Each month, Flying answers questions about the new sport pilot/light sport aircraft rule with assistance from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the authority on the opportunities available within the category commonly known as “Sport Pilot”:
Q: I own a special light sport aircraft (S-LSA) and I want to add a vertical card compass and back up “dial” altimeter. I would buy the units and have my A&P mechanic install them. Do I have to get permission/approval from the manufacturer to have this done?
A: Yes, you will have to get permission/instructions from the manufacturer before making any alteration to your aircraft, even something as simple as what you are contemplating.
The specific FAR that applies to your situation is FAR 91.327(b)(5). You do not need to have the work done at their factory, unless they specifically mandate that. Get their approval and any detailed instructions for compliance/installation IN WRITING. That documentation must be kept as part of the maintenance records of the aircraft.
Q: If I register my homebuilt as a normal experimental aircraft but it qualifies for the light sport category, can it be flown by a sport pilot or does it first have to be registered as an experimental light sport (E-LSA)?
A: A light sport aircraft is defined by performance and configuration parameters, not make/model, or construction methods or even certification. In the FAR definition, no mention is made of whether the aircraft is S-LSA, E-LSA, Experimental Amateur Built or Standard Type Certificated, even though aircraft in all of these areas will qualify as an LSA if they meet the performance and configuration criteria as listed.
As long as an aircraft meets all of the criteria specified by the FAR 1.1 definition of light sport aircraft, and has met those criteria since its initial airworthiness certification, it can be operated by a person exercising sport pilot privileges with a sport pilot certificate or higher.
Q: If a manufacturer of an S-LSA goes out of business, would that aircraft then be switched to an E-LSA because there would no longer be factory support?
A: The switch does not take place automatically. It is up to the owner/operator to understand that they must operate the aircraft in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and in compliance with any safety directives issued by the manufacturer. When that manufacturer is no longer in business, and incapable of issuing safety directives, the owner/operator is responsible to understand the aircraft can no longer be flown legally. The FAA provides an option in this example for owners to transition their aircraft from the S-LSA category to the E-LSA category. Once in the E-LSA category the aircraft can continue to be operated.
For more information on sport pilot, go to EAA’s sport pilot website at sportpilot.org. EAA, which also hosts the annual EAA AirVenture fly-in at Oshkosh, provides in-depth information on the website, as well as a sport pilot hotline and complete membership services for all aviation enthusiasts. Call 800/564-6322 for membership information.
