Yet another mess from the (not)Friendly Aviation Agency

[knussear]

Now what we need is the ability to use Trikes for Commercial purposes!

[S3flyer]

Both LSA and ultralights cannot be used for hire without an exemption.

Not correct. A sport pilot cannot be compensated for flying or fly in furtherance of a business but a private pilot can flu an LSA in furtherance of a business and a commercial pilot may accept compensating for hire flying and LSA. LSA and Sport Pilot are related but independent regs.

[Frank Giger]

They apparently got their exemption. See...that wasn't so bad. LOL

Good to hear!

My experience with government agencies is that that largest problem with them is that they're populated with people. It is also the greatest asset.

Government employees aren't another species spawned from the mud of Isengard; they're just people. Some are jerks, some are helpful, some are risk adverse (and won't interprete anything in a regulation, seeing them as restrictive), and others relish making the regulations work for the applicant.

The FAA people I've met are people - and like to talk flying! They don't hate pilots; they hate irresponsible pilots.

[Jim Hann]

Good to hear!

My experience with government agencies is that that largest problem with them is that they're populated with people. It is also the greatest asset.

<snip>

The FAA people I've met are people - and like to talk flying! They don't hate pilots; they hate irresponsible pilots.

Frank, you've got it right, the sad part is the memory of the bad one(s) always seems to overshadow the memory of the good one(s).

Jim

[steveinindy]

Now what we need is the ability to use Trikes for Commercial purposes!

Don't they do that for sightseeing flights in Hawaii? I seem to recall a series of two or three crashes a couple of years back involving sightseeing tourists in trikes. However, I'm not sure if they were operated by folks as traditional "sightseeing" flights or as "training flights".

[FlyingRon]

They weren't ultralights, they were LSA's and I heard this morning that they got the approval to continue.

[Bill]

Looks like the FAA isn't as unfriendly an aviation agency as the OP thought. Yesterday the FAA said that it is granting a one-time exemption to complete this year's Operation Migration flight and will work with Operation Migration to find a permanent solution for the future.

[Bill Berson]

Not correct. A sport pilot cannot be compensated for flying or fly in furtherance of a business but a private pilot can flu an LSA in furtherance of a business and a commercial pilot may accept compensating for hire flying and LSA. LSA and Sport Pilot are related but independent regs.

I don't think so.

Here is the FAR:
§ 91.327 Aircraft having a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category: Operating limitations.(a) No person may operate an aircraft that has a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category for compensation or hire except—
(1) To tow a glider or an unpowered ultralight vehicle in accordance with §91.309 of this chapter; or
(2) To conduct flight training.

[S3flyer]

Bill,Thanks for the correction.

[knussear]

Don't they do that for sightseeing flights in Hawaii? I seem to recall a series of two or three crashes a couple of years back involving sightseeing tourists in trikes. However, I'm not sure if they were operated by folks as traditional "sightseeing" flights or as "training flights".

These are operated a "training flights" as trikes are one of the last of the classes of aircraft for which there is no commercial certification. We really need a group like EAA, or AOPA to help us get these aircraft included as the rest of them are.