FAA Releases Policy on Training in Certain Categories of Aircraft

[Dave S]

Good evening,

I am attaching a document which may be important to many of us wishing to receive training in our experimental aircraft; particularly if the need is time sensitive.

Apparently, due to the crash of a warbird carrying paying customers, and a ruling by the DC court of appeals pertaining to LODAs (letter of deviation authority), the up to now policy, which did not object to training in an experimental aircraft where the instructor provided training in an owner's experimental could be done without a LODA, is being replaced on July 12 with a policy requiring a LODA for such operations.

Since the existing policy was apparently in conflict with the regulations, according to the court, the court determined that the existing policy (which we have all lived with quite well) was not valid.

The FAAs response to industry's (meaning in part EAA) requests, was to create a new policy which is what the attached document is that we will now need to comply with if we are receiving or giving instruction in an experimental aircraft.

The attached document provides a straight forward method for an owner or instructor to get a LODA via an e-mail request. The way to do this is on page 6 and 7 of the 8 page document. The LODA is valid for 48 months

The new policy is a stopgap and not a permanent solution. A permanent solution is likely going to require a revision of the regulations which affect this issue and that takes a while.