Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group LSA Covering

In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Williams" <rkwill@...> wrote:
> Bob,
>
> Maybe I missed it, but I do not remember seeing anything that states >the airplane meets the requirements of LSA.
>
> R. Williams

Apparently depending on what engine it's built with, etc, it MIGHT fall within LSA specs. Here's one I found that looks to be LSA except being overweight on gross weight (A bit puzzling that its gross weight is so much higher than empty weight):

Horsepower: 150 hp
Fuel Capacity: 30 gal 114 L
Range: 500 nm 926 km 575 mi
Cruise: 110 kts 204 kmh 127 mph
Stall: 29 kts 54 kmh 33 mph
Takeoff Distance: 500 ft 152 m
Landing Distance: 400 ft 122 m
Gross Weight: 1,550 lbs 703 kg
Empty Weight: 700 lbs 318 kg
Useful Load: 850 lbs 386 kg
Wingspan: 32 ft 9.75 m

By the way:
IANAL, but am reasonably sure of the following reality:

If you are the builder of an experimental and do the 40 hours of certification it is you who certifies the stall speed, weight, maximum cruise speed (VNE doesn't count re LSA specs), etc, and those numbers come in within LSA specifications it then as far as the FAA is concerned IS an LSA.
That is, perhaps the aircraft actually COULD safely cruise at 160MPH if you crank the engine up to maximum rated power per the engine's factory spec, but if you specify, say, maximum cruise as 120mph (which is within LSA and sport pilot limits), and you specify it's MTOW as under the LSA limit that's what it IS officially.

For example, I heard from credible sources of KR-2 experimentals out there that actually can cruise well over the LSA limit that are certified as ELSAs but that sort of approach by the builder/certifier.

-------------

As someone suggested if you consider the aircraft to be "parts" and that you're building and experimental under a different model name
and are willing to take it through the whole FAA experimental certification process that might be a way to do it.

Alex

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