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Light Sport AircraftAirworthiness Requirements

SAAA Authorised Persons Familiarisation training Southport Queensland

23 September 2006

Uncontrolled Document

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What is an LSA

• New category of aircraft (does not replace any other existing category)– Existing registered aircraft are NOT applicable

• Production or kit built (no 51% rule)• MTOW 600 kg (650 kg for sea planes)• Max 2 person• Single engine – Non turbine • Certificated by the manufacturer• Continuing airworthiness controlled by the manufacturer

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LSA Project History

• FAA issues NPRM 31 January 2002• CASA initiates LSA Project October 2002• CASA NPRM issued June 25 2003

– 27 responses received– Overall positive response to the proposal

• FAA LSA aircraft rule commences Sept 1 2004– ASTM standards not available until March

2005

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LSA Project History• LSA Project Team conducted a Safety Risk Analysis

of the draft regulations

• Advisory Circulars published for comment on CASA website July 2005– AC 21-41 LSA CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS

• http://www.casa.gov.au/rules/1998casr/021/021c41.pdf– AC 21-42 LSA MANUFACTURER’S REQUIREMENTS

• http://www.casa.gov.au/rules/1998casr/021/021c42.pdf

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LSA Project History• Amendments to CASRs made 15 December 2005

– LSA aircraft eligible to operate under VH registration

• Amendments to CAO made 3 January 2006– LSA aircraft eligible to operate under the sports

organisations (RAA, HGFA, ASRA)

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Light Sport Aircraft Airworthiness Project Team

• CASA staff• Industry representation

– Sports organisations– Manufacturers– Other specialists,

• Authorised Persons, Reg 35 engineers.

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Light Sport Aircraft Definition• MTOW 600Kg

– 650Kg for seaplanes– Lighter-than-air gross weight of 560kg

• 2 person• Unpressurised cabin• Stall speed 45 knots Vso • Single engine non-turbine • Fixed undercarriage

– Except glider may have retractable– Amphibian may have repositionable landing gear

• If glider Vne of 135 CAS

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Variation with FAA definition

• Stall speed – VS0 45 knots (CASR)

• Stall speed with flaps– VS1 45 knots (FAA)

• Stall speed in clean configuration• Never exceed speed Vne for glider

– 120 knots (FAA)– 135 knots (CASR)

• Propeller – Fixed pitch or ground adjustable (FAA)– No requirements (CASR)

• Lighter-than-air– 560 kg (CASR)– 300 kg (FAA)

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Light Sport Aircraft Categories

• Fixed Wing• Weight Shift • Powered Parachutes• Gyroplanes• Gliders• Lighter-Than-Air

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What is not an LSA

• Hang gliders• Para gliders• Multi-engine aircraft• Helicopters• Complex aircraft

– Retractable undercarriages– Turbine engine

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Benefits of LSA

• Purchase costs reduced.• Improves the entry process for LSA.• Potential export markets.

– Estimated USA market will be 6,500 aircraft in next 5 years and 800 a year after that.

– Enables Australian manufacturers to have access to USA LSA market.

• CASA’s minimal involvement.– More staff available for higher priority work.– Regulatory responsibilities and requirements transferred to the

manufacturer.

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Responsibilities

• Manufacturer responsible for – Certification

• Shows compliance with LSA standards

– Continuing airworthiness.• Approval of major repairs/modifications• Assessment of defects• Issue of Service Directives• Issue of Service Bulletins etc• Database of aircraft owners

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Responsibilities

• CASA responsible for – approving LSA standards

• Participate with industry in periodically reviewing LSA standards

– Overseeing authorised persons who issue certificates of airworthiness

– Registration of aircraft if CASA registered. – Impose conditions or directions, if necessary,

in the interests of safety.

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Responsibilities

• Authorised Persons responsible for– Verifying manufacturer’s statement of

compliance – Ensuring operating instructions, maintenance

manuals etc are available– Inspecting the aircraft is in a condition for safe

operation– Issuing a special certificate of airworthiness.

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Responsibilities

• Operator of a Production LSA is responsible for ensuring– The maintenance and inspections are in accordance

with the manufacturer’s requirements. – All major repairs, modifications and maintenance are

approved by the manufacturer– The aircraft is operated in accordance with the

manufacturer’s operating instructions

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Responsibilities

• Operator of a Production LSA is responsible for ensuring (cont’d)– All manufacturer’s service directives are carried out – The aircraft has a warning placard and passengers

are informed of the warning – Applicable equipment ADs (if any) are complied with.

• RAA aircraft exempt from ADs (covered by technical manual)

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Proposed amendments to regulations

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CASR Part 21 Amendment

– Enable qualified LSA manufacturers to certify aircraft complies with LSA standards• design, quality assurance, production testing and

continuing airworthiness.

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CASR Part 21 Amendment– Enable CASA or an Authorised Person (AP) to

issue a special airworthiness certificate for production LSA.

– Enable CASA or an AP to issue an experimental certificate for kit built LSA• Must be produced by a manufacturer of

production aircraft. – Cannot produce a one off kit built aircraft– There is no 51% rule for kit LSA

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Qualified Manufacturer

• Has a current production certificate for an aircraft ; or

• Has made a written declaration indicating– Contracted an experienced engineer in light

aircraft design– Suitable facility and tools– Trained, experienced and skilled staff

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LSA Standards

• Consist of – ASTM consensus standards (approved by FAA)

• design, • quality assurance, • production acceptance test and • continued operational safety system

– Other acceptable design standards• JAR VLA, BCARS etc

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ASTM standards

• FAA asked ASTM to facilitate consensus standards for LSA

• Committee of manufacturers, aviation sports bodies and regulators.

• Each aircraft category responsible for developing their own standards

• So far 27 standards have been issued – Listed in Advisory Circular 21-42

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LSA Certificate of Airworthiness

• Two types of Certificate– Special Certificate of Airworthiness for LSA

• Production Aircraft

– Experimental Certificate for LSA• Kit built aircraft• Production aircraft that do not comply with

Continuing AW requirements

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Production LSA

• Special C of A is issued if:– Aircraft manufactured by a qualified LSA manufacturer – Applicant gives CASA or AP

• Statement of compliance signed by the manufacturer• Aircraft operating instructions, maintenance and inspection

procedures and flight training supplement issued by the manufacturer

– These are returned to the applicant• If manufactured overseas

– Aircraft manufactured in a Contracting State and is eligible for a C of A – CASA or AP finds the aircraft in a condition for safe operation

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Statement of Compliance

• Aircraft make, model, serial number and date of manufacture

• Aircraft complies with LSA standards for – Design– Manufacture– Production acceptance testing– Continuing airworthiness

• Make available operating instructions, maintenance and inspection manual and flight training manual

• Aircraft is manufactured by a qualified manufacturer

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Conditions for Special C of A for LSA

• The special C of A LSA stops being in force– If a major modification/repair is not

authorised • by the manufacturer or • by a person appointed by CASA if the

manufacturer no longer exists– If the aircraft does not comply with the LSA

standards

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Modifications

• ASTM Maintenance Standard, F2483 -05, defines any repair, alteration or maintenance for which instructions to complete the task are excluded from the maintenance manual(s) supplied to the consumer are considered major.

• Major repairs, alterations etc must be approved by the manufacturer. – This includes CAR 35 modifications.

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Experimental LSA

• Experimental Certificate under CASR 21.191(j) - Kit built aircraft

• Manufacturer’s statement of compliance• Assembly instruction from the manufacturer.• Operating instructions, aircraft maintenance and

inspection procedures and flight training supplement

• The same make and model as a production aircraft• Must satisfy the LSA definition

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Experimental LSA

• Experimental Certificate under CASR 21.191(k)– These production aircraft that no longer satisfy the

LSA requirement applicable for Special C of A• Not complied with Manufacturer’s CAW requirements, or• Not complied with safety directives or• Has unauthorised modifications

– Must still satisfy the LSA definition

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Airworthiness Directives

• In general, CASA will not issue ADs for LSA models.

• Some specific ADs may still be applicable to VH registered aircraft– Aeronautical products

• Type certificate engines and propellers• Equipment such as transponders, flight

instruments, radio and navigational

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CAO amendments

• Amendments to CAO 95 series have been issued to allow the sport organisations to operate – Production LSA and – Kit LSA.

• These requirements mirror the LSA requirements in CASR Part 21

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Operating limitations

• Experimental/kit LSA Category– No change to current Experimental kit

limitations• Production aircraft

– Private operations– Flight training– Glider towing – Hire

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Operating limitations - Production LSA

• Must not operate unless– Maintenance has been carried out IAW

manufacturer’s requirements• Maintenance CAO 95.56 exempts certain requirements in

the regulation for VH aircraft only. – Aircraft inspected every 12 months

• If undergoing flight training, hire etc every 100 hours – All major mods/repairs authorised by the

manufacturer– Placard warning is displayed and each passenger is

informed of the warning

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Operating limitations - Production LSA

• Unless approved by the manufacturer the aircraft must not be operated contrary to – the operating instructions– Safety Direction issued by the manufacturer

• This has the same affect as an AD

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Operating limitations - Production LSA

• CASA may impose additional operating limitations in the interests of safety– CASA must give this to each registered

operator of the aircraft

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Operating limitations - Production aircraft

• In the case that a manufacturer no longer exists– Major modifications/repairs, safety directives,

maintenance and inspection procedures can be issued by a person appointed by CASA.

– If no person is appointed by CASA, these aircraft will have to operate under an experimental certificate

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Process for operating an LSA under RAA

• Purchase a Light Sport Aircraft– Production– Kit

• Make sure the manufacturer/distributor supplies– A Statement of Compliance signed by the

manufacturer– Operating Manual– Maintenance manual– Flight test supplement

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Process for operating an LSA under RAA

• Register the Aircraft with RAA• Fill out an application for a C of A• Contact an Authorised person to issue the CofA

– Authorised person will need to ensure it complies with the LSA requirements and is in a safe condition for operation.

– If it is a kit the AP also needs to ensure that a production aircraft of the same make and model has been issued with a special C of A.

• The AP issues a C of A• Go fly the aircraft