Aircraft types?

[shortstripper]

Does anyone know where I can find an authoritive definition of aircraft types? It's easy to find the definition of what constitutes a microlight ... but all the others? SLMG, TMG, Fixed wing land plane? ... and why some of the latter are cleared to fly with single ignition and others not? .. glide ratio perhaps?

A pointer to the relevent document would be of GREAT HELP to me at the moment!

Thanks SS

[Genghis the Engineer]

They are tied to the airworthiness standards that apply to them.

So, the various types of landplane are defined in CS.23 or FAR-23

The types of glider in CS.22

VLA (Very Light Aeroplanes) in CS.VLA

And anything that doesn't fit those definitions, generally qualifies as a part 25 "large aeroplane".

The documents (at-least the European versions) are at http://www.easa.eu.int/home/certspecs_en.html - click in each case on the .pdf marked "executive directors decision", the applicability section of each is right at the start, although some of the deeper bits about glide ratios and so-on where they apply are more buried.

G

[shortstripper]

Thanks Gengis

That takes some trawling and I still can't get my head quite around it There still seems to be no real definition, just loads of standards and generalisations ... ie A powered sailplane is an aircraft that displays the same characteristics of a sailplane when not under power ... hmmmm

What about a basic summary of types? Is there one anywhere?

The kind of thing I mean is like the usual microlight definition, ie max weight, wing loading, ect ect.

SS

[Genghis the Engineer]

Unfortunately, microlights are just about the only aeroplanes with a clear, legally defined definition - all other classes ARE a bit vague.

G