Is the Flight Design CTLS still in production?

Yes — both the CTLS (carbureted Rotax 912 ULS) and CTLSi GT 2020 (fuel-injected Rotax 912 iS Sport) remain on Flight Design USA's active product list alongside the CT-Super and the newer F2 Certified and F2 LSA. Production volume is much lower than during the type's mid-2000s US LSA bestseller peak — Flight Design USA reports approximately 85 CTLSi airframes delivered since 2012 — but the CT family has not been discontinued. The CTSW (2005-2010) is the only mainline CT variant out of production, alongside the legacy CT2K European microlight.

What is the difference between the Flight Design CTSW, CTLS, and CTLSi?

All three are carbon-composite two-seat LSAs with the Rotax 912 ULS or 912 iS Sport engine. The CTSW (2005–2010) was the first US-S-LSA-certificated CT and became the US LSA bestseller. The CTLS (2010 onwards) added a longer fuselage and a new tail for handling improvements and cabin comfort. The CTLSi (2012 onwards) added the fuel-injected Rotax 912 iS Sport for improved cruise economy and engine management; many late CTLS airframes also carried Garmin G3X Touch or Dynon SkyView glass.

How many Flight Design CTs were built?

Across all CT variants — CT2K, CTSW, CTLS, and CTLSi — Flight Design built more than 1,900 airframes between 1997 and 2016. Approximately 344 CTSW / CTLS airframes were US-registered by 2012, making the series the dominant LSA in the US during that period.

Is the Flight Design F2 the replacement for the CTLS?

Yes. The F2 is the current Flight Design General Aviation new-build model and is positioned as the successor to the CTLS / CTLSi. The F2 retains the Rotax 912 iS Sport powerplant in S-LSA configuration and adds the more powerful Rotax 915 iS option in higher-performance variants. Schools considering a new-build Flight Design airframe today are evaluating the F2 rather than the CTLS.

What engine does the Flight Design CT use?

All CT-family variants use the Rotax 912 series — Rotax 912 ULS (carbureted, 100 hp) on the CTSW and the early CTLS, Rotax 912 iS Sport (fuel-injected, 100 hp) on the CTLSi from 2012 onwards. Both engines are mogas-capable (EN228 unleaded) and 100LL-capable; mogas is the recommended fuel where available.

Flight Design General Aviation

CT family (CTSW / CTLS / CTLSi / F2)

Light sport aircraft (LSA) · LSA trainer · 2000s glass era

Photo: KGG1951 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Power: 100 hp
Cruise: 120 kt
MTOW: 1,320 lb
Range: 850 nm
Fuel: Unleaded mogas (EN228 / autofuel)

🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.

Performance

Cruise speed (Vc)120 kt
Never-exceed speed (Vne)145 kt
Stall (landing config) (Vs0)39 kt
Climb rate960 fpm
Service ceiling15,000 ft
Range850 nm
Endurance7 h
Takeoff roll480 ft
Landing roll480 ft

Weights

MTOW1,320 lb
Empty weight805 lb
Useful load515 lb
Baggage capacity110 lb

Dimensions

Wingspan28.1 ft
Length21 ft
Height7.7 ft
Cabin width49 in

Powerplant

EngineRotax 912 ULS — 100 hp · Mogas · 4.5 gph
Total horsepower100 hp
Primary fuelUnleaded mogas (EN228 / autofuel)
Unleaded pathMogas-capable (Rotax 912 / equivalent)

Cockpit & avionics

Cockpit typeglass
Autopilot commonly availableYes
Typical packages
- Dynon SkyView or Garmin G3X Touch (CTLSi and later)— 2012 onwards
- Garmin G1000 NXi-equivalent (F2 successor)— 2020 onwards
- Dynon D-100 / D-180 (early CTSW / CTLS)— 2005–2010
Training note
Flight Design CTSW / CTLS / CTLSi airframes shipped with a wide range of avionics fits depending on year, with Dynon and Garmin glass cockpits common from 2012 onwards. The successor F2 carries a modern integrated Garmin panel; schools transitioning from a CTLS fleet to the F2 should plan an avionics-syllabus refresh for student instructors.

Certification

RegulatoryASTM F2245 consensus standards · FAA S-LSA · EASA CS-VLA / national microlight categories
Certified rolesSpecial Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA, US) · European microlight / Very Light Aircraft (national category dependent) · Day VFR; IFR within S-LSA limitations
IFRNo
Spin approvedNo
Aerobatic-categoryNo
TailwheelNo
Complex (FAR 61.31)No
High-performance (FAR 61.31)No

Why is the CT family (CTSW / CTLS / CTLSi / F2) popular?

Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.

Production volume

Flight Design built more than 1,900 CT-family airframes across the CT2K, CTSW, CTLS, and CTLSi production runs between 1997 and 2016. The CT series was the US LSA bestseller for several years; approximately 344 CTSW / CTLS airframes were US-registered by 2012.

Fuel future-proofing

Rotax 912 ULS and 912 iS Sport are mogas-capable (EN228 unleaded) and 100LL-capable. The CT fleet sits outside the FAA EAGLE / California UNL94 leaded-fuel transition exposure that constrains the legacy 100LL training fleet.

Operating economics

Carbon-composite construction, Rotax 912 ULS / 912 iS Sport at roughly 4 to 5 gph mogas, and 120 kt cruise produce a touring-LSA cost profile that supported the type's commercial success during the first decade of the US LSA rule.

Regulatory fit

Dual-certified as US S-LSA under ASTM F2245 and operated across European microlight / VLA / national rules. With the F2 successor model now the focus of new-build production, schools considering the CTLS or CTLSi are evaluating a used-market airframe with current factory support but no new-build availability.

Before you buy more aircraft

The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.

Flight school revenue is a function of three things — utilisation, dispatch reliability, and student progression — that multiply rather than add. Most schools running below 850 hours per aircraft per year have hidden capacity worth more than the next purchase, already paid for and sitting on the ramp.

Read: Why buying more aircraft probably won't grow your school

Operations

Record hours, no profit

Where margin actually leaks when the schedule looks full.

Strategy

The three hurdles to profitability

The structural barriers most expansion plans miss.

How flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize

Schools operating CTSW / CTLS / CTLSi airframes typically configure each one in Aviatize as a single LSA resource with the Rotax 912 ULS or 912 iS Sport as a child component for TBO and overhaul-reserve tracking against the Rotax maintenance schedule. Composite-airframe inspection cycles are a separate planning concern from the engine schedule and should be tracked accordingly. Pilot-currency rules should gate the resource on a current sport-pilot certificate (US) or national microlight rating (European environments).

schedulingaircraft maintenancetraining managementbilling

Editorial confidence

Medium confidenceLast reviewed 2026-05-26

Variant timeline, regulatory positioning, and current corporate ownership attributed to Flight Design's US and German manufacturer pages and aggregated Wikipedia source. Specific production sub-totals and US-registration figures vary across sources; treat numbers as approximate.

Sources

Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.

Primary sourceManufacturer brief·Retrieved 2026-05-26
Flight Design USA
https://flightdesignusa.com/aircraft/
Flight Design USA aircraft hub. Verified on 2026-05-26 that the current actively-marketed line includes F2 Certified, F2 LSA, CT-Super (Super Injection), CTLS (Rotax 912 ULS), and CTLSi GT 2020 (Rotax 912 iS at $189,000 list with two-axis autopilot, BRS parachute, dual Dynon SkyView HDX or Garmin G3X glass, 35 gal fuel, NextGen ADS-B-out compliance). Flight Design USA reports approximately 85 CTLSi airframes delivered since 2012 — much lower than the mid-2000s US LSA peak.
Primary sourceManufacturer brief·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Flight Design General Aviation
https://flightdesign.com/
Current Flight Design factory entity covering the F2 successor and legacy CT support.
Secondary sourceAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Design_CT
Wikipedia article aggregating the CT family development history, variant timeline, and US LSA market context.
Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-14
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Operator lists are intentionally empty rather than speculative.

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