# Presentation: 079943

## US EXPERIENCE WITH THE LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT RULE

- Earl Lawrence

## A New Era Begins

- September 1, 2004 the first set of aviation regulations for non-transportation aviation created
- Largest US aviation rulemaking project in over 50 years
- Affects all areas of FAA regulation:
- Maintenance; Aircraft Certification; Pilot and Instructor Certification; Aircraft Operations

## Major Highlights

- New Factory Aircraft Certification category
- First FAA implementation of Public Law 104
- Costs to produce aircraft was cut in half
- Cost to become a pilot was cut in half

## Major Highlights

- Aircraft owners can obtain training and certification to perform their own annual condition inspections
- Manufacturers, NOT FAA, approve aircraft modifications
- Maintenance and continued airworthiness standard- setting moved from FAA to industry (ASTM International)

## FAA/Industry Action

- First two factory aircraft certificated only six months after passage of rule
- Primary category 1 1⁄2 years for Katana
- 1 year and 10 months for Quicksilver GT500
- 9 years for RANS S-7
- A total of over 30 SLSA certifications have been issued to date

## FAA/Industry Action

- New engines available conforming to ASTM International standards
- Rotax 912 series
- Jabaru four and six cylinder models

## FAA/Industry Action

- ASTM International completed, and received FAA acceptance of, standards for fixed-wing LSAs, gliders, powered parachutes, and weight shift aircraft
- FAA trained and appointed over 100 DPEs for all categories of SP licenses (fixed, gyro, parachute, etc.)

## FAA/Industry Action

- FAA is actively refining and improving the original FAA policies and procedures for:
- maintenance-training,
- Practical Test Standards
- Aircraft certification policies
- Designated Airworthiness Representative Policies and Training
- Designated Pilot Examiner Policies and Training

## FAA/Industry Action

- King Schools has a multimedia DVD training curriculum for sport pilots and Sport Pilot Instructors
- EAA has a “conversion kit” to assist with certificating of two-place ultralights.  Over 2,000 conversion kits sold to date
*The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sport Flying*

## FAA/Industry Action

- 862 LSAs certificated or awaiting certification
- 627 SP airman knowledge tests administered
- 125 current DPEs have added SP examiner authority
- 43 new SP DPEs have been created/designated
- More than 100 New Sport Pilot Repairmen have been trained and certificated

## Airplanes

-   Aeropro CZ EuroFox
-   Aerosport Ltd. Breezer
-   Aerosport Ltd. C42 Ikarus
-   Aerostar Festival
-   Aircraft Manufacturing & Development CH601XL
-   American Legend AL3C-100 Cub
-   B&F Technik Vertriebs FK-9 Mark IV
- Czech Aircraft Works CH-601-XL
-   Czech Aircraft Works Mermaid
-   Czech Aircraft Works Parrot
-   Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser
-   Evektor Sportstar
-   Fantasy Air Allegro
- Flight Design CT
-  GRYF Aircraft Spol MD 3 Rider
-   Indus Aviation T211 Thorpedo

-  Iniziative Industriali Italiane Sky Arrow 600 Sport
-   Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft J170-SP
-   Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft J250-SP
-   JIHLAVAN Airplanes KP-5 Kappa
-   Just Aircraft Highlander
-   RANS S-7LS
-   Remos Aircraft G-3
-   Storm Aircraft Rally LSA
-   Taylorcraft AvationTaylor Sport
-   Tecnam Bravo
-   Tecnam Echo Super
-   Tecnam Sierra
-   TL Ultralight Sting Sport
-   Zlin Savage

## Non Fixed Wing

- Powered Parachutes
-  Summit II
- Weight Shift
-   Airborne WindsportsEdge XT-912-B
-   GTE 912
-   Tanarg 912

## TECNAM ITALY

## INDUS AIR

## State of Industry

- OEM’s
- Most are European based
- Many young and cash strapped companies but growing fast
- Aircraft are currently being produced in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, US

## State of Industry

- Manufacturers
- Many entering the market are experienced European companies
- The Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) is the lead organization for the manufacturers and it has over 65 members. www.lama.bz
- Insurance Companies
- Most are interested in providing insurance; weight shift and powered parachute still an issue

## State of Industry

- FAA
- Education of the inspectors still a stumbling block to full implementation
- FBOs
- Just learning about the opportunities; reactions vary although schools of all sizes are offering training
- Instructors
- Cautious but when they are exposed to the opportunities they have recognized the economic benefits of the new rules

## State of Industry

- ASTM Standards
- Over 3,000 ASTM International standards are used as the basis for national standards by reference in regulation in over 50 countries
- Full International support in development of the standards
- At least three Civil Aviation Authorities participated in the development of the standards
- US
- Australia
- Canada

## State of Industry

- ASTM International Standards have been adopted for use in the Australia, US, and Colombia
- ASTM International is being considered for adoption in Israel, Spain, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand

## ASTM International Committee F37:Non-US Participation

## State of Industry

- Standards are written to be relevant regardless of the country in which they are used
- Standards are separate from local regulations; they do not dictate limits such as weight, speed, or complexity of the aircraft
- The aircraft categories that are allowed to use the ASTM standards, and enforcement of the standards, is left with the individual CAA

## What Can You Do or Buy Today

- Current FAA Pilot certificate holders can operate with a drivers license as their medical
- Obtain a Sport Pilot Student Pilot Certificate
- Hundreds of existing Amateur-built and Classic aircraft models can be flown by Sport Pilots
- New Light Sport Aircraft are available

## What Can you Do or Buy Today

- Insurance for Pilots, FBOs and instructors is available for LSA airplanes
- Current flight instructors can provide Sport Pilot training
- Certificate “heavy” ultralight as Experimental

## What Is NewAs a result of the rule

- Aircraft manufacturers have quickly adopted use of ASTM International Standards world wide
- Aircraft sales are strong
- Industry self policing of compliance with ASTM International standards is starting to be put into place
- Major education of regulators and industry still needed

## What is New (cont.)

- Flight Schools with new LSA report significant increase in new student starts
- Autogas or unleaded Avgas, not Avgas, is the correct fuel and airport availability is an issue
- Many owners will be certificated FAA Repairmen
- Significant amount of misinformation about new regulations

## Questions