1. Airworthiness Requirements
Light Sport Aircraft
Airworthiness Requirements
SAAA Authorised Persons Familiarisation training
Southport Queensland
23 September 2006
Uncontrolled Document

2. What is an LSA
New category of aircraft (does not replace any other existing category)
Existing registered aircraft are NOT applicable
Production or kit built (no 51% rule)
MTOW 600 kg (650 kg for sea planes)
Max 2 person
Single engine – Non turbine
Certificated by the manufacturer
Continuing airworthiness controlled by the manufacturer

3. LSA Project History FAA issues NPRM 31 January 2002
CASA initiates LSA Project October 2002
CASA NPRM issued June
27 responses received
Overall positive response to the proposal
FAA LSA aircraft rule commences Sept
ASTM standards not available until March 2005

4. LSA Project History
LSA Project Team conducted a Safety Risk Analysis of the draft regulations
Advisory Circulars published for comment on CASA website July 2005
AC LSA CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS
AC LSA MANUFACTURER’S REQUIREMENTS

5. LSA Project History Amendments to CASRs made 15 December 2005
LSA aircraft eligible to operate under VH registration
Amendments to CAO made 3 January 2006
LSA aircraft eligible to operate under the sports organisations (RAA, HGFA, ASRA)

6. Light Sport Aircraft Airworthiness Project Team
CASA staff
Industry representation
Sports organisations
Manufacturers
Other specialists,
Authorised Persons, Reg 35 engineers.

7. Light Sport Aircraft Definition
MTOW 600Kg
650Kg for seaplanes
Lighter-than-air gross weight of 560kg
2 person
Unpressurised cabin
Stall speed 45 knots Vso
Single engine non-turbine
Fixed undercarriage
Except glider may have retractable
Amphibian may have repositionable landing gear
If glider Vne of 135 CAS

8. Variation with FAA definition
Stall speed
VS0 45 knots (CASR)
Stall speed with flaps
VS1 45 knots (FAA)
Stall speed in clean configuration
Never exceed speed Vne for glider
120 knots (FAA)
135 knots (CASR)
Propeller
Fixed pitch or ground adjustable (FAA)
No requirements (CASR)
Lighter-than-air
560 kg (CASR)
300 kg (FAA)

9. Light Sport Aircraft Categories
Fixed Wing
Weight Shift
Powered Parachutes
Gyroplanes
Gliders
Lighter-Than-Air

10. What is not an LSA Hang gliders Para gliders Multi-engine aircraft
Helicopters
Complex aircraft
Retractable undercarriages
Turbine engine

11. Benefits of LSA Purchase costs reduced.
Improves the entry process for LSA.
Potential export markets.
Estimated USA market will be 6,500 aircraft in next 5 years and 800 a year after that.
Enables Australian manufacturers to have access to USA LSA market.
CASA’s minimal involvement.
More staff available for higher priority work.
Regulatory responsibilities and requirements transferred to the manufacturer.

12. Responsibilities Manufacturer responsible for Certification
Shows compliance with LSA standards
Continuing airworthiness.
Approval of major repairs/modifications
Assessment of defects
Issue of Service Directives
Issue of Service Bulletins etc
Database of aircraft owners

13. Responsibilities CASA responsible for approving LSA standards
Participate with industry in periodically reviewing LSA standards
Overseeing authorised persons who issue certificates of airworthiness
Registration of aircraft if CASA registered.
Impose conditions or directions, if necessary, in the interests of safety.

14. Responsibilities Authorised Persons responsible for
Verifying manufacturer’s statement of compliance
Ensuring operating instructions, maintenance manuals etc are available
Inspecting the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation
Issuing a special certificate of airworthiness.

15. Responsibilities
Operator of a Production LSA is responsible for ensuring
The maintenance and inspections are in accordance with the manufacturer’s requirements.
All major repairs, modifications and maintenance are approved by the manufacturer
The aircraft is operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s operating instructions

16. Responsibilities
Operator of a Production LSA is responsible for ensuring (cont’d)
All manufacturer’s service directives are carried out
The aircraft has a warning placard and passengers are informed of the warning
Applicable equipment ADs (if any) are complied with.
RAA aircraft exempt from ADs (covered by technical manual)

17. Proposed amendments to regulations

18. CASR Part 21 Amendment
Enable qualified LSA manufacturers to certify aircraft complies with LSA standards
design, quality assurance, production testing and continuing airworthiness.

19. CASR Part 21 Amendment
Enable CASA or an Authorised Person (AP) to issue a special airworthiness certificate for production LSA.
Enable CASA or an AP to issue an experimental certificate for kit built LSA
Must be produced by a manufacturer of production aircraft.
Cannot produce a one off kit built aircraft
There is no 51% rule for kit LSA

20. Qualified Manufacturer
Has a current production certificate for an aircraft ; or
Has made a written declaration indicating
Contracted an experienced engineer in light aircraft design
Suitable facility and tools
Trained, experienced and skilled staff

21. LSA Standards Consist of ASTM consensus standards (approved by FAA)
design,
quality assurance,
production acceptance test and
continued operational safety system
Other acceptable design standards
JAR VLA, BCARS etc

22. ASTM standards
FAA asked ASTM to facilitate consensus standards for LSA
Committee of manufacturers, aviation sports bodies and regulators.
Each aircraft category responsible for developing their own standards
So far 27 standards have been issued
Listed in Advisory Circular 21-42

23. LSA Certificate of Airworthiness
Two types of Certificate
Special Certificate of Airworthiness for LSA
Production Aircraft
Experimental Certificate for LSA
Kit built aircraft
Production aircraft that do not comply with Continuing AW requirements

24. Production LSA Special C of A is issued if:
Aircraft manufactured by a qualified LSA manufacturer
Applicant gives CASA or AP
Statement of compliance signed by the manufacturer
Aircraft operating instructions, maintenance and inspection procedures and flight training supplement issued by the manufacturer
These are returned to the applicant
If manufactured overseas
Aircraft manufactured in a Contracting State and is eligible for a C of A
CASA or AP finds the aircraft in a condition for safe operation

25. Statement of Compliance
Aircraft make, model, serial number and date of manufacture
Aircraft complies with LSA standards for
Design
Manufacture
Production acceptance testing
Continuing airworthiness
Make available operating instructions, maintenance and inspection manual and flight training manual
Aircraft is manufactured by a qualified manufacturer

27. Conditions for Special C of A for LSA
The special C of A LSA stops being in force
If a major modification/repair is not authorised
by the manufacturer or
by a person appointed by CASA if the manufacturer no longer exists
If the aircraft does not comply with the LSA standards

28. Modifications
ASTM Maintenance Standard, F , defines any repair, alteration or maintenance for which instructions to complete the task are excluded from the maintenance manual(s) supplied to the consumer are considered major.
Major repairs, alterations etc must be approved by the manufacturer.
This includes CAR 35 modifications.

29. Experimental LSA
Experimental Certificate under CASR (j) - Kit built aircraft
Manufacturer’s statement of compliance
Assembly instruction from the manufacturer.
Operating instructions, aircraft maintenance and inspection procedures and flight training supplement
The same make and model as a production aircraft
Must satisfy the LSA definition

30. Experimental LSA Experimental Certificate under CASR 21.191(k)
These production aircraft that no longer satisfy the LSA requirement applicable for Special C of A
Not complied with Manufacturer’s CAW requirements, or
Not complied with safety directives or
Has unauthorised modifications
Must still satisfy the LSA definition

31. Airworthiness Directives
In general, CASA will not issue ADs for LSA models.
Some specific ADs may still be applicable to VH registered aircraft
Aeronautical products
Type certificate engines and propellers
Equipment such as transponders, flight instruments, radio and navigational

32. CAO amendments
Amendments to CAO 95 series have been issued to allow the sport organisations to operate
Production LSA and
Kit LSA.
These requirements mirror the LSA requirements in CASR Part 21

33. Operating limitations
Experimental/kit LSA Category
No change to current Experimental kit limitations
Production aircraft
Private operations
Flight training
Glider towing
Hire

34. Operating limitations - Production LSA
Must not operate unless
Maintenance has been carried out IAW manufacturer’s requirements
Maintenance CAO exempts certain requirements in the regulation for VH aircraft only.
Aircraft inspected every 12 months
If undergoing flight training, hire etc every 100 hours
All major mods/repairs authorised by the manufacturer
Placard warning is displayed and each passenger is informed of the warning

35. Operating limitations - Production LSA
Unless approved by the manufacturer the aircraft must not be operated contrary to
the operating instructions
Safety Direction issued by the manufacturer
This has the same affect as an AD

36. Operating limitations - Production LSA
CASA may impose additional operating limitations in the interests of safety
CASA must give this to each registered operator of the aircraft

37. Operating limitations - Production aircraft
In the case that a manufacturer no longer exists
Major modifications/repairs, safety directives, maintenance and inspection procedures can be issued by a person appointed by CASA.
If no person is appointed by CASA, these aircraft will have to operate under an experimental certificate

38. Process for operating an LSA under RAA
Purchase a Light Sport Aircraft
Production
Kit
Make sure the manufacturer/distributor supplies
A Statement of Compliance signed by the manufacturer
Operating Manual
Maintenance manual
Flight test supplement

39. Process for operating an LSA under RAA
Register the Aircraft with RAA
Fill out an application for a C of A
Contact an Authorised person to issue the CofA
Authorised person will need to ensure it complies with the LSA requirements and is in a safe condition for operation.
If it is a kit the AP also needs to ensure that a production aircraft of the same make and model has been issued with a special C of A.
The AP issues a C of A
Go fly the aircraft