Sport Pilot Final

It's not too difficult to get a medical if you are taking blood pressure
medication. You mainly have to show that your blood pressure is under
control and your system is tolerating the drug well. The extra tests do
drive the cost up though,

Most of the FAA's prohibited BP medicines bring a smile to the face of
the family doctor, who says that nobody ever prescribes them any more.

I take Diovan and the one with the long name, HCTZ I think it is
(cheap! wow! $1.85 for 90 days!). I used to take Cardura along with
the Diovan. I required no tests, only a statement from my doctor with
a list of periodic BP readings (which I took at home and gave to him)
and a list of my prescriptions. The simpler this stuff is, the better.

I had a lengthy delay before the certificate came through, four months
I think. But my following two flight physicals were completed in the
flight surgeon's office.

Actually, the FAA now seems more interested in my exercise-induced
asthma than in my blood pressure. At next physical I am to submit a
"narrative" from my doctor on this subject.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Expedition sailboat charters www.expeditionsail.com

Actually, 45 knots = 51.75 mph, so it looks as if the 415C should be able to
have the SLA classification. That's a good thing, cuz many of the other
"eligible" a/c are tail-draggers. The castored main gear on the Ercoupe
should make a crabbed X-wind landing fairly easy (and necessary since
auto-coordination excludes slipping.)

--

Dr. Bob Lade
Lade's Internet Service, Inc.
637 N.E. 15th Court
Cape Coral FL 33909
www.BobLade.com
239-772-1663 v/f 239-560-1631 m
"ET" wrote in message
...
"Dr. Bob Lade" wrote in
:

I meant the Ercoupe 415C, of course g.

--

Dr. Bob Lade
Lade's Internet Service, Inc.
637 N.E. 15th Court
Cape Coral FL 33909
www.BobLade.com
239-772-1663 v/f 239-560-1631 m
"Dr. Bob Lade" wrote in message
news
I have heard conflicting reports as to whether the Ercoupe 416C would
be eligible as a LSA or not. Anyone know for sure? I see it listed as
having
a
t/o weight of 1260 lb. under the 1320 lb. in the newly published FAA
rules...

--

Dr. Bob Lade
Lade's Internet Service, Inc.
637 N.E. 15th Court
Cape Coral FL 33909
www.BobLade.com

Looks to me like your in....

Stall speed (clean) 48mph

LSA stall speed 45knots = approx 48.6 mph

--
ET


"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

Somewhat on topic, is it possible to change (lower) the gross weight
of a production aircraft? Example a piper clipper pa-16 is of course a
4 seater empty wight usually around 900 lbs, if I removed the back
seat and flew it at 1320 lbs or under (my wife and I together weigh
300 lbs or so)? It would meet all the other criteria vne 120 knots or
less, cruise and max speed 120 kts.

Thanks,
Dave

"Rich S." wrote in message ...
"ET" wrote in message
...

LSA stall speed 45knots = approx 48.6 mph

That would be closer to 51.7864910 mph.

Rich "The Devil is in the details" S.

dave wrote:

Somewhat on topic, is it possible to change (lower) the gross weight
of a production aircraft?

Sure. Recertify it.

George Patterson
In Idaho, tossing a rattlesnake into a crowded room is felony assault.
In Tennessee, it's evangelism.

On 21 Jul 2004 07:03:23 -0700, (dave) wrote:

Somewhat on topic, is it possible to change (lower) the gross weight
of a production aircraft? Example a piper clipper pa-16 is of course a
4 seater empty wight usually around 900 lbs, if I removed the back
seat and flew it at 1320 lbs or under (my wife and I together weigh
300 lbs or so)? It would meet all the other criteria vne 120 knots or
less, cruise and max speed 120 kts.

George Patterson had the right answer, for production aircraft or completed
homebuilts ("Recertify it"). But one could certainly make a homebuilt
version of the Clipper and do exactly what you describe.

For existing homebuilt models that do NOT nominally meet the requirements,
this might get interesting. Wag-Aero lists their "Sport Trainer" (J-3 Cub
clone) at 1400 pounds gross, but with a 720-pound empty weight. The
aircraft's utility will be barely affected if a builder licenses a new
Sport Trainer at 1320 pounds gross. Presumably, the DAR won't care, as
long as the builder licenses the plane in the conventional
Experimental/Amateur-Built category (which still would allow a Sport Pilot
to fly it).

Yet, of course, a guy with an identical aircraft licensed prior to the
start of the Sport Pilot regs will need a Private certificate...since he
probably licensed his plane at 1400 pounds.

To quote Captain Blood: "Faith, but it's a cruel world, entirely..."

Like the issues regarding guys who previous lost their third class
medicals, the transition period is going to be messy.

Ron Wanttaja

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in
:



dave wrote:

Somewhat on topic, is it possible to change (lower) the gross weight
of a production aircraft?

Sure. Recertify it.

George Patterson
In Idaho, tossing a rattlesnake into a crowded room is felony
assault. In Tennessee, it's evangelism.


NO,

Well, YES, actually, but it will not do any good for Sport Pilot.

The FAA added the following to avoid just such a thing: "Light-sport
aircraft means an aircraft, other than a helicopter or powered-lift that,
since its original certification, has continued to meet the following:"

The words "since it's original certification, has continued" is your
problem. The same for the ercoupe 415 d's that used to be "c's". You
can't take them back to a "c" and fly under sport (and be legal). I
suppose it's unlikely that a ramp check will get you ... but if the ramp
checkers start carrying laptops with N-number databases in them... maybe
you would get caught.

--
ET


"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message
...

Yet, of course, a guy with an identical aircraft licensed prior to the
start of the Sport Pilot regs will need a Private certificate...since he
probably licensed his plane at 1400 pounds.

Interesting scenario, Ron. As far as I know there are only two places where
the aircraft weigt is recorded. One is the data plate which displays the
maximum gross weight and the other is the W&B form. The max gross weight is
builder's choice - I have no idea if it is legal to change this figure. The
W&B form is a "living" document and MUST be changed to reflect the current
W&B of the airplane.

Rich "Calories, it's all about calories" S.

"Dr. Bob Lade" wrote:

Actually, 45 knots = 51.75 mph, so it looks as if the 415C should be able to
have the SLA classification.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Actually, NOT in the U.S.A.. [Pun intended]


Since 1959, the U.S. has used 6,076.115 feet
as the international standard for a nautical mile,
making 45 knots closer to = 51.78507102 mph.

However, there are other standards for a n.m.
Therefore... YMMV. g


Barnyard - PhD challenged - BOb

ET wrote:

The words "since it's original certification, has continued" is your
problem.

Ah, yes. Careless reading on my part.

George Patterson
In Idaho, tossing a rattlesnake into a crowded room is felony assault.
In Tennessee, it's evangelism.

"Dr. Bob Lade" writes:

The castored main gear on the Ercoupe

Ercoupes don't have castoring (swiveling, turning, rotating) main gear
(legs). They are simply robust enough to take the side forces
generated by a crabbed landing.