On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 11:57:47 -0500, "Frank" wrote:

I thought that I understood the new Sport Pilot/Aircraft rules (first
mistake) until I came across the fact that apparently you can buy a ready to
fly CH601HD made by Zenair in the US that is registered as a sLSA, or you
can buy the same ready to fly plane built by Czech Aircraft Works and
register it as an eLSA. The only difference seems to be that the US built
plane uses a Lycoming engine, the Czech one uses a Rotax.

Do the rules really give you the option of registering a factory built,
ready to fly plane as an experimental LSA?

Yep. The new 21.191, "Experimental Certificates," says that an Experimental
certificate can be issued to a plane that "...Has been previously issued a
special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category under §21.190."

The owner of a production LSA (Special LSA) can decide to re-register the
aircraft as an Experimental LSA, AFTER WHICH the plane no longer has to comply
with the consensus standard. I'm not surprised that the FAA lets them avoid the
intermediate process.

Notice the emphasis on "AFTER WHICH". A non-conversion LSA (e.g., a plane not
formerly operated under Part 103) *must* comply with its certification
configuration at the time the application is made for an Experimental LSA
certificate. After the owner has the Experimental certificate, he or she can
modify the aircraft as they wish.

The same holds true for building an ELSA kit. You must build it *exactly* to
the manufacturer's instructions, but after you have the certificate, you can
make whatever changes you like. Major changes will require FAA notification,
just like a Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft.

Ron Wanttaja