FAA Meeting Opens This Week To Review And Advance Sport-Pilot Infrastructure

EAA notes that the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft final rule has been effective for less than a week, but that the infrastructure necessary to ensure sport pilot's success, is coming together as industry leaders meet this week with top officials of the FAA's newly created Light-Sport Aviation Branch.

Participants at this three-day gathering will review and make recommendations in several areas created by the rule, such as: practical test standards for all sport-pilot ratings; written tests for sport pilots and sport-pilot instructors; sport pilot examiners; light-sport aircraft operating limitation/airworthiness issues; light-sport aircraft repairman courses; and requirements for light-sport aircraft designated airworthiness representatives.

"This session is a historic milestone," said Earl Lawrence, EAA vice president of government and industry relations. "It is a ground breaking approach for FAA to include the aviation community in the development of testing standards and inspection processes, rather than just giving them review privileges after the fact. FAA has made clear it's willing to make this a cooperative venture. This level of cooperation is representative of the respect and trust FAA has for EAA and others who have been part of the decade-long process to make sport pilot a reality."

EAA staff experts accompanying Lawrence in Oklahoma City are Charlie Becker, director of aviation information services, and Mary Jones, editor of EAA Sport Pilot & Light-Sport Aircraft magazine. Rusty Sachs, executive director of the EAA-affiliated National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), is also participating in the session, as are some 30 other industry and association leaders. That group includes John and Martha King of King Schools, who are working with EAA to develop sport-pilot training materials.

Martin Weaver, manager of FAA's Light-Sport Aviation Branch, brought his entire staff to the gathering and opened the meetings on Tuesday, Sept. 7, by encouraging the input of all participants. The session will continue through Friday, Sept. 10, building on meetings begun two years ago to develop the testing and inspection processes for sport pilots and light-sport aircraft. Development of the final standards and processes could not be completed until the SP/LSA rule was final. Weaver announced that FAA expects to release the practical test material and other standards beginning in early October 2004.

FMI: www.eaa.org, www.sportpilot.org, http://afs600.faa.gov