LSA weight limit to be increased to 3600 lb!

Pulled from Chesapeake sport pilot web page. Requires 3rd class medical.Screen Shot 2018-10-06 at 9.50.44 PM.png
 
I have a hard time believing this (though I've been spreading the word myself).

If it turns out to be real, any idea where the 3,600 pounds came from? Seems like a weird number, especially if they're still going to limit to two seats.

[Edit: Hmmmm...that's the gross weight of a Cirrus.)

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
[Edit: Hmmmm...that's the gross weight of a Cirrus.)
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cirrus_limit.jpg

Ron Wanttaja
 
Baker invited Jack Pelton, EAA chairman and CEO, onto the stage. On Jan. 19, 2019, Pelton said, the FAA will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks to raise the weight limit for light sport aircraft from the current 1,320 pounds to 3,600 pounds. “That will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 mph,” said Pelton, who also anticipates a rule change that would allow professional builders to construct experimental amateur-built aircraft.
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https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/october/07/big-news-from-aopa-carbondale-fly-in
 
Seems strange to go to 3,600 lbs and four seats but then restrict speed to 150 mph. If true, then anything above 130 knots would not fit the new LSA definition.
 
Does anyone know what the new proposal specifics will be? I’ve found lots of assumptions on line but no real information.
 
Dana said:
What was the old recreational pilot certificate limited to?
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From AOPA:
As a recreational pilot, you can carry only one passenger in single-engine aircraft of 180 horsepower or less with up to four seats.
Day VFR up to 10k feet. Flights within 50 nm of departure and landing back at the same airport.
 
zaitcev said:
I'm imagining it's a 250 hp SuperCub of some kind. Even Stemme S-12 tops out at 1,984 lbs, well short o 3,600 lbs.
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Of course, that Stemme only requires a glider ticket, with motor glider endorsement, and never required a medical, as the FAA doesn't believe that it's a "real" airplane.
 
amster105 said:
From AOPA:
........you can carry only one passenger in single-engine aircraft of 180 horsepower or less.....
Day VFR up to 10k feet. Flights within 50 nm of departure and landing back at the same airport.
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Well crap.... I don’t do any of that! Guess I’m out....:(
 
The 50 nm restriction can be lifted for rec pilots by a CFI either during training or after getting the rec ticket.

I think the reason rec didn't take off was because it required a 3rd class medical, and students figured, might as well get a PPL at that point.
 
wanttaja said:
If it turns out to be real, any idea where the 3,600 pounds came from? Seems like a weird number, especially if they're still going to limit to two seats.

[Edit: Hmmmm...that's the gross weight of a Cirrus.)

Ron Wanttaja
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That's the max gross weight for a G5 or newer SR22. The older ones top out at 3400 lbs.

The speed is well above current limits for LSA.
 
Baker invited Jack Pelton, EAA chairman and CEO, onto the stage. On Jan. 19, 2019, Pelton said, the FAA will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks to raise the weight limit for light sport aircraft from the current 1,320 pounds to 3,600 pounds. “That will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 mph,” said Pelton, who also anticipates a rule change that would allow professional builders to construct experimental amateur-built aircraft.
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The calendar says Jan. 19, 2019 is still three months away.
 
New ADS-B rebate would be great. Let's hope they finalise it quickly...
 
I thought the new weight was going to 1650 (~750 kg) to match Europe.

Searched and I cannot find anything with 3600 on it. Does anyone have a reference?
 
bflynn said:
I thought the new weight was going to 1650 (~750 kg) to match Europe.

Searched and I cannot find anything with 3600 on it. Does anyone have a reference?
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See the link in Post 45.

Ron Wanttaja
 
Frankly the whole thing medical is a joke anyways.

If the medical had any real merit to it we wouldn’t have manadwtiry retirement ages.

But it keeps the drooling masses feeling “safe”
 
some dope at the FAA probably fat fingered the gross weight. In any event, if you guys think they're gonna allow the current batch of 3600# MGW airplanes, complete with their current performance specs, and just shoehorn the LSA definition to cover all of it, nevermind considering the established track record the FAA has on things such as...oh say PRIMARY NON-COMMERCIAL, I'd say you guys have been sniffing glue for the past 48 hours. Dreaming is free though lol.

Ditto for implementation timelines. Y'all boomers don't go running up Bonanza prices all at once on account of this pipe dream now. :D
 
wanttaja said:
If it turns out to be real, any idea where the 3,600 pounds came from? Seems like a weird number, especially if they're still going to limit to two seats.
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Is it from one of the "Medical Reform" proposals (pre-basicmed)? Because, that is what this proposal really is - medical reform by another name.
 
bflynn said:
I thought the new weight was going to 1650 (~750 kg) to match Europe.

Searched and I cannot find anything with 3600 on it. Does anyone have a reference?
Click to expand...

Yes. But someone accidentally released the info as 1650 kg and someone else did the math conversion and came up with approx 3600 lbs. it’s a screwup. That’s all. 3600 lbs isn’t happening.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Is it from one of the "Medical Reform" proposals (pre-basicmed)? Because, that is what this proposal really is - medical reform by another name.
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Not if they don't cover the performance of single six bangers. nowhere on the proposal does it talk about encapsulating the performance of these airplanes under the medical allowance of LSA. Nobody is going to fly Bonanza under LSA without the Bonanza speed. Nowhere has that been talked about, which means it's a typo. Even primary non-commercial was capped at 3k. Occam's Razor folks....

SkyDog58 said:
Yes. But someone accidentally released the info as 1650 kg and someone else did the math conversion and came up with approx 3600 lbs. it’s a screwup. That’s all. 3600 lbs isn’t happening.
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Bingo.
 
1650# that makes more sense and fits into what zenith, rans (s21) and rotax have been coming out with. especially rotax with the 915 constant speed prop. they may have insight into what is going on.
 
I'm pretty sure SkyDog58 nailed it (somebody accidentally published kg instead of lbs) but I just got the AVwebalert, this snafu has gone viral.
 
Heh, 1650kg is indeed circa 3600#. What a bunch of idiots. For an organization that makes a living out of killing everything with nit picks, overbearing and misapplied revenue-operation-modeled regulations, they sure didn't exercise any modicum of attention to detail on this one! LOL Whoops!
 
hindsight2020 said:
Heh, 1650kg is indeed circa 3600#. What a bunch of idiots. For an organization that makes a living out of killing everything with nit picks, overbearing and misapplied revenue-operation-modeled regulations, they sure didn't exercise any modicum of attention to detail on this one! LOL Whoops!
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Interesting bit of fake news on a slow day...somebody made a booboo and hasn't fessed up, yet.
 
Piperonca said:
Interesting bit of fake news on a slow day...somebody made a booboo and hasn't fessed up, yet.
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I dunno. If you're going to include 172s and PA28s, you'll need to be at or over 2500.
 
Stan Cooper said:
The calendar says Jan. 19, 2019 is still three months away.
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And on that date the FAA will release the NPRM, according to Jack Pelton. Note the commas.

hindsight2020 said:
some dope at the FAA probably fat fingered the gross weight.
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Did I miss something from the FAA that listed the weight? All I've seen is hearsay from AOPA and EAA.

Nauga,
who distrusts and verifies
 
nauga said:
Did I miss something from the FAA that listed the weight? All I've seen is hearsay from AOPA and EAA.

Nauga,
who distrusts and verifies
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Exactly. Nothing directly from the FAA to my knowledge. I have not seen a press release and it isn't on www.faa.gov. But avweb did mention an unidentified “high ranking FAA source” so it must be true.
 
So 1,650 kg = 3,600 lbs, so that might be a mistake
And 150 mph might mean 150 kts. That might be a mistake.
It will be good to get a little clarification.
 
Cluemeister said:
So 1,650 kg = 3,600 lbs, so that might be a mistake
And 150 mph might mean 150 kts. That might be a mistake.
It will be good to get a little clarification.
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If it’s a mistake, the statement about flying a 172 with 4 seats doesn’t make any sense. Time will tell...
 
flyingcheesehead said:
And that one says the following:

"He also said there were plans to allow professional builders to assemble homebuilts."

Whoa. That is a MAJOR reversal.
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Expect manufacturers to fight that tooth and nail.
 
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