JMB VL3 915is aircraft - full demo flight + Q&A 

VL3 is very pleasure and easy to flight, I was impressed by performance and stability, including stall prevention characteristics in straight flight, in turns, with engine, on idle, with flaps and without flaps. And best on that airplane is possibility to land on very short airfields because very efficient flaps. VL3 is my personal TOP in this category from all types I tested in flight.

Great Video. Love the VL3 and hope to see more of the 915 turbo in the US over the next year or so. Love the avionics in the model you flew.

What a great video editing and aesthetic

Lance Neibauer was a fantastic artists and aircraft designer. The highest form of flattery is this.

Nice overview.thanks.

It will be interesting to see what the FAA does next year with the changes in LSA rules, hoping it will be like EASA where we can have retracts and cs props and no speed restrictions and get the allowable weight to where we can take 2 -200lb people , full fuel and few few pounds for baggage.

JMB is a dynamic and smart company. I am looking forward to them making Evolution aircraft.

great and many thanks for sharing

In this category it seems to come down to the VL3 (is 915) and the Swiss V-†ail, the Risen, that has extraordinary cruise figures. Truly amazing.... but the field requirements of VL3 (915) are quiet exceptional. In Oz I'm inclined to lean to short field performance due to a lack of huge concrete runways at every AIP listed airport, and some of my friends simple gravel/grass runways that exist in their hundreds at remote properties across a vast brown land. Because of the long distances, the speed is a serious factor, as is the fuel burn. But the idea of a slow, short landing, a tough a/c seems slightly better than the Risen. Obviously more to consider here including price, delivery, support, bureaucrats, and many other unexpected interruptions to the fun... I like the JB-3's structural load factor meaning you are unlikely to rip the wings off easily in a simple barrel roll or a nice loop. But there seems to be a shortage of data for the Risen's G limits, and its spin tolerance. I know everyone likes a plane that doesn't stall easily, but I prefer to know what it feels like when you step across the usual boundaries and the aircraft "departs" No nice straight and level stalls with the power coming off slowly, rather, instead, power-on approach config or go around attempts with the nose high, which can come up sharply. I thought that would be an essential part of at least Commercial Pilot handling skills.. That's another story. Pardon me.... These two aircraft define how much the progress tech advances have made in the post 1990s, and have landed in these new aircraft........ Composites, CFD, CAD, Modeling, Avionics, Parachutes, Quality control, automated production, and an exceptional group of ideas people with an esprit du corp, an idea, a vision,........ not just an ROI mob focused on "Value extraction" So... why haven't these kinds of a/c been exploding out of the US? ...... (not interested in bureaucracy stories..). Its a philosophy question, not a political one...... thoughts? The Dr.

Is all of that panel necessary for a simple single engine application?

He says still in the UL category, do they have any plans to certify it under CS-23 in the future?

Hard to believe it can be operated at less than 1320 pounds, with two men onboard, having the weight of an emergency chute, retractable gear, 40 US gallons, inflight variable pitch propeller, leather interior, at least two autopilot servos, IFR level, dual large-screen avionics, etc. I’m not complaining. I’m just pretty sure the Empty weight is more than 800 pounds with all that equipment- maybe Well Over 800. With those fuel tanks full, pilot better be a 16 year old girl 😮 That being said, this is the most desirable aircraft out there to replace my Baby Lancair 320 (Skystar Pulsar III with Gen-4 Jabiru 3300 @ 120hp).

niceeeeeeee :))

Is the aircraft able to be IFR certified.

Nice review…impressive performance for sure! What was the baggage/cargo compartment like?

I wish I had money to buy a beautiful plane like this. And to learn how to fly in general.

Is this available in kit form??

The Magnus Fusion is in Deland FL. If it's close, could you do a video on that plane and then compare all three? Thanks. Rick

I actually did a demo in the VL3 in Belgium. Can you tell me what video camera you used in the airplane?

To the attention of Rotax aircraft engine users! This engine worked for 210 hours and fell apart during the flight in the air. The reason was oil starvation of one crankshaft journal. A preliminary inspection showed that the problem was from the very beginning and the connecting rod at least received lubrication from the crankcase. But it wasn't enough and the connecting rod with the bushing, having received a large gap, collapsed. From beginning of operation with a warm engine, when the speed was reduced to a minimum, the temperature and oil pressure began to rise. By adding speed, everything returned to normal.

How does it recover from a spin?

Can they land in the displaced threshold in Europe?

Great airplane.....would you do long cross country flight in this and what is the range at 15000ft 170kt....can you get 1100 to 1200nm out of this plane?

Now that you've flown the Elixir 915 and VL3 915, which do you prefer? Thanks.

Mike can you have adresse to test this VL3 please thanks Jean philippe

The expensive price of the plane defeats the low cost of flight time.

Ok i'm sold. when are you doing the giveaway?

Really wanted to like the VL3 but unfortunately it’s made for tiny people. And yes I sat in both the XL and regular version. Hair touches canopy and that’s without a headset.

Why no autopilot is aloud in Germany?

Oooohhh... What's that hot little T-Tail behind the VL3?

Great video! Thx! Is it just me or is all the background music annoying? Thx again Mike Fitzgerald

It would have been nice if you didn’t stand in front of the plane, blocking the entire view. Maybe show how the plane looks without all of you in the way.

What's the range?

Pity this wouldn't be considered a LSA in Australia

Gr8 Aircraft. However the new "Dark Aero" will be flying at 275 miles per hour . Pretty sure thats 440 ks per hour . With a Range of 2000 miles . Its called progress

Who is the person on the right? Is he the US dealer? What is his contact info?

“Cette est a proxy le meme comme l’ATL Avion Tres Legere en 🇫🇷 France” Bon Vol 💙 et bon chance on the market 🇺🇸💙🇪🇺.”

just WT9 DYNAMIC

300k is too much. They are getting too comfortable in prices. Risen 915 is a significantly superior plane and doesn't cost more. FK14 should be coming in a 915 version and is much cheaper but they are completely neglecting expansion into demand so you can't even order it. So dumb.

Good video... awful music and audio mixing.

At 2, 300,000 Euros, cost is one barrier this airplane fail to break. The use of Rotax did not help at all for that too is a huge company , and someone have to pay their very high overhead costs. I seen other makes use ATV engines or auto engines and they are trying to get the price down to below 100, Euro. Garmin is another big name which we have to pay for, others I seen use Dynon, and no auto pilots or parachutes. If you start with a basic stripped down airframe and let the customers pick just what they want, you sell more than just load up the plane with everything, and half the stuff many pilots can do without.There is an old say, what is engineering,? it is to make something for $3 that any fool can make for $10.

For decades I advocate not to wear those baseball caps in general aviation aircraft because in any airborne vehicle it becomes a look-out limiting device 🥶 All that wonderful instrumentation (even much nicer than the B787 I operate) already creates a head in the cockpit complex because 99% of the wanna-bees try to figure it out in the air in stead of on the ground or a classroom

Too long. Too patronizing.. Nice aircraft.

Drop the background music freaking annoying