Would Also Allow Development Of Lighter-Than-Air LSA
On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that, if enacted, would put to rest a
niggling point in the original standards defined for light sport
aircraft in 2004... as well as potentially expanding the category
to include lighter-than-air LSA.
In its NPRM, the FAA acknowledges the "realities" of operation
of amphibious aircraft -- namely, that a pilot who takes off from
the water, may not necessarily wish to land back there.
Currently, amphib pilots are not permitted by regulations to
change landing gear configuration -- putting the wheels down for a
ground landing, or retracting them to set down in a lake -- while
in flight, but only when on the ground or in the water.
This "repositionable" definition has resulted in confusion since
the FAA agreed to the light sport aircraft standards two years
ago.
"When we drafted the original proposal for LSA appropriate for
sport pilots, we were concerned that LSA be simple in design and
operation," the FAA writes. "For aircraft design, low performance
within the constraints of light weight and structural integrity
were important. For aircraft operation, simple mechanical systems
within the constraint of sport pilot training requirements were
important.
"As noted in the preamble to the rule, from an operations
perspective, 14 CFR, part 61, § 61.31(e) provides a statement
of the aircraft features that the FAA considers in assuring
adequate training for a pilot to operate complex aircraft. From the
aircraft operations perspective, § 61.31(e) does not dictate
that retractable landing gear makes a seaplane complex. We intended
to allow for retractable landing gear for amphibious aircraft. We
attempted to differentiate between retractable and repositionable
landing gear, but that distinction has caused problems when
implementing the rule."
As Aero-News reported, Czech
Air Works (CZAW) petitioned the FAA for an exemption to allow
retractable landing gear on its Mermaid amphibious airplane.
The NPRM also calls for regulations governing the development of
lighter-than-air light sport aircraft. (LTA). The LTA change would
result in a "common land-based LSA maximum takeoff weight limit and
allow the LTA LSA industry to design and build safe, functional LTA
aircraft."
Details of the NPRM are available for download at the FMI link
below. Comments are requested before May 21, 2007, with
implementation of the new rule planned for June 4.