Registering an ELSA Aircraft as an EAB Aircraft?

[Pete Capani]

Thanks for your comments, Bill. Insightful information on a very confusing topic! I hope I can keep flying safely but, lately, I "tremble" every time I go to the AME for my First Class and I've decided that it isn't worth it for me to go for a Third Class, either. Am I correct in assuming that my ATP AMEL will qualify me to fly Sport Pilot?
--Pete

[Bill Berson]

Thanks for your comments, Bill. Insightful information on a very confusing topic! I hope I can keep flying safely but, lately, I "tremble" every time I go to the AME for my First Class and I've decided that it isn't worth it for me to go for a Third Class, either. Am I correct in assuming that my ATP AMEL will qualify me to fly Sport Pilot?
--Pete

Yep, you are qualified for sport pilot, no sign off or anything is needed other than perhaps a new airplane check out
( recommended, not required) and the usual two year flight review is still required.
And don't forget the flight limits. ( day, VFR, 10,000 feet, etc)

[Pete Capani]

10,000 feet max, no night nor IFR will be tough but still better than being grounded....

[Bill]

10,000 feet max, no night nor IFR will be tough but still better than being grounded....

Its not 10,000 feet max for those of us here in the West. CFR 61.315 (11) says for sport pilot privileges and limitations "You may not act as pilot in command .. At an altitude of more than 10,000 feet MSL or 2,000 feet AGL, whichever is higher." So, in these parts, that gets you a lot higher than 10,000 feet. In Fort Worth, you may be limited to 10,000 feet, but just head to West Texas or New Mexico and you'll able to fly much higher. Around here, I can go any where from 11,500 to 14,500 feet depending on where I am and still be legal under sport pilot privileges. So you can find yourself flying as a sport pilot and still needing supplementary oxygen.

[Pete Capani]

That's at least something.....P

[S3flyer]

And it's not strictly day -- an SP gets civil twilight which gains about 1 more hour of flying in DFW this time of year

[martymayes]

Sorry, Bill; don't have the data. I know for a fact that I've conversed with pilots who've registered one as such, but couldn't tell you whether that was at Oshkosh, Crossville (the big Sonex fly-in), at the Sonex Open House, or at a smaller regional event. I have no idea what the FARs say about the "one example" item you cite. For me, it was a no-brainer, so I went with E/AB and never even studied what it would take for anything else. Sorry if I added confusion to the topic.

Carl, some E/AB airplanes have been registered as ELSA that are not eligible to be such. DAR's goofed. They are human. However, have to remember, under 49 USC § 44709, the administrator can reinspect an aircraft and issue an order to amend, modify, suspend or revoke the certificates. Not that they ever will but why have that hanging over your had?

[CarlOrton]

Carl,
As I understand the rule, an Experimental Light Sport Airplane is only available to aircraft that have had one example airplane comply with Special Light Sport Airplane consensus standards.
As Marty mentioned, I don't think Sonex has SLSA approval.
Can you clarify?

p.s. the ELSA words were also used for transitioning ultralights, but that option ended in 2010,I think.

Received the following clarification from Sonex themselves (from SonexTalk forum): "There is currently no method for certificating a Sonex as ELSA. Under the current regulations, the only way a Sonex could be certificated as ELSA would be if Sonex had an SLSA prototype and sold kits specifically based on that prototype. (This is the method Van's uses to certificate the RV-12 as ELSA.)
Sonex does not have an SLSA prototype (and at this point doesn't plan on having one) so there is no path to ELSA certification for a Sonex.
There ARE some sonex aircraft that were certificated as ELSA during the period right after implementation of the rule (during that time when ultralight trainers were being converted). This includes one of the Sonex factory prototypes. So you may see a few Sonex aircraft with ELSA airworthiness certificates, but they would all have been issued during that "open enrollment" period." <<end Sonex quote
So, as speculated by several, the Sonex a/c that ARE ELSA made it thru via the early loophole. But at least I feel better that I wasn't totally off-base on my reply! ;-)