Certification of Pilots, Aircraft, and Repairmen for the Operation of Light Sport Aircraft

Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.

Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.

May 6, 2002 Docket Management System, US DOT Room Plaza 401 400 Seventh St. SW Washington D.C. 20590-0001 RE:Comments to Docket No. FAA-2001-11133; Notice No. 02-03 Dear Sirs: EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) is the world leader in recreational aviation. With an international membership of 170,000, EAA brings together aviation enthusiasts, pilots and aircraft owners who are dedicated to the continued growth of aviation, the preservation of its history and a commitment to aviation's future. EAA programs, activities and events are known throughout the world for supporting aviation safety and promoting personal enjoyment and responsibility within an aviation lifestyle. GENERAL COMMENTS The sport pilot / light-sport aircraft proposal is one of the most significant rulemaking proposals FAA has developed for the benefit of aviation in the last half century. It will offer a dramatic opportunity for individuals who have always wanted to fly for fun, but found the process too expensive, too time consuming or too complicated. It will make aviation safer by making pilot training more accessible and aircraft ownership more affordable. The regulatory and commerce environment these rules will create will have a positive impact on the entire aviation community, both in the private sector and government. Some will see these changes as simply a "coming of age" for the ultralight community as more sophisticated aircraft have developed from this movement. Others will see this as a "renaissance" in pilot licensing which harkens back to the 1930s and 1940s when simpler pilot training and proficiency requirements equaled the simplicity of flying then (and the simplicity of many forms of recreational flying today). Still others will see this as a new growth area of "airborne sports opportunities" that will be accessible to the public as are other leisure activities within the American economy and society. The opportunities created by the "sport pilot / light-sport aircraft" proposals are all of these things. These opportunities should, if supported by the regulations, the manufacturing and service industry, and the pilot and flight instructor communities, equate to an opportunity for more flight activity and aircraft ownership -- "a good thing" for all of aviation. A separate, but important, element is that these regulatory changes should improve public confidence in the government oversight of recreational flying. An important benefit of these proposals is the continuation of ultralight flying under FAA Part 103. This will continue the privileges of flight for those wishing to operate within the limitations and voluntary training and registration systems of Part 103. EAA strongly endorses this continued ultralight flight opportunity. Aviation is at a supply and demand crossroads. Many industry experts indicate a concern about unacceptably low levels of student starts, availability of flight instructors, and availability of aviation maintenance technicians. With more people expected to enter, remain in, or return to an involvement in flying under this proposal, all of these declining factors can be reversed. Lower entry barriers and a higher level of enjoyment could reverse the long-standing high dropout rate of student pilots. Some will make "sport pilot" their destination, whether they are new to flying or returning to flying after many years. Others will join the ranks of private and commercial aviators through a more affordable entry point, and move on to provide additional "supply" to the aviation industry's dwindling human resources. A major problem in flight training is the "drop-out" factor; a situation that sees many people complete a few hours of training, perhaps even through solo flight, then lose interest. EAA has long believed that a need exists to uncover why such high drop-out rates occur. One common perception by student pilots is that the growing complexity of private pilot training does not meet the type of f…

Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.