USA Light Sport Aircraft

[Ralph Baker]

Sorry for the late reply but my computer has been sick.

The Light Sport Aircraft arena has a number of possible entry points.
1 - Buy a factory completed aircraft termed Special Light Sport
Aircraft. These will be built to consensus standards and you can do
inspections after a 16 hour approved course and maintenance, as
designated by the manufacturer, after a 120 or 180 hour (can't remember
which) approved course. I suspect only factory parts and no mods will
be allowed. An A&P can also do inspections and maintenance.

2 - Buy an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft at any stage of completion
50% to 99% and complete it. Same inspection and maintenace as above.

3 - Buy a 51% kit and complete it as an Experimental under the same
rules we have now. Apply for the repairman certificate and do all
maintenance and condition inspections. As long as it meets the Light
Sport Aircraft requirements it can be flown as such by a pilot with
Light Sport Pilot or higher certificates within the Light Sport Pilot
rules.

Time, interest in building, and skill level will dictate which is most
attractive. I personally do not want the limitations of options 1 and
2. At 65 I do not want to commit the time to a kit build and fervently
hope MAM sees the light and produces a 51% kit which crowds the limits
along with a complete Rotax 912s firewall forward package. A good
builders manual is also a must. There is one well known LSA 51% kit
that can be completed in a week with enough money thrown at it and many
are offering different levels of builders assistance. This is where the
market is heading in my opinion.

I am not suggesting that MAM needs to supply complete aircraft but a
comprehensive builders assistance center with tools and available help
in what ever scope is negotiated would be a leap in the right direction.
Help cannot be directly paid for but an adjustment in the kit price
could provide "free" assistance. Bob's 500 hour build target is a step
in the right direction but that would be an absolute "real" max
including all completion ready to fly.

At my little airport (SMS) we have one LSA kit about to be purchased,
one which will be purchased in the near future, and two more being
seriously considered. I doubt if we are that unusual.
Ralph Baker
Elite 611E (85% done, 90% to go)









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