FAA requiring license for Powerchutes.

Rudy

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
639
Display Name

Display name:
Rudy
Hey all,
Just read in the local paper today that the FAA is going to make people have a license to operate a powerchute. I think this is a good idea, but i was wondering if anyone else had more info on it.
I believe that anyone in the air should have a good idea of airspace and also an idea of how planes work(pattern altitudes etc.) just for safety reasons.
 
It sounds like they're talking about the new Sport Pilot certificate, which includes powered chutes.
 
MSmith said:
It sounds like they're talking about the new Sport Pilot certificate, which includes powered chutes.

AFaIK, single seat powered parachutes that meet the ultralight requirements can still be flown without any license like any other true ultralight. The two seaters are the ones that fall under the sport pilot regs.
 
lancefisher said:
AFaIK, single seat powered parachutes that meet the ultralight requirements can still be flown without any license like any other true ultralight.

True.

The two seaters are the ones that fall under the sport pilot regs.

Technically, a powered parachute falls into LSA reather than UL if it:

Has more than one seat, OR
Weighs over 254 lb, OR
Can fly more than 55 KCAS, OR
Has a power-off stall speed of more than 24 KCAS.

However, I'm pretty sure the last two won't apply to any powered 'chute, and probably not the second, either, so the two-seat criterion is probably decisive unless there are some powered 'chutes out there that are a LOT heavier than I think they are.
 
Ron Levy said:
True.



Technically, a powered parachute falls into LSA reather than UL if it:

Has more than one seat, OR
Weighs over 254 lb, OR
Can fly more than 55 KCAS, OR
Has a power-off stall speed of more than 24 KCAS.

However, I'm pretty sure the last two won't apply to any powered 'chute, and probably not the second, either, so the two-seat criterion is probably decisive unless there are some powered 'chutes out there that are a LOT heavier than I think they are.

'Specially when you exclude the weight of the "landing gear".

I thought there were other requirements like fuel capacity. Anyway I meant to include all of that with the phrase "single seat powered parachutes that meet the ultralight requirements" part of my post.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top