Safe LSA Transitions

By all the usual parameters, people are turning to the new light sport aircraft (LSA) category and its accompanying sport pilot certificate in large numbers. Both apparently are having a favorable, if perhaps modest, impact on private flying in the U.S. The new aircraft category has translated into options and a new airman certification scheme so far posting some formidable numbers: About 60 new S-LSA types-special light sport aircraft, a factory-built, ready-to-fly machine-have been approved by the FAA under industry-developed consensus standards as of November 2007. Nearly 1100 new S-LSAs were registered through the same period. And, according to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), as of July 2007 when association Vice President Earl Lawrence delivered a three-year report on the movement, 2100 new sport pilot certificates had been issued, along with 232 sport pilot instructor certificates and 240 examiners. Not too shabby, considering the FAA didnt publish the final sport pilot rule until August 2004; it was April 2005 before the first S-LSA won approval from the FAA.

Key Takeaways:

• The Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and sport pilot certificate are experiencing significant growth, appealing to pilots seeking more economical flying, fewer restrictions, and the ability to fly without an FAA medical certificate (using a valid driver's license).
• Existing private pilots (or higher) can easily transition to LSAs, needing only appropriate endorsements for specific aircraft types (e.g., tailwheel) and a flight review; these pilots can also exercise broader privileges in an LSA (like night or IFR flight) than sport pilots, if the aircraft is properly equipped and approved.
• LSAs are certified under robust industry consensus standards (ASTM), comparable to traditional FAA Part 23, and require annual condition inspections, with additional 100-hour inspections for commercial use.

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