GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Talk about airplanes! At last count, there are 39 (and growing) FAA certificated S-LSA (special light sport aircraft). These are factory-built ready to fly airplanes. If you can't afford a factory-built LSA, consider buying an E-LSA kit (experimental LSA - up to 99% complete).

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c162pilot
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GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by c162pilot »

GAMA has just published the 2014 GA shipments. Three LSA vendors report and break out their LSA compliant shipments:

CubCrafters 53
Fight Design 88
Tecnam 108

for a total of 249 units, which is flat year on year.

Shipments of 4 seat 200HP and under aircraft where a total of 370 planes.

I assume that when adding in other vendors such as Vans, SportCruiser and Evektor along with all the other LSA manufacturers the total would exceed the 4 seat Part 23 GA shipments.

Link to the full GAMA report is below:

http://gama.aero/media-center/press-rel ... ers-annual

Let the debate begin :lol:
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drseti
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Re: GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by drseti »

No debate here. LSA sales are huge when compared to Part 23 aircraft. That's because those companies that sell only non-certified aircraft do not belong to GAMA, and their deliveries don't show up in GAMA reports. That's why we have LAMA.
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Re: GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by Edgefly »

Interesting input Paul, do the LAMA numbers present an accurate statement of new unit sales in the U.S. ? Where are accurate summaries of kits & home builds which are LSA by category and performance compiled ?

What about new licensees for Sport Pilots ? This must be available from the FAA but I'm not sure exactly where on a period basis. Another significant fact could be the number of higher level pilots who are currently flying under Sport Pilot rules. There are many. I know of several including three who are retired airline pilots and they are simply maintaining their PPL and flying LSA category aircraft not even maintaining IFR status ! Is anyone tracking this number of psuedo-Sport Pilots(i.e. PPL and above licensed pilots flying under Sport Pilot rules) ?
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Re: GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by drseti »

Edgefly wrote: Is anyone tracking this number of psuedo-Sport Pilots(i.e. PPL and above licensed pilots flying under Sport Pilot rules) ?
There's absolutely no way to determine that. When one lets a medical certificate lapse, one is not likely to report to the FAA (or to anyone else) that he or she is continuing to fly under a driver's license. Such pilots merely fall off the FAA's -- er, radar.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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Re: GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by Wm.Ince »

drseti wrote:When one lets a medical certificate lapse, one is not likely to report to the FAA (or to anyone else) that he or she is continuing to fly under a driver's license. Such pilots merely fall off the FAA's -- er, radar.
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Re: GAMA reports 2014 Shipments - 3 LSA Manufacturers Listed

Post by Jack Tyler »

[Edgefly] "What about new licensees for Sport Pilots ?"

The FAA says that, as of the end of 2013, there are 4824 active Sport Pilot certificates held. The trend is interesting and informative. Beginning after 2005 there was an annual increase of ~600 new SPL issuances. In the later years, it ramped down to and has remained at ~400 issuances/year. In business terms, the SPL appears to be filling a niche market need but has never reflected a growing demand, even from when it was first offered.
http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviati ... tics/2013/

Altho' it's been discussed here often, none of us have found a valid numerical estimate of the number of PPL and above pilots who are flying under SPL privileges. But looking at these same pilot numbers, I think we can draw a reasonable, educated conclusion. Removing rotorcraft, glider and student licenses (~150,000 licenses), we're left with a pool of ~450,000 pilot certificates that would be immediately, potentially eligible to transition to flying under SPL privileges. If only 1% of that population were doing so, that alone would roughly equate to all of the SPL licenses issued over the entire reported span the SPL was available.

You mentioned knowing several ATP rated pilots who are flying under SPL privileges. While anecdotal, that seems unremarkable There are 150,000 ATP rated pilots alone, and it's reasonable to assume that many (probably, most) of them have the discretionary income that would allow them to fly an a/c suitable for SPL privileges if they wished. My educated guess would be that well more than 1% of those 450,000 pilots eligible for SPL privileges are using them. Put differently, the SPL license has likely not served as the primary pathway into light sport aviation.

"The Sport Pilot certificate was created in September 2004. The intent of the new rule was to lower the barriers of entry into aviation and make flying more affordable and accessible." (From many references). The latter goal could apply to anyone who flies under SPL privileges, depending on the a/c chosen and how we define 'affordable'. But the reasonable conclusion is that the former goal isn't so much true as is the statement that the SPL has removed the barrier to licensed pilots remaining active in recreational aviation without holding a FAA medical certificate. Personally, I think that's a wonderful thing...but it is a little bit of the tail wagging the dog.
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