FAA plans to increase LSA MTOW to 3,600lbs

[Possum1]

Avweb is reporting today that the FAA is planning to increase the maximum weight of LSA aircraft from 1320lbs to 3600lbs.

They go on to say, "The new limit will capture a wide range of aircraft that now require a minimum of a private pilot certificate to fly. What’s not clear is precisely how the rulemaking will alter performance limits, passenger loads and weather requirements for LSA operations. AOPA reported EAA Chairman Jack Pelton told the Carbondale event that the new rule "will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 MPH.”

Does this mean that American-certified aircraft like smaller Pipers, Cessnas etc will be able to be operated as a LSA here in Australia as well? - or will CASA certification stop this?

[OldTimerFlyer]

My understanding is that existing type certified aircraft will not be able to be moved into the LSA category (no different for the current type certified aircraft under 600kgs) but there would be no reason that a brand new 172 couldn't be made under this standard...

[Squawk7700]

It doesn’t quite make sense.... my interpretation is
that it sounds more like their “sport aircraft” license / certificate will allow you to fly the 1600kg aircraft when it goes through.

If the article is taken at face value, an SR22 could be registered as an LSA which doesn’t sound quite right.

Of course here we already have the RPL which almost allows the above (1,500kg’s), so it feels like they are catching up.

If it is the case that LSA will be able to be 1,600kgs, that simply means that new aircraft will be able to be manufactured to the ASTM standards as per the other thread regarding the Bristell. The upside of this is that manufacturers could produce a far more cost effective aircraft as they won’t be certified to the higher (and expensive) standards.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
I think Squark7700 is on the right track.

There has been a lot of confusion in the introduction of the "new" FAA driver's license medical standards, they seem to be not working as designed ( as opposed to those of CASA, which were designed to not work) and the FAA has changes in the works.

Not to be confused with the new and quite radical FAR Part 23, which introduces certification standards for Standard Category aircraft that are established by the same mechanism as the ASTM "consensus" standards for Light Sport Aircraft.

So it is likely that multiple things are being mixed up, the Sports Pilot License, the Light Sport Aircraft certification standards, the new FAR 23 LSA like outcome or performance based certification standards, and fixing the new "PPL Light" medical standards.

Ain't acronyms wonderful, with the added delight of a plethora of different weight brackets.
Tootle pip!!

[mcoates]

If you are interested then please send me an email and I will send you through the NPRM as soon as the FAA officially release it. Some of us already have a draft copy but we are not allowed disseminate it before it is officially released by the FAA which I'm told will be mid this week. You can also keep checking on the FAA website you wish to.

[LeadSled]

If you are interested then please send me an email and I will send you through the NPRM as soon as the FAA officially release it. Some of us already have a draft copy but we are not allowed disseminate it before it is officially released by the FAA which I'm told will be mid this week. You can also keep checking on the FAA website you wish to.

mcoates,
Having now read the AvWeb article, and the Pelton statement, I agree with the writer of the AvWeb article, this ain't going to happen anytime soon.

Indeed, have FAA been recruiting from CASA AU?? On the face of it, over a considerable AUW weight range overlap, you would apparently have two different certification standards (but both consensus "like" standards) with quite different limitations on the use of the resulting aircraft, and the licenses needed to fly and maintains them?? The existing and very new FAR 23 and whatever is proposed here??

So we see the (first) NPRM in 1919 some time? Yet you say it could be this week??

Tootle pip!!

[Sunfish]

Sporty, have you ever known a bureaucrat who will voluntarily give up power?