Sport Light Aircraft regs

[Bill Daniels]

The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.

The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.

It seems like good news. Any comments?

Bill Daniels

[scurry]

Bill Daniels wrote:

> The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
>
> The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
>
> It seems like good news. Any comments?
>
> Bill Daniels

Why so slow? Vne is almost irrelevant (except for aerobatics) to the
intended use of a glider. Seems like its a regulation that encourages
the manufacturer of weaker airframes.
Bill, do the regs require fixed gear? Any mention of flaps?

Shawn

[Bill Daniels]

"scurry" > wrote in message
...
> Bill Daniels wrote:
>
> > The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
> >
> > The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
> >
> > It seems like good news. Any comments?
> >
> > Bill Daniels
>
> Why so slow? Vne is almost irrelevant (except for aerobatics) to the
> intended use of a glider. Seems like its a regulation that encourages
> the manufacturer of weaker airframes.
> Bill, do the regs require fixed gear? Any mention of flaps?
>
> Shawn

BTW, I think I got it wrong. It's Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). The new regs
are effective Sept. 1st.

Retracts are OK for gliders, not powered LSA's. Flaps are OK too. I would
encourage manufacturers to build to a 120 knot Va but just mark the redline
there. It seems that most gliders could be re-certificated as LSA's. The
benefit? Doing your own annual condition inspections, maybe.

Bill Daniels

[F.L. Whiteley]

"Bill Daniels" > wrote in message
news:L1gLc.131341$IQ4.41472@attbi_s02...
>
> "scurry" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Bill Daniels wrote:
> >
> > > The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
> > >
> > > The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
> > >
> > > It seems like good news. Any comments?
> > >
> > > Bill Daniels
> >
> > Why so slow? Vne is almost irrelevant (except for aerobatics) to the
> > intended use of a glider. Seems like its a regulation that encourages
> > the manufacturer of weaker airframes.
> > Bill, do the regs require fixed gear? Any mention of flaps?
> >
> > Shawn
>
> BTW, I think I got it wrong. It's Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). The new
regs
> are effective Sept. 1st.
>
> Retracts are OK for gliders, not powered LSA's. Flaps are OK too. I
would
> encourage manufacturers to build to a 120 knot Va but just mark the
redline
> there. It seems that most gliders could be re-certificated as LSA's. The
> benefit? Doing your own annual condition inspections, maybe.
>
> Bill Daniels
>
Altitude restrictions?

Frank Whiteley

[Bill Daniels]

"F.L. Whiteley" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bill Daniels" > wrote in message
> news:L1gLc.131341$IQ4.41472@attbi_s02...
> >
> > "scurry" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Bill Daniels wrote:
> > >
> > > > The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
> > > >
> > > > The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
> > > >
> > > > It seems like good news. Any comments?
> > > >
> > > > Bill Daniels
> > >
> > > Why so slow? Vne is almost irrelevant (except for aerobatics) to the
> > > intended use of a glider. Seems like its a regulation that encourages
> > > the manufacturer of weaker airframes.
> > > Bill, do the regs require fixed gear? Any mention of flaps?
> > >
> > > Shawn
> >
> > BTW, I think I got it wrong. It's Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). The new
> regs
> > are effective Sept. 1st.
> >
> > Retracts are OK for gliders, not powered LSA's. Flaps are OK too. I
> would
> > encourage manufacturers to build to a 120 knot Va but just mark the
> redline
> > there. It seems that most gliders could be re-certificated as LSA's.
The
> > benefit? Doing your own annual condition inspections, maybe.
> >
> > Bill Daniels
> >
> Altitude restrictions?
>
> Frank Whiteley
>
>

There are two things in the new regs that are hard to keep apart - LSA
aircraft and LSA pilots.

It appears that there is a 10,000 foot limit for LSA PILOTS flying LSA
aircraft. The concern is that holders of LSA pilot certificates will not
have had training for high altitude operations.

LSA gliders flown by a holders of a Private Glider or better certificate do
not appear to have an altitude limitation that is different from standard
airworthiness gliders.

Bill Daniels

[Paul Repacholi]

"Bill Daniels" > writes:

> The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.

> The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.

> It seems like good news. Any comments?

The Vne seems low, some exceed that already don't they?

--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.

[Vaughn]

"Paul Repacholi" > wrote in message
...
>
> The Vne seems low, some exceed that already don't they?

No problem! Just change the POH and the placards. You end up with a slower
but safer glider.

Vaughn

[Bruce Hoult]

In article <L1gLc.131341$IQ4.41472@attbi_s02>,
"Bill Daniels" > wrote:

> Retracts are OK for gliders, not powered LSA's. Flaps are OK too. I would
> encourage manufacturers to build to a 120 knot Va but just mark the redline
> there.

Like the original Janus. Vne 119 knots. Rough air speed 119 knots.
Manouvering speed is only (IIRC) 92 knots though.

-- Bruce

[Pete Reinhart]

All,
Another benefit for later licensed "Experimentals" might be the elimination
of the requierment for the "Annual Program Letter".
Cheers!
"Vaughn" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Paul Repacholi" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > The Vne seems low, some exceed that already don't they?
>
> No problem! Just change the POH and the placards. You end up with a
slower
> but safer glider.
>
> Vaughn
>
>

[Wayne Paul]

Here is a link that I found interesting:
http://www.sportpilot.org/sportpilot_rule.pdf

I suggest close examination of the glider altitude limits, towing
restrictions, etc.

Wayne
http://www.soaridaho.com/


"Bruce Hoult" > wrote in message
...
> In article <L1gLc.131341$IQ4.41472@attbi_s02>,
> "Bill Daniels" > wrote:
>
> > Retracts are OK for gliders, not powered LSA's. Flaps are OK too. I
would
> > encourage manufacturers to build to a 120 knot Va but just mark the
redline
> > there.
>
> Like the original Janus. Vne 119 knots. Rough air speed 119 knots.
> Manouvering speed is only (IIRC) 92 knots though.
>
> -- Bruce

[Leon McAtee]

"Bill Daniels" > wrote in message news:<%SeLc.126806$a24.52280@attbi_s03>...
> The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
>
> The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
>
> It seems like good news. Any comments?
>
> Bill Daniels

Good news for most - but the 10,000 MSL limit pretty much restricts
soaring here in the mountains (and isolates a few airports like
Jackson Hole). Maybe in time the FAA will allow an add on rating for
LSA glider pilots?
=============
Leon McAtee

[Bill Daniels]

"Leon McAtee" > wrote in message
om...
> "Bill Daniels" > wrote in message
news:<%SeLc.126806$a24.52280@attbi_s03>...
> > The FAA has finally released the final SLA regulations for gliders.
> >
> > The Gross is now 1320 pounds, the Vne is 120 knots.
> >
> > It seems like good news. Any comments?
> >
> > Bill Daniels
>
> Good news for most - but the 10,000 MSL limit pretty much restricts
> soaring here in the mountains (and isolates a few airports like
> Jackson Hole). Maybe in time the FAA will allow an add on rating for
> LSA glider pilots?
> =============
> Leon McAtee

I could be reading it wrong, but the 10,000 foot limit seems to apply to
Sport Pilots flying LSA's, not to rated glider pilots flying an LSA glider.
The comments with the regs clearly stated the concern about Sport Pilots not
having the training for high altitude flight. There was no mention that I
found of a Light Sport Glider being limited to 10k feet if flown by a rated
pilot.

It doesn't seem to be that much more difficult to get a Private Glider
certificate than a Sport Pilot certificate so I doubt that there will be
many Sport Glider Pilots. We need to watch for limitations relating to
rated pilots flying LSA's. So far, it looks pretty good.

One interesting passage talks about powered LSA's being permitted to tow
gliders for compensation. Do you suppose that a successful tug could be
built under the 1320 pound limit?

Bill Daniels

[Matti Huoviala]

> One interesting passage talks about powered LSA's being permitted to tow
> gliders for compensation. Do you suppose that a successful tug could be
> built under the 1320 pound limit?
>
> Bill Daniels

Don't know about LSA reg, but as for the og, go and see
http://www.windcraft.fi/pik27/welcome.htm
Aki has posted previously by himself also...

[Burt Compton]

By my first reading, this is what I understand:

A 10,000 msl altitude limit, so at Marfa the visiting Sport Pilot in their
Sport Glider must leave the thermal at 5,000' agl on a day with 16,000'
cloudbases. Not a good idea over our "scenic" mountain terrain.

Now look at the US Sport Pilot Medical requirements: Driver License will
suffice, HOWEVER if you were ever denied a FAA Third Class Medical Certificate
you must show FAA that the disqualifying condition has been remedied. For
Sport Pilots only. Still no medical (or "history") required for "regular" USA
glider/ motorglider pilots.

Also, appears FAA ammended FAR 61.69 Towpilot endorsement which will allow us
to tow light gliders like "Sparrowhawk" - legally.

This is my first reading of this very long document - so my comments here are
not gospel. Read it yourself on the www.faa.gov website.

Note: this message applies only to USA readers.

Burt Compton
Marfa Gliders, west Texas
www.flygliders.com