JMB VL3 draws US pilot interest as light sport rules widen

The JMB VL3 Evolution is a low-wing light aircraft with a following in Europe, where it holds ultralight certification. In the United States it comes in as an experimental aircraft, according to Nick Weber, who manages operations at Elite Pilot Services in Bend, Oregon. The company sells the design.

Part of its appeal in America is tied to shifting rules. As MOSAIC opens a broader set of aircraft to certificated sport pilots, flight schools and individual pilots are adding the VL3 to their fleets. JMB markets the model around cross-country speed, advertising cruising at more than 200 knots.

Earlier this year a demo tour brought the VL3 to the Pacific Northwest. Weber and demo pilot Jacob Meinig flew it between local airports offering demonstration flights, including a stop at Tacoma Narrows Airport in Gig Harbor, Washington, where the aircraft sat on the ramp on a breezy day. Among the buyers met on the tour were pilots shopping for a personal aircraft for long trips.

For flight schools working to tight budgets, the question is different. A trainer has to carry a learner through private, instrument, commercial and instructor certificates while staying manageable for students and cheap enough to operate. The VL3 is being pitched with that mission in mind.