Certified vs Experimental LSA

[LJ470]

I'm toying with the idea of buying an LSA that is certified in the country that it's in
It currently doesn't have a 406 ELT and ADSB.

To make it a certified LSA in the US do I have to go with a certain ADSB setup or can I use any brand ADSB transmitter?

If I switch the plane from certified to experimental does it lessen the value of so by about how much?

Thanks

 

[jrcox19]

You don't need ADS-B at all to be a SLSA in the US (Not certified, but close enough).

What model are you looking at, and does it qualify for SLSA in the US? If not, I'm not sure how you're going to register it here, unless it's EAB.

 

[DGlaeser]

If it was factory built outside the US with no registration agreement, it will be very difficult (likely impossible) to get it registered as EAB.
A friend tried to do that with a Pepistrol (sp?) and had to go the ‘demo aircraft’ route, with lots of restrictions.

If SLSA, the manufacturer has to approve any new/different equipment (ADSB, ELT, ...), the FAA doesn’t care.

 

[Kevin Holbrook]

More information on the airplane would be useful... Manufacturer, model. where certified, type of certification, etc...

As to making something EAB, that is only possible if it is Experimental Amateur Built. You cannot make a factory built, certified airplane EAB. Not ever.

There are some other Experimental categories that you might be able to use, but those are restrictive.

Factory built S-LSA's can be converted to E-LSA status which allows flexibility with modifications, as long as the aircraft stays within LSA requirements. But there are some potential downsides, and you will almost certainly find it impossible to go back to S-LSA status after the change has been made.

 

[rtk11]

To make it a certified LSA in the US do I have to go with a certain ADSB setup or can I use any brand ADSB transmitter?

If I switch the plane from certified to experimental does it lessen the value of so by about how much?

I'd check with an authoritative source (AOPA, EAA?) to see if you can import an LSA and have it recognized as a certificated aircraft. The LSA manufacturer might be able to tell you as well.

In the US, a certified LSA relies upon original equipment the plane is certified with, a manufacturer issued Service Bulletin for any changes they will allow, or a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for a specific serial #/Tail Number aircraft they'll allow a change for. Depending on the manufacturer, this can be relatively smooth, or non-existent. (My LSA's manufacturer falls into the "non existent/non-responsive" end of the spectrum)

If you can import the LSA, I'd bring it in "as is" and then convert to E-LSA. Once you do that, you cut bonds to the manufacturer and can install any ADS-B (or other) equipment you would like.

As for converting to E-LSA, you'll receive different responses. In my opinion, it does not hurt resale value as you're usually installing equipment that is valuable to the next owner. In my case, updating a Garmin 496 and TruTrak Digiflight semi-functioning autopilot to an Aera 660 with GDL-82 and GDL-39 3D (AHRS, synthetic vision, ADS-B in AND out), along with a TruTrak Vizion autopilot with auto-level feature and control wheel steering.)

 

[WDD]

It is a pain and takes a year to buy a certified / regular GA plane from Canada and register it in the US. I can't imagine the pain it would take to do the LSA/ELSA / What is this? plane you're considering.