Light sport upgrade

[jc pacquin]

Is anyone familiar with the supposed upgrade on what LSA pilots are allowed to fly. Someone mentioned to me that LSA pilots may be able to fly more types of aircraft this coming year. Jim P.

[kyleb]

Is anyone familiar with the supposed upgrade on what LSA pilots are allowed to fly. Someone mentioned to me that LSA pilots may be able to fly more types of aircraft this coming year. Jim P.

The plan that gets some press is that you could have LSA type rules as to when and where you could fly, but could fly anything with up to 180 (?) hp and fixed gear. Even if the airplane was a 4 seater, you could only carry one passenger.

If was a current LSA manufacturer, I would consider this a huge screw-job, because their product line(s) will die. On the other hand, the entire industry was created by legislation anyway.

[rkittine]

As I understand it one of the misconceptions about this rule change is that it does not effect LSA. If you have an LSA License, you will have to fly LSA Aircraft, BUT if you are a licensed pilot with a Recreational Pilots license or higher, you will (if this passes, which my friends at a local FSDO tell me that they expect it will) be able to fly certain aircraft without the need for a FAA Medical, if you:

1. - Have a valid drivers license.
2. - Pass a 16 Question, on line medical self evaluation.

To qualify as one of those aircraft, it will have to:

1. - Have no more than 180 horsepower
2. - A Fixed Pitch Prop - Or ground adjustable only
3. - Have straight floats or manual set ampib. wheels in the case of a seaplane.
4. - May have more than two seats, but only one passenger can be carried.
5. - Have fixed gear

What it will not need to be is:

1. - No more than 1320 pounds as there is no weight restriction (though 180 HP will effectively limit that)
2. - Stall speed of under 50 kts
3. - Max Published Cruise of 125 Kts

Restrictions on the pilots may end up the same as a Private Pilot, but more likely like an LSA pilot, to which:

1. - No night flights
2. - No IFR flights
3. - No flights above 10,000 AGL

There is information about this on both the AOPA and EAA sites.

Bob

[7ECjim]

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[jc pacquin]

I see a legend cub or a cub crafters selling for 179,000.00 and having a new 0200 engine that seems to be of questionable integrity and I conclude that it's no wonder few younger people are interested in flying! I think the rules should be changed and give the sport pilot more leeway A 150 Cessna is easier to fly than a Champ and a 150 Citabria is no harder to fly than a Champ, just a lot more fun. I was told the rule change may occur early in 2013. It's also hard to figure why the 0200 , the new one is having problems. It's an OLD design, been around for YEARS! Your input? JP

[Richard Murray]

Thanks for the insight Bob. Will they call this LSA TWO? It would appear the 'medical' we have all submitted ourselves to since the government decide they needed to monitor the health of pilots is going by the wayside for Private and Recreational Pilots. This could be a good thing because a lot of LSA pilots might be able to upgrade to a Private or Recreational certificate if they can answer the questions to qualify.

and yes the LSA consortium has to be really p... off

[7ECjim]

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[jc pacquin]

Mainly cylinders. You may read this on owners reviews of these two aircraft. A super Cub, 180 HP, Decathlon, A 170 Cessna, etc.etc, all these types should be light sport. A long time ago I had a very nice F model Luscombe and it was a great airplane! It's 60 lbs. over the weight limit so I can't fly it which is pure bull----! JP

[rkittine]

With regard to the 0-200D - The new lightweight, I have also heard that it is cylinder issues, probably based on the way they got the reduction in engine weight. Based on what two shops have recently told me, they both prefer a good set of old cylinders to recondition then most of the new cylinders out there.

With regard to the new possible regulation, I do not think it is going to be called anything. It really isn't light sport. It will jus tbe a new part of the FARs allowing the elimination of a 3rd Class Medical under a set of quidelines. LSA as it is today is both restrictions on the aircraft, but only as far as what a LSA licensed pilot can do or someone wanting to currently fly without getting a medical.

Bob

[bubbagump]

Any speculation on how this change will impact the value of the Champs / Chiefs?

[Paul Agaliotis]

I don't think it will change the value much. But it should get more people back to flying.
Paul

[rkittine]

I am a little afraid that it will impact the value of current LSA Aircraft. Most of the people I know that are flying LSA are flying it because they are afraid (or do not want the expense or risk) of getting an FAA medical. I only know a few people with Light Sport Licenses. So if you can get an old Cherokee or 172 or even an all metal 150 for much less and be able to leave it outside, why wouldn't you unless you just love old airplanes. For most weekend pilots they would be able to carry more (though still only one passenger) go faster and farther all for the same price. I am currently looking at buying two planes, one to put on floats and one to leave on wheels. At the prices I can get them at now, the worse that can happen is I have to sell them at break even if the ruling does not pass and if it does I am ahead of the game. I will stick them on lease back until it happens. At a low rental rate, I can get them to break even.

I think the values of our planes will go down and the cost of the older Cherokees, 150s, 172s, etc. will go up somewhat.

Even though I think the value of my Chief and Champ will go down, I will keep them for tailwheel endorsements and LSA pilot instruction anyway.

Bob

[7ECjim]

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[MikeB]

I have so much $$$ in my 0200/L16 restoration it doesn't make much difference but I love the plane so I'll probably keep it anyway until I can't get in the seat. I think if one sat down and figured it out he/she would be a lot better off renting but there's something to be said for owning your own bird and hangar. Especially after retirement so you can go flying when you want and work in the hangar, clean the plane, tinker, tinker, tinker....... .

That said, my Cherokee 140 was a great plane when I owned it. Didn't break me financially (other than the ###&&## radios and transponder) great cross country, handled the nasty cross wind with a lot less stress on hard surface than my Champ. I don't have any medical issues that I know of so I might look at something out of the LS catagory if the medical exemption passes.

Mike

[7ECjim]

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