Home builts, VLA, ELA-1 and heavier?

[60 Plymouth]

Hi All,

I’m new round here so apologies if my questions sound amateur. So far, most of my internet trawling has led me back to this site (and particularly Rod1's posts on the subject!) so I figured I’d better join!
A bit on background – I have no pilot’s licence of any description, though a fair few launches in sailplanes (not solo yet). I will at some point in my life have a pilot’s licence though that’s a loooooooong way off at the moment.

I am interested in getting to learn the legislation regarding home built aircraft. My interest is in the design and construction of an amphibian for some point in the future.

I understand that by definition, home built machines require a permit to fly. Around these forums (and others), there are two main categories that come up:

Microlight – Sub 450kg (or 595kg for amphibious two seater?).
VLA – Sub 750kg
I’ve also read about ELA-1, with a 1000kg MTOW limit, though nobody seems interested in this category (or certainly there aren’t many machines that conform to it?).
I’d like to know about home builts that exceed 750kg MTOW. What is the next category up? Do things get considerably more expensive once you exceed VLA? CAP659 doesn’t appear to mention anything on weight limits or operational restrictions that would be different to VLA, making me wonder what the advantage of VLA actually is (besides kit availability).

As I said, this would be a long way off in the future, but I enjoy the design process and playing with numbers early on doesn't hurt anyone.

Any light you could shed on this would be greatly appreciated.

All the best,
60Ply

[gasax]

You'll need quite some time to sort it out!

You're mixing design codes and certification which does not help, then adding in the EASA bit makes for more fun. In the UK microlight - 450kg up to 495kg for amphibs. Which includes some VLAs. Recent changes to the licencing requirements have removed many of the differences. Read up on the NPPL site.

Permit aircraft non-microlight - (VLAs and others larger and pre-dating this code and even the BCARs). Licence wise these are SEPs and within the LAA's deposition (up to 260hp with CAA agreement and up to 2500lbs again with their agreement) and a variety of other criteria including stall speed.

VLAs meet the CS-VLA design code, recent designs may meet JAR 23, earlier ones the BCARs, many of the old designs were approved on the basis of 'satisfactory service' whilst others are previously certified designs to a variety of codes.

ELA-1 is coming - but what will be in it - who knows?

Read the stuff on the LAA site, it is not structured for easy understanding, but most of it is there.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Most of what you want to know is in CAP 733 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP733.PDF).

Don't confuse with pilot licencing which is quite different to the aircraft certification aspects. Ultimately for licencing purposes it's a microlight, motorglider, or light aeroplane - there isn't really any other category.

In the UK !

G