Sport Pilot Talk

Can a maufactured plane (s-lsa) be changed to an experimental aircraft ?(E-lsa)
Would it require building a plane from 51%?

ScottyB wrote:Can a maufactured plane (s-lsa) be changed to an experimental aircraft ?(E-lsa)
Would it require building a plane from 51%?

Yes you can change from SLSA to ELSA. There is no 51% rule for ELSA. Take a look at 21.191 (i).

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?S ... 1&rgn=div8

Good info here: http://www.sportaviationspecialties.com

I took my SLSA Sky Arrow to ELSA status in 2009, using Mike Huffman of the above link.

ScottyB wrote:Can a maufactured plane (s-lsa) be changed to an experimental aircraft ?(E-lsa)
Would it require building a plane from 51%?

And it's very easy to do. The DAR you find will charge a fee for his services typically around $500 and it'll take a couple of hours. My annual was completed the week prior to my conversion so it went very quickly.

Not every DAR can perform this conversion so you'll have to check around for one that can. If you happen to be in Florida I can recommend one in Central Florida.

Best thing you'll ever do in my opinion.

This is the plan, I know of a Cessna 150 not in flyable condition but with some carbon fiber modifications I can bring this plane to specifications for Elsa

ScottyB wrote:This is the plan, I know of a Cessna 150 not in flyable condition but with some carbon fiber modifications I can bring this plane to specifications for Elsa

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not possible.

Sorry to tell you that, regardless of modifications, a C150 cannot be converted to LSA of any flavor. Any landplane that was ever certified with a Max gross weight above 1320 can never meet LSA rules.

Since he is planning to rebuild it, can't he just claim it to be his own EAB creation that just happened to be based on Cessna 150 body ... and then certify as EAB LSA ?

That would mean I would have to lose all certificates for the Cessna 150 and put the plane together as scrap parts .
I like that idea that would make it a full experimental

You’d have a heck of a time convincing the FAA that you built more than 51% of the thing. You are clearly trying to get around rules here. If this was easily done, someone else would have done it in the past 13 years

As an absolute last resort, he can go "EE" Experimental Exhibition. However, doing so would limit its use and insurance would be prohibited. In the end, you will have your cake, but it is gonna be hard to digest...LOL

I won't say that it can't be done, but it won't be easy. An experienced Cessna 120/140 guy built this experimental.

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 76225.html

Another consideration is that you'd never be able to fly it with a Sport Pilot license, as a Cessna 150 could never be modified to be less than 1320 lbs.

Sling 2 Pilot wrote:As an absolute last resort, he can go "EE" Experimental Exhibition. However, doing so would limit its use and insurance would be prohibited. In the end, you will have your cake, but it is gonna be hard to digest...LOL

Current Experimental Exhibition rules do limit the aircrafts use somewhat. Older Experimental Exhibition operating limitations are more in line with EAB aircraft.

I'm not sure what you mean by, "insurance would be prohibited". I personally know of 2 airplanes with Experimental Exhibition airworthiness certificates that are fully insured.

3Dreaming wrote: I'm not sure what you mean by, "insurance would be prohibited".

I imagine he meant to say "prohibitive."