Since you are a spamcan pilot, the problem probably does not apply to you.

However, I just received an e-mail from EAA, explaining the present meaning
of the term "repositionable gear" in the LSA rule. (Due to some really
unfair
competition from a well known retailer earlier today, I can not quite decide
whether this is the most stupid thing that I have heard or read today.) So,
sit
down and hang on... "Repositionable gear" apparently means that the craft
may be converted between land and sea operation while on the ground or on
the water, but not while in the air!

Supposedly, the hypothesis is that inadvertant gear-up landings on land and
inadvertant gear-down landings on water will be prevented if all flights
must
begin and end on the same medium. To the extent that deliberate landings
with the gear in the "wrong" position are questionable, this would seem to
prevent any LSA craft from being amphibious.

Let's all wish the EAA the greatest success in counteracting this lunacy!


"Colin W Kingsbury" wrote in message
ink.net...
With the winter doldrums well set in, this spamcan pilot has gotten to
thinking again about trying something different in aviation- specifically
the homebuilt/LSA area. Something not too expensive to operate, on floats
(or a boat-hull) sounds like a lot of fun and might get me up in the air
more often.

I've been following some forums for planes I've been interested in, like
the
Challenger, Searey, and Zenith series, and something that's been a bit
disconcerting is that it seems like every time I turn around I'm reading
about somebody trashing their bird in one way or another. It seems like I
hear about this a lot more often than with certified planes, but I studied
enough statistics to know that's not valid methodology.

My question to those of you in the know, is how do you feel about the
safety
of designs like I mentioned above, that have been around a while and built
in large numbers, built the way the factory says, maintained to a proper
standard, and flown by a pilot who understands his toy is an airplane and
not a snowmobile or jet ski?

Best,
-cwk.