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Light Sport Aircraft for Private Pilots (Long)
Hi all.
I'm a current student pilot(PPSEL) and I have been reading up on the new sport pilot/LSA stuff that has come about. My interest, like most potential pilots, is to eventually own an aircraft, but that will be several years down the road. However, the new Light Sport Aircraft class caught my attention. I wanted to throw a few observations/opinions out and get some comments. When I was deciding to go for my certificate, the one of the things that I weighed was the cost of aviation. Since the general pool of pilots has been decreasing for a while, I didn't see much of a possibility for prices to drop any time in the near future. Generally, I see the issue as FAA certifications costs. Massive, to say the least. Couple that with a lack of pilots to purchase aircraft, preventing manufacturers from spreading those and other tooling costs over a large volume. Then I started reading up on the new sport pilot rules. I don't see a rush of sport pilots in the near future, unless this thing gets pushed by AOPA/EAA big time. Doubt it. I think they view it as a way to bring ultralight pilots into the fold. However, this LSA thing appears to have some serious promise for current private pilots. From most of the pilots I've talked to, A LOTof their flying consists of tooling around flying, usually involving themselves and maybe another passenger. The quest for the $100 hamburger, etc. Hence, the popularity of the Cenna 15X/17X and Piper 140 class airplanes. A quick check of my local airfield showed roughly 70% in this class. From what I am told, it seems that LSA can meet this need nicely. The speeds are within range. It is my understanding that these aircraft can be night and IFR certified as long as the pilot holds the appropriate ratings. It is also my understanding that the owner could self maintain after as little as 16 hours of training. With the consensus standards, the initial prices for the airframes will be much cheaper. The homebuilt companies appear to be already chomping at the bit. I have seen some nice aircraft advertised for much less than $80K. However, these prices are using FAA certified engines and instruments. In the future, I would expect consensus standard powerplants (Honda, perhaps?) and instruments. Some of the nice homebuilt glass panels and FADEC systems may meet ASTM standards in the near future and they cost a fraction of a G1000. Given this, I'm pretty jazzed about this development. If things go this way, I would expect sales of LSA's to rocket as current pilots trade in their older, expensive to maintain A/C for newer, cheaper ones. Speculation: If this really takes off and the industry starts making some money, could the FAA be pressured to expand speeds, weight limits and # of seats. Include retracts? Maybe incorporate all non-commercial A/C operations under the LSA rule? It may be far fetched, but not outside the realm of possibility. The only downside I can see is that the bottom may drop out of the Cessna 152/172 - Piper 140 market. And of course if Dateline runs a story about those new "dangerous uncertified" airplanes. |
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