new "light sport" aircraft

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcmurphy

I was reading AOPA Pilot and they had a short article on the Gogetair G750, a new European airplane that has a cruise speed of 138 to 152 knots and a gross weight of 1,653 lbs. It is being sold in the experimental exhibition category in the United States. I went to a MOSAIC forum at Airventure last summer and was told that the Light Sport category was not being changed. The changes would be which aircraft a Light Sort pilot could fly. If this is correct how would an airplane like the Gogetair 750 fit in? It fits in the European Light Sport category but not the American category. Would it need to be a certified aircraft under current FAA rules? Seems to be a gray area in the rules. Just wondering how the new higher speed, higher gross Light Sport airplanes are going to fit in.

Part of the proposed rule changes for MOSAIC include changing 14CFR 22.100, which defines the eligibility requirements for aircraft to be licensed as Special Light Sport. The changes include those that fall under the MOSAIC proposal (up to four seats, stall 54 knots or lower, max speed of 250 knots, etc). The limitations for Sport Pilots are being changed to match. (14CFR 61.316)

For aircraft built outside the US, several other requirements are added. The aircraft must have been manufactured in a country with which the United States has a Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement concerning airplanes or Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement with associated Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness concerning airplanes, or an equivalent airworthiness agreement, and that the aircraft is eligible for an airworthiness certificate, flight authorization, or other similar certification in its country of manufacture.

If MOSAIC is implemented, I don't see any issue with the Gogetair G750 being flown by a Sport Pilot. However, there may or may not be a route to change the certification of a particular G750 from Experimental Exhibition to Special Light Sport. 22.100 still includes the proviso that the an airplane cannot be issued a Light Sport certificate if it had been previously issued a standard, primary, restricted, limited, or provisional airworthiness certificate. Note that it doesn't *include* Experimental in that list, so it might be OK. In any case, the only difference is that an aircraft licensed as Experimental Exhibition cannot have its yearly Condition Inspection performed by the holder of a Light Sport - Maintenance or Light Sport - Inspection Repairman Certificate.

Ron Wanttaja