Is The LSA Safe?

The aviation world rejoiced in the summer of 2004 when the FAA announced the long-awaited adoption of its light sport aircraft (LSA) rulemaking, and the sport pilot certificate. Small, simple aircraft manufactured to industry consensus standards instead of the agency’s regulations should be vastly less expensive than traditional entry-level aircraft. Pilots who self-certify medical fitness to fly on the basis of their state’s driver license requirements could avoid the expense of an FAA medical certificate (the same pilot self-certification of medical fitness to fly applying to private and higher pilots still applies to sport pilots). Overall, the price barrier to personal aviation should fall away, causing a resurgence in new pilot starts and a renaissance in recreational and entry-level career track flying.

Key Takeaways:

• The light sport aircraft (LSA) safety record does not demonstrate an improvement over traditional aircraft, despite primarily attracting experienced pilots.
• Loss of control (often during landing/takeoff, with open canopies being a significant factor) and stalls/spins (especially on takeoff/climb) are the predominant causes of LSA accidents and fatalities.
• Mechanical failures, including engine malfunctions and other airframe system issues, collectively account for nearly 30% of all LSA accidents and fatalities.
• Key safety measures include thorough type-specific checkouts, consistent practice of stall recognition and recovery (emphasizing power-on stalls), understanding unique LSA handling characteristics, and meticulous preflight inspections.

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