Changing Airworthiness Certificate

[fastfred]

Someone told me that the Faa might Increase the LSA weight to 1550. Anyone else heard that?

[Danzer1]

Steve there is confusion here - please clarify - you wrote "certificated as "Light Sport" - is it currently an S-LSA, E-LSA or E-AB? Makes a big difference on what you can do.

Also a "Sport Pilot" may legaly fly any aircraft that meets LSA requirements regardless of the certification class (even Std. class aircraft) - it has nothing to with the aircraft certification class, just the aircraft meeting the requirements (when flown).

Greg

[dcsfoto]

Note: when you do a Phase one flight testing and make an aircraft record entry going to 1550 there is no going back.

if the aircraft is certified as SLSA or ELSA no 1550,


David Kelm
FAA DAR-T,F

7SS 912iS

[aviator79]

Also a "Sport Pilot" may legaly fly any aircraft that meets LSA requirements regardless of the certification class (even Std. class aircraft) - it has nothing to with the aircraft certification class, just the aircraft meeting the requirements (when flown).

Greg

It's true that it has nothing to do with the certification class, but it must have met the LSA requirements continuously since original certification. If it has ever been modified outside of the LSA requirements, it will never again meet the definition of an LSA, even if you switch it back to its original configuration.

[Danzer1]

It's true that it has nothing to do with the certification class, but it must have met the LSA requirements continuously since original certification. If has ever been modified outside of the LSA requirements, it will never again meet the definition of an LSA, even if you switch it back to its original configuration.

Yes but the question was - can the weight be changed, not who can fly it. To clarify:

As David stated - if S-LSA or E-LSA it can't be changed to 1550. If it is E-AB already or recertificated as E-AB and just wanting to change the weight - different story. It can possibly be done but can't go back to LSA (either S-LSA or E-LSA) and even if re-grossed to back down to 1320 later as an E-AB, it could not be flown by a sport pilot.

[SMangini]

Let me see if I got this straight. If the Kitfox 5-7 was originally certificated/registered as S-LSA or E-LSA with a MGTOW of 1320lbs., then it can never be re-registered as E-AB, go through phase 1 testing and certified at 1550? However, if it was originally certificated/registered as E-AB and phase one tested at 1320, then it may be phase one tested again to meet factory certified 1550 MGTOW but now it can never be reversed. Please forgive me if I am causing confusion by using the words certified and registered incorrectly.

[aviator79]

Let me see if I got this straight. If the Kitfox 5-7 was originally certificated/registered as S-LSA or E-LSA with a MGTOW of 1320lbs., then it can never be re-registered as E-AB, go through phase 1 testing and certified at 1550? However, if it was originally certificated/registered as E-AB and phase one tested at 1320, then it may be phase one tested again to meet factory certified 1550 MGTOW but now it can never be reversed. Please forgive me if I am causing confusion by using the words certified and registered incorrectly.

You've got it. If you want to get technical, you would be allowed to reduce the weight back to 1320, but there is no reason you'd want to because it wouldn't make it an LSA again.

[Danzer1]

Let me see if I got this straight. If the Kitfox 5-7 was originally certificated/registered as S-LSA or E-LSA with a MGTOW of 1320lbs., then it can never be re-registered as E-AB, go through phase 1 testing and certified at 1550? However, if it was originally certificated/registered as E-AB and phase one tested at 1320, then it may be phase one tested again to meet factory certified 1550 MGTOW but now it can never be reversed. Please forgive me if I am causing confusion by using the words certified and registered incorrectly.

Generally correct, however an E-AB could be reversed back to 1320 but it would serve no purpose as it would not be sport pilot eligible anymore after having been previously modified out of the LSA definition.

Greg

[fastfred]

So if My KF is registered at 1550 I can legally fly it with a light sport license if I keep the actual the weight below 1320? Better double check that I think under a prior owner an incident caused it to be changed to 1550 . I would have to pull the documents from my history. It seems like a gray area

[aviator79]

So if My KF is registered at 1550 I can legally fly it with a light sport license if I keep the actual the weight below 1320? Better double check that I think under a prior owner an incident caused it to be changed to 1550 . I would have to pull the documents from my history. It seems like a gray area

No. The LSA definition is based on the max takeoff weight, not the currently loaded weight. If the MTOW of your airplane has ever been above 1550, it cannot be flown legally under sport pilot privileges and limitations. And I'm afraid there really is no gray area. The LSA definition is spelled out pretty clearly in 14 CFR 1.1.