EAA LODA Holder List

Today's EAA e-Hotline has a Member Benefit Spotlight devoted to Transition Training and LODAs. I clicked on the list of LODA Holders in the article and browsed the list. One of the most widely publicized holders of an LODA is Sonex Aircraft, which has had its transition training program featured in EAA publications. When you look at the list under Wisconsin, guess who isn't on the list: Sonex Aircraft. In fact, there isn't a singe LODA holder for Sonex on the list in any state as of today.

The NTSB has recommended that "EAA create and publish a repository of voluntarily provided information regarding holders of LODAs to conduct flight instruction in experimental aircraft." Sonex is right across the field from EAA and has been featured in several aviation publications. How can they be omitted from the LODA holders list? I will give EAA a big fat F for their LODA listing, especially since the FAA and NTSB are asking EAA to step forward and do it. In this area they're abysmal. Maybe Jeremy's being shy, but I don't think that's in his nature.

Bill;

Yes, the list is really quite incomplete. Sonex Aircraft does in fact possess a LODA, and offers transition training on their website. Additionally, Michael Farley in Ohio is also a Sonex LODA holder.

The EAA Type Club Coalition has been trying for over a year now to get a better grasp of the issues to be addressed. Things have improved greatly since Convention this year, and specific items have been identified. We share your concern, but are optimistic for the immediate future. The Sonex Builders and Pilots Foundation type club has been working very closely with Sonex Aircraft to resolve experimental aircraft safety concerns by the FAA.

Full disclosure: I built and fly a Sonex, and am the treasurer of the Sonex Builders and Pilots Foundation.

We're in the middle of a major update to the list as we speak. That said, I don't know how or why we missed Sonex T-Flight from this list, although as you point out we certainly publicized its creation at the time and have continued to promote awareness of it. For the individual LODA holders we have mainly relied on self-referrals since there is no easy to way to track when a new LODA is granted (as the entire process is handled at the FSDO level). Nevertheless, you're absolutely right that the list is in serious need of an update and we're working with the FAA right now to do just that.