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#1
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Experimental aircraft and towing
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs
to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
#2
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Apr 6, 7:44 pm, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc I talked to an FAA inspector a couple of years ago when the issue of towing of towing ultralight "vehicles" (the FAA doesn't want to call them aircraft) with standard class aircraft came up. A carefull reading of FARs could be interpreted as prohibiting the practice. This was important with the introduction of the Sparrowhawk, an ultralight glider "vehicle". The FAA inspector found no problem with the practice and that the FAA did not intend to prohibit it, but did allow that there was a potential issue with the FAR in question (91.309). That now has been corrected. A personal observation: you basically start with the right to whatever you want and the FARs take those rights away, one by one. In other words, do not expect to find an FAR that PERMITS a specific activity, rather it is the lack of any FARs taking that right away that permit you to do it. Of course, there are many FARs that permit certain activities, but the principal still stands. That said, a call to your local FSDO to clarify the issue isn't a bad idea (some of my friends are very vocal about NEVER talking to the FAA, an idea that I don't agree with). Tom |
#4
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Experimental aircraft and towing
There are no FARs that prohibit towing (not for hire)
in an experimental aircraft. However, as of about 15 years ago, the boiler plate operating limitations for experimental aircraft prohibit towing or sport parachuting. The op limits recommended in the inspector's handbook are only guidelines, and can be changed if equivalent level of public safety can be shown. That assumes you have an inspector willing to stick his neck out and sign them. So, not impossible, but difficult. Recent changes to part 91 are the result of the new LSA rules and ultralight gliders like the Sparrowhawk. I believe they do allow LSAs to tow other LSAs, but I'm not up on the details of the new rules. BC At 19:26 11 April 2007, wrote: On Apr 6, 7:44 pm, Marc Ramsey wrote: Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight 'vehicles' along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc I talked to an FAA inspector a couple of years ago when the issue of towing of towing ultralight 'vehicles' (the FAA doesn't want to call them aircraft) with standard class aircraft came up. A carefull reading of FARs could be interpreted as prohibiting the practice. This was important with the introduction of the Sparrowhawk, an ultralight glider 'vehicle'. The FAA inspector found no problem with the practice and that the FAA did not intend to prohibit it, but did allow that there was a potential issue with the FAR in question (91.309). That now has been corrected. A personal observation: you basically start with the right to whatever you want and the FARs take those rights away, one by one. In other words, do not expect to find an FAR that PERMITS a specific activity, rather it is the lack of any FARs taking that right away that permit you to do it. Of course, there are many FARs that permit certain activities, but the principal still stands. That said, a call to your local FSDO to clarify the issue isn't a bad idea (some of my friends are very vocal about NEVER talking to the FAA, an idea that I don't agree with). Tom |
#5
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:44:37 PM UTC+12, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
#6
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:44:37 PM UTC+12, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
#7
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:44:37 PM UTC+12, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
#8
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:44:37 PM UTC+12, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
#9
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Experimental aircraft and towing
On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:44:37 PM UTC+12, Marc Ramsey wrote:
Is it just my imagination, or has the FAA recently obfuscated the FARs to the point where it is now legal to tow a glider with an aircraft that has an experimental certificate (but not for hire). Things I noticed today while poking around: 91.309 now permits towing unpowered ultralight "vehicles" along with gliders (and, I assume, gliders that are light sport aircraft). 91.319 allows an experimental aircraft to tow a glider that is a light-sport aircraft or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire. Is there a prohibition against towing non-LSA gliders with experimental aircraft, as long as it is not for compensation or hire? Can a light-sport aircraft tow a glider that is not an LSA for compensation or hire? Marc |
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