Hot Off The Presses: LSA Standards

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When the FAA’s Light-Sport Aircraft rules were announced at Oshkosh in August, it was clear that a long road to implementation lay ahead. Last week, a milestone on that road was reached, when ASTM International published the first edition of consensus standards for light-sport aircraft. The publication includes guidelines for the design, manufacture, maintenance and quality of aircraft that will be used in the light-sport aircraft category. The standards cover not only fixed-wing airplanes but also powered parachutes, gyroplanes and balloons, as well as airframe emergency parachutes and engines. Earl Lawrence, EAA’s vice president of industry and regulatory affairs, chaired the ASTM committee that drafted the standards. “These standards have emerged because of the groundbreaking approach used by FAA and the aviation community to get it done,” Lawrence said. “EAA is proud to be a part of this group and helping to lead the sport-pilot revolution that will change and advance recreational aviation.” The ASTM committee will continue its work as the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft infrastructure continues to be put in place. Standards for airparks, fixed-base operators and other support providers are still under development, EAA said. The light-sport aircraft standards are published in an 83-page book available from ASTM International. The soft-cover book is priced at $125 for North American residents or $138 to other international addresses.

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