On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 16:47:07 -0700, Rich S. wrote:
Anybody else notice the complete absence of the words "Homebuilt" in the
latest article about Sport Pilot on the EAA website
http://www.airventure.org/2003/friaug1/sport_pilot.html.

I have to wonder if the only "approved" airplanes will be commercially
manufactured ones.

No, there are two distinct categories, one being Experimental Light and the
other, which I can't remember the name from the seminar at OSH, are the
manufactured ones. The Experimental Light , ala homebuilt, do _not_ have to
abide by the now 51% rule as for the present category, Experimental, which
will also remain in effect and receive a standard Airworthiness Certificate.

The Experimental Light nor the manufactured ones receive an Airworthiness
Cert, but rather a statement of compliance. To further complicate matters,
there are two new categories of maintenance requirements and authorizations
for these light airplanes.

I'm trying to remember these points from the seminar at OSH, so terms aren't
coming to mind but it is all published now. I'm sure there are others on the
group who can readily give you all of the details.

Their thinking, quite altruistic, was to try and make general aviation
afordable for more people and entice them into the field. With the costs of
new planes, the pilot pool will soon dimish. This driver's license medical
is just an adjunct to the whole concept and program. At least this was my
take from hearing the FAA presentation at OSH, and now I realize just how
complicated this whole step is for the FAA.

We don't really know from her statements, but it appears Blakely approved
all that was previously published. Who knows what will actually become law
when the DOT and others finish with it.

....Edwin


--
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~ Edwin Johnson ....... ~
~ http://www.shreve.net/~elj ~
~ ~
~ "Once you have flown, you will walk the ~
~ earth with your eyes turned skyward, ~
~ for there you have been, there you long ~
~ to return." -- da Vinci ~
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