Skycatcher IFR?

On Oct 15, 10:27 am, Ron Wanttaja wrote:

So then I assume the pilot would need a current class 3 medical,
correct?

Correct, but only when performing those tasks that require use of a Recreational
or higher license. A Sport Pilot can climb into the airplane and fly day VFR,
but if he's going to go on the gauges he needs the appropriate license and
rating (and medical to go with the license).

In this case the task of flying IFR requires at least a private rating
so a class 3 medical seems to be required.

The FAA made a big terminology mistake with the new rules; they use the same
term for a *definition* as for an aircraft certification category. Any aircraft
meeting the 14 CFR Part 1 definition for "Light Sport Aircraft" can be flown by
a pilot exercising Sport Pilot privileges, whether it's a Private pilot with an
expired medical, or a person with the new Sport Pilot rating. This definition
is summarized at:

I understand that. In fact that was my point. A LSA can be IFR
certified but in order to fly it a pilot now must have a medical. So
the idea of letting your medical lapse when you get old and buying an
LSA only works for VFR. For IFR you have to exercise the priv of an
instrument rated private pilot and not the priv of a sport pilot.

-Robert

Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 15, 6:24 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net
wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It
doesn't appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna web
site.

Matt

Will Sport aircraft be allowed to be IFR certified?
-Robert

There is at least one S-LSA aircraft that is IFR
certified.http://www.newplane.com/amd/amd/601_SLSA/601.html

So then I assume the pilot would need a current class 3 medical,
correct?

-Robert

And an IFR ticket. But the question wasn't about pilot certificates it was
about aircraft.

Matt Barrow wrote:
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It
doesn't appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna web
site. Matt

Will Sport aircraft be allowed to be IFR certified?
-Robert

There is at least one S-LSA aircraft that is IFR certified.
http://www.newplane.com/amd/amd/601_SLSA/601.html
Ya know, I can't imagine spending an hour on a seven mile final in
IMC. :~(


Lots of actual time for the log book.

Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 15, 6:24 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net
wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It
doesn't appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna web
site.
Matt
Will Sport aircraft be allowed to be IFR certified?
-Robert
There is at least one S-LSA aircraft that is IFR
certified.http://www.newplane.com/amd/amd/601_SLSA/601.html
So then I assume the pilot would need a current class 3 medical,
correct?

-Robert

And an IFR ticket. But the question wasn't about pilot certificates it was
about aircraft.



Yes. I'm instrument rated and was simply wondering what, if any, LSA's
could be flown IFR. I;m debating whether to buy one just for fun
flying, but with the capability to occasionally fly in IMC if needed. I
can buy a 20 year-old 182 that burns 12 GPH or I can buy a new LSA that
burns half that ... and is new!

Yes, I give up two seats, but most of my flying is alone anyway or with
one other person, so I'll just rent when I need four seats. That was
the rationale behind my question.

Matt

Almost entirely. Some of the control surfaces are fabric covered on the
older models and parts of the cowling have some composites. The rest is
aluminum.

Matt Whiting wrote:


Is the Tecnam all aluminum? I'd be worried about a composite airplane
taking a lightning hit if it doesn't have the embedded metal mesh, etc.

Matt

What the FAA issues is a Special Airworthiness Certificate rather than a
standard airworthiness certificate. While issued by the FAA, the
standards that must be met are all published by ASTM rather than the FAA.

Helen

Matt Whiting wrote:
Helen wrote:
The VFR only limitation is strictly on the light sport airman not the
light sport aircraft. You aren't going to find this anywhere in the
FARs because most of these planes are not certified by the FAA, but by
ASTM.

Are you sure about this? I thought the FAA still had to certify them,
just that they will certify any that meet the ASTM standard.

Matt

Helen wrote:
What the FAA issues is a Special Airworthiness Certificate rather than a
standard airworthiness certificate. While issued by the FAA, the
standards that must be met are all published by ASTM rather than the FAA.

Helen

Matt Whiting wrote:
Helen wrote:
The VFR only limitation is strictly on the light sport airman not the
light sport aircraft. You aren't going to find this anywhere in the
FARs because most of these planes are not certified by the FAA, but
by ASTM.

Are you sure about this? I thought the FAA still had to certify them,
just that they will certify any that meet the ASTM standard.

Matt

Yes, understand. However, I still think it is the FAA that is really
certifying the aircraft even though they aren't developing the standards.

I don't think ASTM has any authority to certify aircraft, but I could be
wrong.

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 15, 6:24 am, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It
doesn't appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna
web site.
Matt
Will Sport aircraft be allowed to be IFR certified?
-Robert
There is at least one S-LSA aircraft that is IFR
certified.http://www.newplane.com/amd/amd/601_SLSA/601.html
So then I assume the pilot would need a current class 3 medical,
correct?

-Robert

And an IFR ticket. But the question wasn't about pilot certificates
it was about aircraft.



Yes. I'm instrument rated and was simply wondering what, if any,
LSA's could be flown IFR. I;m debating whether to buy one just for
fun flying, but with the capability to occasionally fly in IMC if
needed. I can buy a 20 year-old 182 that burns 12 GPH or I can buy a
new LSA that burns half that ... and is new!

Yes, I give up two seats, but most of my flying is alone anyway or
with one other person, so I'll just rent when I need four seats. That was
the rationale behind my question.

Matt

Then follow that link up there the 601XLi might be just the plane for you.

On Oct 12, 7:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It doesn't
appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna web site.

Matt

You've gotten a lot of good replies here so it may be redundant, but I
did want to mention I saw the Skycatcher at OshKosh and asked one of
the Cessna salesdrones if it would be IFR capable and he said no.

Putting the technical and regulatory limitations aside, I doubt Cessna
would want to cannibalize 172 sales by offering a much cheaper IFR
alternative.

Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 15, 6:24 am, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
On Oct 12, 4:30 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
Does anyone know if the Skycatcher will be IFR certified? It
doesn't appear to be from what little I've found at the Cessna
web site.
Matt
Will Sport aircraft be allowed to be IFR certified?
-Robert
There is at least one S-LSA aircraft that is IFR
certified.http://www.newplane.com/amd/amd/601_SLSA/601.html
So then I assume the pilot would need a current class 3 medical,
correct?

-Robert
And an IFR ticket. But the question wasn't about pilot certificates
it was about aircraft.


Yes. I'm instrument rated and was simply wondering what, if any,
LSA's could be flown IFR. I;m debating whether to buy one just for
fun flying, but with the capability to occasionally fly in IMC if
needed. I can buy a 20 year-old 182 that burns 12 GPH or I can buy a
new LSA that burns half that ... and is new!

Yes, I give up two seats, but most of my flying is alone anyway or
with one other person, so I'll just rent when I need four seats. That was
the rationale behind my question.

Matt

Then follow that link up there the 601XLi might be just the plane for you.

Except that the wing is in the wrong place!

Matt