The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is planning to take a greater role in certification of Special Light Sport Aircraft after audits showed many manufacturers cannot prove the aircraft they certified did in fact meet the standards.
S-LSAs are not type-certified by national authorities, which accept the manufacturers certification that the aircraft complies with the accepted standards. The aim of the category is to reduce regulatory burden for manufacturers building two-seat aircraft with a max take-off weight of less than 600 kg for landplanes.
In a notice calling for comments on the proposed change, the FAA said it had “determined that its original policy of reliance on manufacturers' Statements of Compliance for the issuance of airworthiness certificates for S-LSA under the provisions of S 21.190 should be reconsidered and that more FAA involvement in the airworthiness certification process for S-LSA is warranted.”
If adopted, the new ruling will be applied to both US domestic and foreign manufacturers, as the audits showed anomalies with both.
Currently, the S-LSA rules in Australia are similar to those in the USA, which may lead CASA to adopt the new FAA stance. When questioned, a CASA spokesperson had this to say.
“CASA has conducted audits of light sport aircraft manufacturers in Australia, but the audits were carried out where the manufacturers also have a type-certified product, and the audits were targeted on the type-certified aspects.
“For operational reasons CASA does not release the findings of any audits, unless they result in enforcement action such as suspension or cancellation of certificates.
“Future CASA direct involvement in LSA certification will be considered. This consideration will include a review of the FAA determinations.”