Has this ever been done? Would a sport pilot be able to fly the craft?
21.197(a) A special flight permit may be issued for an
aircraft that may not currently meet applicable airworthiness requirements but is capable of safe flight, for the following purposes:
(1) Flying the
aircraft to a base where repairs, alterations, or
maintenance are to be performed, or to a point of storage.
(2) Delivering or exporting the
aircraft.
(3) Production flight testing new production
aircraft.
(4) Evacuating
aircraft from areas of impending danger.
(5) Conducting customer demonstration flights in new production
aircraft that have satisfactorily completed production flight tests.
(b) A special flight permit may also be issued to authorize the operation of an
aircraft at a weight in excess of its maximum certificated takeoff weight for flight beyond the normal range over water, or over land areas where adequate landing facilities or appropriate fuel is not available. The excess weight that may be authorized under this paragraph is limited to the additional fuel, fuel-carrying facilities, and navigation equipment necessary for the flight.
A LSA pilot is restricted to 1,320 pounds maximum takeoff weight or 1,430 pounds maximum takeoff weight for aircraft intended for operation on water.