Light-sport aircraft


A light-sport aircraft, or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates the category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA.

LSAs in different countries

in different countries have their own particular specifications and regulations which define the LSA category.
For example, in Australia the Civil Aviation Safety Authority defines a light-sport aircraft as a heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft, other than a helicopter, with a maximum gross takeoff weight of not more than for lighter-than-air craft; for heavier-than-air craft not intended for operation on water; or for aircraft intended for operation on water. It must have a maximum stall speed of in landing configuration; a maximum of two seats; there is no limit on maximum speed unless it is a glider, which is limited to Vne 135 kn CAS; fixed undercarriage ; an unpressurized cabin; and a single non-turbine engine driving a propeller if it is a powered aircraft.
In the United States, several distinct groups of aircraft may be flown as light-sport. Existing certificated aircraft and experimental, amateur-built aircraft that fall within the definition listed in 14CFR1.1 are acceptable, as are aircraft built to an industry consensus standard rather than FAA airworthiness requirements. The accepted consensus standard is defined by ASTM International Technical Committee F37. Aircraft built to the consensus standard may be factory-built and sold with a special airworthiness certification or may be assembled from a kit under the experimental rules under experimental airworthiness. A company must have produced and certified at least one S-LSA in order to be permitted to sell E-LSA kits of the same model. E-LSA kits are not subject to the normal experimental amateur built requirement 14 CFR 21.191 which identifies an aircraft, the "major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by persons who undertook the construction project solely for their own education or recreation."

United States

The FAA defines a light sport aircraft as an aircraft, other than a helicopter or Powered-lift, that since its original certification, has continued to meet the following:
  1. Max. Gross Takeoff Weight: 1,320 lbs or 1,430 lbs for seaplanes
  2. Max. Stall Speed: CAS
  3. Max. Speed in Level Flight : CAS
  4. Max. Seats: Two
  5. Max. Engines / Motors: One
  6. Propeller: Fixed-pitch or ground adjustable
  7. Cabin: Unpressurized
  8. Fixed-pitch, semi-rigid, teetering, two-blade rotor system, if a gyroplane.
  9. Landing Gear: Fixed
;Aircraft licensing
Several different kinds of aircraft may be certificated as LSA. Airplanes, rotorcraft, powered parachutes, weight-shift control aeroplanes, and lighter-than-air craft may all be certificated as LSA if they fall within the weight and other guidelines established by the local governing authority.
The US definition of an LSA is similar to some other countries' definition of "microlight" or "ultralight" aircraft. Except for the LSA's relatively generous MTOW of 1320 pounds, the other countries' microlight definitions are typically less restrictive, not limiting airspeed or the use of variable-pitch propellers.
By contrast, the US FAA has a separate definition of ultralight aircraft defined in Federal Aviation Regulations. Aircraft falling within the US ultralight specifications are extremely lightweight, are intended for manned operation by a single occupant, have a fuel capacity of five US gallons or less, a maximum calibrated airspeed of not more than, and a maximum stall speed of not more than. Ultralight aircraft in the US do not require pilot licensing, medical certification, or aircraft registration.
Aircraft certified as light-sport aircraft exceed the limitations defined for ultralight aircraft and require that the pilot possess, at a minimum, a sport pilot certificate. Among these aircraft were found those that were specifically designed to meet the LSA requirements, as well as overweight ultralights that previously were operated in technical violation of 14 CFR 103.
In addition to aircraft specifically designed to meet the LSA requirements, certain certificated aircraft, such as the original Piper Cub, happen to fall within the definition of a light-sport aircraft and can be operated by individuals holding FAA sport pilot certificates. The aircraft can not be re-certificated as LSA, however: although sport pilots may operate conventionally certificated aircraft that fall within the definition of an LSA, the aircraft themselves continue to be certificated in their original categories.
Several designers and manufacturers of experimental aircraft kits have developed models that are compliant with the light-sport aircraft rules.
In June 2012 the FAA indicated that they would re-visit the LSA program after their own studies indicated that "the majority" of LSA manufacturers they had inspected failed to show that they were in compliance with the standards. The FAA announcement said that as a result the "original policy of reliance on manufacturers' Statements of Compliance"... "should be reconsidered." AOPA points out that this is a normal development of a maturing standard and does not expect any significant changes in the rules, only more scrutiny by FAA to assure compliance.

FAA certified models

Aircraft that met light-sport requirements when the rules were announced appear in FAA's list
Some additional models of S-LSA, E-LSA and E-AB aircraft that meet light-sport requirements are listed here.
ManufacturerDesignEngineMax. cruiseMax. rangeOrdersAvailabilityType-
3Xtrim3Xtrim Navigator 600100 HP Rotax 912 S104 kn 747 NM2008Certified-
Advanced Composites SolutionsACS-100 Sora120 kn Kit-
Aeropro / fly-Aerotrek.comAerotrek A240 or A220 Rotax 912 A/ 912 S115 kn 570 NM 300+ soldsince 1990Certified-
Aeroprakt ManufacturingA-22LS Rotax 912UL,Rotax 912ULS or Rotax 912 iS110 kn 594 NM since 2016Certified-
AMDZodiac 650B Continental O-200 + Others120 kn Certified-
The Airplane FactoryThe Airplane Factory Sling 2Rotax 912S or 912 ULS110 kn 880 NM 100+2010Certified RTF & Kit-
Aviasud EngineeringAviasud MistralRotax 582 DCDI65 kn 270 NM, 500 kmCertified-
BOT AircraftSC07 Speed CruiserRotax 912ULS or D-Motor LF26116kn 648NM 2016E-LSA, pending S-LSA certification-
BreezerBreezerRotax 912 UL296 kn 497 NM -
CGS AviationHawk Arrow II SLSARotax 582, Rotax 912 F, HKS 700e, HKS 700T, Jabiru 220070 kn 130 NM170+ 2008Certified-
CessnaCessna 162Continental O-200D112 kn 470 NM 195. 80 in stock for sparesSince 2009 - discontinued Feb 2014Certified-
Cirrus DesignCirrus SRSRotax 912 S120 kn Unknown, project suspendedCertified-
Comco IkarusIkarus C42 Rotax 912 F105 kn 194 km/hCertified-
Cub CraftersCubCrafters CC11-160 Carbon Cub SSTitan 340CC, 180 HP88 kn 391 NM 300+2009ELSA Kit/Certified-
Czech Sport AircraftSportCruiser/PiperSportRotax 912 S118 kn 600 NM 170+ deliveredAvailable since 2006Certified-
Czech Sport Aircraft/Wet Aero USACZAW MermaidJabiru 3300 or Rotax 912S110 kn 450 NM 2006Certified-
DOVA AircraftDV-1 SKYLARKRotax 912S124,19kn 539 NM 2004Certified-
EkolotEkolot KR-030 TopazRotax 912UL119 kn 2010 LSA Certified-
Europa AircraftEuropa XSRotax 912 / 912 ULS / 914 or Jabiru Aircraft120 kn 750 NM2009Kit-
FANTASY AIRAllegro 2007Rotax 912 F or 912 S119 kn 750 NM 2008Certified-
FK-LightplanesFK12 CometRotax 912UL/ULS,
914, or Lycoming IO-233		97 kn
351 nm
1997Certified-
Flight DesignFlight Design CTsw: CTLS: CTLSiRotax 912S ; Rotax 912iS120 kn 850 NM 350+2005Certified-
Higher Class AviationSport Hornet LRSRotax 912 F or Rotax 582100 kn 450 NM 040+2009Certified-
JIHLAVAN airplanes, s.r.o.Skyleader 600Rotax 912 100 hp & 115 hp120 kn 860 NM AvailableCertified-
ICON AircraftICON A5Rotax 912 iS105 kn 300 nmi 1500+2015FAA Approved-
Kitfox AircraftKitfoxRotax 912 S109 kn 530 NM 4000+ 2008ELSA Kit/Certified-
Paradise AircraftParadise P-1100 HP, Rotax 912 S120 kn 747 NM 2008Certified-
PipistrelPipistrel Sinus LSARotax 912 80 hp120 kn 790 NM 1000+ since 1995Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit-
PipistrelPipistrel Virus LSARotax 912 80 hp120 kn 790 NM 1000+ since 1999Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit-
PipistrelPipistrel Virus SW LSARotax 912 80 hp & 100 hp120 kn 790 NM 1000+ since 2008Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit-
PipistrelPipistrel Taurus LSARotax 503, 55 hp120 kn 150 NM since 2004Certified LSA Glider RTF-
PipistrelPipistrel Alpha TrainerRotax 912 80 hp120 kn 790 NM since 2012Certified LSA Airplane RTF-
Progressive AerodyneSeaRey Elite LSARotax 91491 kn 379 NM LSA Kit/Certified-
Progressive AerodyneSeaRey Sport LSARotax 912UL80 kn 363 NM LSA Certified-
Rainbow Aircraft ltd.Cheetah XLSRotax 912 or Rotax 582 or Jabiru 2200A83 kn 450 NM 100+2001ELSA Kit/Certified-
Remos AircraftRemos G-3Rotax 912 S, 100HP120 kn 550 NM / 1018 km2007Certified-
Remos AircraftRemos GXRotax 912 S 100HP115 kn 450 NM Certified-
Renegade Light Sport
originally T&T Aviation		Falcon LSLycoming IO-233-LSA112 kn
460 nmi
2010LSA Certified-
SkyetonSkyeton K-10 SwiftRotax 912 S, 100HP120 kn 486 NM 2006Certified-
SkyRunner, LLC.SkyRunner MK 3.2914 UL35 kn 120 nmUS$139,0002016FAA Approved / S-LSA
TL UltralightTL Ultralight TL-96 StarRotax 912 F120 kn 790 NM 70+AvailableCertified-
Storm AircraftStorm RallyRotax 912 S120 kn 450 NM 2004Certified-
Storm AircraftStorm CenturyRotax 912 S120 kn 450 NM 2004Certified-
Tecnam AircraftTecnam P2004Rotax 912 S116 kn 100+2005Certified-
TerrafugiaTerrafugia TransitionRotax 912 S 1002012Experimental/Certification planned -
Van's AircraftRV-12iSRotax 912 iS117 kn 564 NM 1000+2008ELSA Kit/Certified-

Europe

In June 2011, the European Aviation Safety Agency published CS-LSA "Certification Specifications for Light Sport Aeroplanes". This introduced a new category of manufactured sport aeroplanes similar to the light-sport category found in the USA and elsewhere.

Australia

A new certification category for 'Light Sport Aircraft' came into effect on 7 January 2006. This category does not replace the previous categories, but created a new category with the following characteristics:
Light-sport aircraft can be factory-manufactured aircraft or kits for amateur-building.