Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Re: Avionics Equipment

Approach control most definitely does *not* want to be talking to anyone not entering the Class B airspace.  The purpose of the transponder/encoder requirement inside the Mode C ring is to simply make all airplanes visible not just to approach control, but even more importantly to provide collision avoidance capability with the jets in that airspace.  You may not be aware of it as a GA pilot who has accidentally wandered into the Class B airspace because you don't have TCAS (transponder collision avoidance system), but your encoder is read by airliners and if one is close to you and on a collision course, they will get a collision avoidance command that overrides ATC instructions.  The purpose is to avoid a repeat of the airliner/Cessna collision over San Diego some years back.

 

Mike's description of the rules is perfect.  I would only add that the way for more restrictive rules to occur is for some wayward UL pilot (who doesn't need a transponder) to screw up and actually violate the Class B (unaware of exactly where they are or knowing but unaware that they shouldn't be there) and have a near miss with an airliner.  That is exactly how we keep getting saddled with more and more rules that we would prefer we didn't have. 

 

Jim

 

----- Original Message -----

From: gmichaelhuffman

To: Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 9:31 AM

Subject: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Re: Avionics Equipment

 

Ah, yes, the debate starts once more. There was a long-running Internet debate over these questions about four years ago when the light-sport program began and now the points being brought up here are the same as then. I hesitated to even bring up the subject for that reason.

No matter what one's personal definition of an "engine-driven electrical system" might be, the FAA Light-Sport office says the exemption does not apply to any engine that has the capability of supplying electrical power, whether or not it is hooked up.

One more thing: someone asked about transponders in ultralights. The answer is that FAR 91.215(b) applies to "aircraft" (by the official FAA definition). An unlicensed ultralight under FAR 103 is not an aircraft; it is an "ultralight vehicle" (by the official FAA definition). Therefore, 91.215(b) does not apply to ultralights. FAR 103 prohibits operation of an ultralight within Class B airspace, but not merely inside the Mode C ring. Thus, an ultralight with an engine-driven electrical system would seem to be legal operating without a transponder/encoder under the floor of the Class B inside the Mode C ring.

Of course, as I said, all this is tempered by the real-world facts that Approach Control often does not want to know about low-and-slow aircraft out near the edges of the Mode C ring.

Hope this helps!

Mike

G. Michael Huffman
FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative- AP, WS, & PP
Course Provider- ELSA Repairman- Inspection- AP, WS, & PP
Course Provider- LSA Maintenance & Inspection for A&Ps
SportAviationSpecialties dot com
904-206-0522

--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "r" <lightflyer@...> wrote:
>
> --- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "apollonorthamerica" <apollonorthamerica@> wrote:
> >
> > Rotax 447 has an engine driven electrical system. Its has a lighting coil comes with the engine and can be hooked up using a rectifier.
> > Abid
>
> Yes, you're right.
>
> On the Rotax 582 I had a regulator, battery, electric start, radio, strobes, nav lights and GPS all powered by the lighting coils.
> That airplane had an engine driven electrical system.
>
> On my 377, the lighting coils were there but the leads remained capped and stowed.
> That airplane didn't have an electrical system.
>

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