Comments

It is too soon to pass final judgment on Light Sport Aircraft and the Sport Pilot license. The category and license grew out a request by the United Stated Ultralight Association (USUA) back in the 90’s for a two-place Ultralight license. The FAA’s final proposal was really surprising in its thoughtful plan to create a range of new, simpler ratings for pilots of Powered Parachutes, Weight shift trikes, light planes and gliders. The proposal included a path for compliance for “Fat Ultralights” to be converted to ELSA, credit for pilots that had taken lessons under an approved Ultralight Training program, a way for pilots that could not meet the requirements of a third class medical to remain flying and the chance for the kitplane, UL industry, government and the public to develop simpler certification standards for simple 2 place light planes. The consensus standards system was recommended to allow the industry flexibility to change the standards to address safety issues and adopt new technology more rapidly than the then current system of airworthiness regulations allowed. To date all of those things have happened. It was never been very believable that the Light Sport movement would fix what’s wrong with general aviation much less sell thousands of planes and bring in thousands of pilots a year. The Light Sport Aircraft industry had about 2-3 years of a good U.S. economy before the bottom fell out of all forms of aviation. If you haven’t been reading the headlines, it’s been some pretty tough sledding out there for all airframe manufacturers big and small in the last few years. As well, if you go to the bigger airshows you’ll notice a lot fewer aviation booths and a lot more folks selling State Fair types of products. The criticism of the cost of Light Sport Aircraft is misplaced. There are some very nice airplanes being offered in the $50,000.00 to $70,000.00. Those planes are mostly fabric covered and do resemble classic aircraft but they are fun, airworthy and new. New engines, new avionics and new airframes with businesses standing behind them to keep them airworthy. Regarding the cost of the more advanced models. It is wrong to compare the cost of an aircraft produced in such low numbers to high volume automobiles. If Daimler Benz made only 150 E- Class cars or Honda only made 150 MDX SUVs they would cost millions each. That is why a new Cirrus or Corvalus doesn’t cost $100,000.00 and why advanced Light Sport Aircraft don’t cost $60,000.00 with glass panels and autopilots. The customer is driving the use of advanced avionics, not the manufacturers forcing the avionics on the customers. One could say that things like synthetic vision, traffic, terrain and weather have no place in a Light Sport Aircraft. The ability to see weather, avoid obstacle hazards and other aircraft is as important in a Light plane as it is in a Jet. Imagine a pilot and passenger returning from a long flight, late in the day in MVFR conditions, near mountains and you could see why pilots like these things. The FAA in assessing the industry found a few sellers of Light Sport Aircraft out of compliance with the regulations and took appropriate action. It then increased its oversight of the rest of the industry which is as it should be. They are there to protect the public. The industry has worked to create third party auditing and training programs to supplement work of the FAA. EASA and the FAA have also taken the concept of the consensus standards process and will in the future apply that concept to general aviation certification standards. Despite the dire judgment of this editor, some bright spots do exist. Look at the great interest generated by the Icon and the Terrafugia. Design concepts that would not have even been started without the opportunity created by Light Sport certification category. The fact is that a good many aircraft have been sold, new flight schools have started and new pilots have been drawn in to flying as a recreational activity. Light Sport Aircraft are now a significant percentage of all piston powered aircraft sold in the USA. We should be looking at ways to leverage what is positive in the LSA industry to the benefit of rest of general aviation.