular European YouTube channel:

The Czech Light Aircraft Association granted final approval for JMB to fly all VL3s with the 750kg gross weight increase option, according to an e-mail several U.S. customers received from a U.S. sales agent today. We're told this means JMB can now complete, flight test, and ship VL3s with the 750kg gross weight increase option "without any further delay." With AERO Friedrichshafen concluding tomorrow, I'm personally hopeful that shipping these overdue planes will be the next priority. We'll see...

Photos from Day 2 of AERO Friedrichshafen 2024, courtesy of JMB Aircraft social media.

That would be consistent with the display aircraft at AERO Friedrichshafen last year. The VL3 916iS on display didn't actually contain a 916iS engine. Regardless, glad you're making progress towards completion again. I went through several rounds on the panel myself and just signed-off on the final last week.

Excellent. Please keep us posted! Group after-market arrangement sounds promising and more economical for everyone. My current plan is to do nothing initially, see how this option shakes out, and then decide next steps. I'm on the East Coast, so oxygen isn't essential, although I'll eventually want to get up higher for better performance and fuel economy with the turbocharged engine.

Update: I'm told the "VL3" type code should be added to the FAA/ATC computer system no later than the June 13th update cycle. Meanwhile, folks flying IFR can continue to use the "ZZZZ" code with "TYP/VL3" in Item 18. Not an issue for VFR flight plans because they're routed through a different system.

AVweb posted an interview and demo of the Aithre Turbo Oxygen Maker on YouTube. Presenter said it can support two people up to 15k feet or one person up to 18k feet with continuous flow. Cost is north of $5k.

Sneak preview of the JMB area at AERO Friedrichshafen 2024. Photos by Richard Gouble, factory pilot and VL3 flight instructor. I see a new VL3 916iS paint scheme, two VL3 turbines, and a Phoenix powered glider.

Still working this VL3 type code issue with assistance from some friends at a DC-area ATC facility. No resolution yet. Meanwhile, for those curious, here's a flight strip for a test flight plan with the "ZZZZ" workaround. Unfortunately, the strip still shows "ZZZZ" in the aircraft type field rather than the "VL3" code.

My cousin builds fiberglass boats and was curious what paint JMB uses on VL3s, so I asked the factory and figured I'd share the information here for anyone who might be curious. JMB uses the PPG Quickline paint system with a base color followed by a clearcoat. The factory emphasized that all automotive paint brands are possible, presumably to color match a favorite car. The paint has always looked great when I've seen it in person. Deeply saturated colors with a glossy finish.

I signed-off on the final panel design and sent it to be cut today. (Layout diagram attached.) Dual Garmin G3X Touch displays with a GTN 650Xi in a more traditional center stack -- physical buttons rather than a GTN 750Xi and remoting everything else, controversial but personal preference. To my surprise and delight, JMB swapped in the new Garmin GTN 215 as the secondary NAV/COM radio. We spent a couple minor revisions tweaking the labels for consistency and to comport with standard phraseology here in the States. Hopefully a good model for other U.S. customers moving forward, even if they want to substitute a GTN 750Xi in the middle. Performance numbers and limitations for the 916iS engine with the 750kg gross weight increase option are still being finalized, so the placards will be updated before installation.

Here are a few photos of the JMB area for those unable to attend. Photos courtesy of @Doug Garrou.

In the Evo Turbine section, the reference to "the required 40 hours of test flying" sure sounds like proceeding under the EAB regime. Even that doesn't make much sense, however, since buyers could still use the new task-based testing approach following the factory test plan, similar to how things are done on the VL3 side now. In the VL3 section, yep, my understanding is that the VL3 will qualify as a MOSAIC LSA and so no longer need to go the EAB route here in the States. The comment period on the draft MOSAIC regulations closed in January. The FAA is reviewing the comments now. Next step is, I believe, for the FAA to publish responses to the comments and any amendments to the draft regulations accordingly. Timing could work for an announcement at Oshkosh, like you said. Reasonably safe bet, I think, that any new orders placed today would be delivered after MOSAIC comes into force. We'll see!

Thanks, Jim. This is helpful. I'm holding off on an oxygen installation for now, but I still plan to install one in the future. Very interested to hear how the bottle-less system works -- definitely more convenient!

Excellent, and not surprising. Any photos of the VL3 booth you can share? I won't be able to make it this year.

(April 7, 2024) AERO Friedrichshafen is the global platform for all aspects of General Aviation – discover the variety of our industry in 12 exhibition halls and our static display ranging from Gliders, Ultralights, piston aircraft and helicopters up to Business Aviation. With more than 650 exhibitors from 35 countries, 35,000+ attendees and 500+ journalists from all over the world, AERO Friedrichshafen is the international community’s annual meeting place. JMB Aircraft is excited to present several exciting updates in our production lineup. Chief among them is the unveiling of our new production plant in the Czech Republic, which serves as the final assembly point for both the VL3 and new Phoenix Motorglider aircraft. This year, at Aero Friedrichshafen, we are proud to showcase the production line of the Evo, an ultimate four-seater aircraft equipped with a Pratt and Whitney Turbine engine. Additionally, we will be showcasing the production edition of the VL3 featuring a Turbine engine, and we will have two units of the Phoenix available for viewing at Friedrichshafen. Furthermore, we will be sharing details about the VL3 with a maximum takeoff weight of 750kg. We invite you to join us at hall B2-101 for the ultimate celebration of aviation.

Haha, yes. I think the floats might detract from the cruise performance just a little.

I can't make it this year, but I'm aware of one other Florida-based customer who plans to attend. Not sure he's on here, so I'll send you a private message with details.

(March 21, 2024) Sun ’n Fun 2024 is just around the corner. From its humble beginnings in 1974 as a fly-in for sport aviation enthusiasts, the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo has grown into one of the largest and most successful aviation events on earth. Are you ready to see VL3, Evo & Phoenix up close and personal? NOW IS THE TIME! Join us this year in Lakeland, FL at booth MD-033B from April 9-14. If you’re interested in scheduling a demo, we will have a demo plane ready and available. Send us a demo request and we will contact you with more details. The JMB team is looking forward to seeing you all down in Florida 🌴