Sport Pilot Talk

OK so this plane http://www.flylightning.net/miscellaneous.html say LSA compliant but in the description it says EAB. Does that mean it was 51% built by "Joe Smoe" but he reduced the envelop to LSA limitations?

If I were to buy this I assume I can use it as an LSA.

Man this website/affliction is going to cost me $100,000. I'm fairly sure illicit drug habits cost less. Somebody talk me out of this...... I need an intervention.

Since it complies with LSA, a Sport Pilot or higher could fly it and you would only need a driver's license as medical. However, since it is an EAB, I think there could be some other restrictions, especially around maintenance, but I am unclear on this. Someone here will know.

Atrosa wrote:OK so this plane http://www.flylightning.net/miscellaneous.html say LSA compliant but in the description it says EAB. Does that mean it was 51% built by "Joe Smoe" but he reduced the envelop to LSA limitations?

If I were to buy this I assume I can use it as an LSA.

Man this website/affliction is going to cost me $100,000. I'm fairly sure illicit drug habits cost less. Somebody talk me out of this...... I need an intervention.

Not $100K, just $59,900. And those illicit drug habits are nowhere near as much fun. (I’m just guessing as I’ve never had an illicit drug habit, maybe I’m wrong)

It is an EAB built by “Joe Smoe” that meets the LSA guidelines and can be flown as LSA. You can do regular maintenance on it but not the annual inspection since you didn’t build it. You’ll need an A&P for the annuals.

The Lightning can be “built” one of two ways, LSA compliant or not. There are several options for this plane when building and the ad reads the builder built it to comply with LSA guidelines. So yes it can be flown as a LSA with a sport pilot rating.

"Man this website/affliction is going to cost me $100,000."

LOL

I often lament - "Why oh why wasn't I born rich instead of so good lookin' ?"

Tom is entirely correct that category and class have entirely different meanings in Part 61 (training), Part 91 (flying) and Part 43 (maintenance). Hence, a lot of confusion. The OP was probably intending to ask only about pilot privileges - but it's also necessary for us to get into training rules and maintenance rules on this forum, since so many of our members are student pilots, snd/or are (or plan to be) aircraft owners.

Thank you drseti. Agreed your elaboration was the next logical discussion.

So one of the flight school I'm looking into doesnt have an LSA and im considering letting the school use whatever i buy for rental.... I know entirely a different post subject so i don't want to derail this thread because it is a wealth of information. I will setup another thread if we all agree on keeping this thread on subject?

Atrosa wrote: I will setup another thread if we all agree on keeping this thread on subject?

Fair enough

The only thing I would add to the conversation here is that one cannot take for sale adverts as gospel. Since there is a lot of confusion of what constitutes a LSA, often I see folks selling airplanes claiming they are LSA when they are not.

One has to review the paperwork to ensure they comply.

smutny wrote:The only thing I would add to the conversation here is that one cannot take for sale adverts as gospel. Since there is a lot of confusion of what constitutes a LSA, often I see folks selling airplanes claiming they are LSA when they are not.

One has to review the paperwork to ensure they comply.

For some of the older airplanes you need to take a real close look. I know someone with a Taylorcraft that seeming was LSA. The previous owner was a sport pilot flying it as a LSA. The new owner mentioned that it had a Beech Roby propeller once upon a time. I don't think he even knew what a Beech Roby prop was. Because it had that prop some 50+ years ago it could not be a LSA.