On Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 7:49:58 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 9:36:54 PM UTC-5, wrote:
It appears that the FAA might be upping the weight limit on LSA aircraft. One of the main limits holding back marketable gliders from being LSA eligible was the low Vne. If they are opening up the LSA rules for more change, and changing to more of a risk-based rulemaking we should be able to argue that Certified gliders have high Vne limits, and the risk is low.


Is there anything the gliding community wants to get done if new rules are posted in January 2019?


reference:

"high-ranking FAA source has confirmed that the FAA plans to almost triple the maximum weight for most light sport aircraft to 3600 pounds in rulemaking that will be introduced in January. The source confirmed the scant details of a Facebook post written by AOPA Senior VP of Media and Outreach Tom Haines from the AOPA Regional Fly-In at Carbondale, Illinois. “Great news out of AOPA: your freedom to fly Fly-in at Carbondale,” Haines wrote. “In January the FAA will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking increasing max weight for a light sport airplane from 1320 lbs to 3600 lbs."


https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/new...-231639-1.html

Chris

The main thing that matters is not getting sucked in to the sport rules. we have no medical, sport pilots need a drivers license and can't have an unresolved medical denial on their record. The only benefit I can see is if more gliders qualified as LSAs it would be worthwhile for more people to get the sport glider license. Advantage with that is for rated power pilots sport glider could be added with a proficiency check by another CFI no checkride needed. Cheaper and easier to schedule. Otherwise I don't think it helps and if all gliding got punted to sport we'd lose freedom on the medical side.

Sport pilot is limited to 10,000MSL, LSA glider flown by Private (or higher) glider rated pilot is not altitude limited. There would be little interest in the sport rating in much of the country because much soaring is done above 10,000MSL.

Those who've looked into LSA glider designs suggest that bringing an LSA/SLSA to market would cost as much as a TC'd glider, so why bother with LSA/SLSA? Experimental trainers might have a reasonable market in clubs. TC'd two-seaters are needed for ride concessions. There are barriers to re-certifying SLSA aircraft as TC'd aircraft. Of course, FAA rules have shifted some, so what was impossible previously may be doable now or in the future.

Frank Whiteley