The FAA has accepted the consensus standards for weight-shift-control light-sport aircraft (LSA), clearing the way for trikes to be sold as ready-to-fly special LSA (S-LSA). Scott Toland, chairman of the ASTM Int'l subcommittee, announced the following completed standards:

• F2317/F2317M-05-Standard Specification for Design of Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
• F2457-05-Standard Specification for Required Product Information to be Provided with Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
• F2483-0-Standard Practice for Maintenance and the Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Sport Aircraft
• F2448-0-Standard Practice for Manufacturer Quality Assurance System for Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
• F2447-05-Standard Practice for Production Acceptance Test Procedures for Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
• F2425-05a Standard Specification for Continued Airworthiness System for Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft

In addition, FAA has accepted an optional standard, F2339-05-Standard Practice for Design and Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition Engines for Light-Sport Aircraft.

Still pending, for both weight-shift and fixed-wing airplanes, is a standard for kit assembly instructions. This standard, which is currently being developed, will allow the sale of a kit version of a special LSA in any level of completion.

The completed weight-shift standards are available free to ASTM committee members and may be purchased by non-members at reasonable cost.

FMI: www.astm.org, scott@ltd-aero.com