Special Light Sport Aircraft Will Require Manufacturer Approval For The Installation Of ADS-B Out Equipment

Aircraft that are certificated as special light sport aircraft (S-LSA) must have a pathway established by the aircraft manufacturer for the installation of ADS-B Out. The FAA is also urging these manufacturers to establish similar pathways for the installation of angle of attack indicator’s.

It’s important to remember that S-LSA’s are certificated by complying with industry standards for certification developed through the ASTM committee process. This means that owners of these aircraft must have the manufacturers develop, or approve, a system for the installation of equipment that was not part of the original certification.

Despite the fact that the U.S. regulation will require ADS-B Out in the year 2020, and that it’s widely recognized that an angle of attack indicator can provide additional protection from loss of control accidents, the manufacturers must be involved in approving the installation of these devices.

An aircraft that holds a ‘standard’ airworthiness certificate can have this additional equipment installed through a certified maintenance process. For example, if you own a Cessna 172 and want to change-out the avionics for the purpose of ADS-B, it can be done through your local FAA approved avionics shop… Cessna doesn’t get involved.

However, that is not the case with an S-LSA because it holds a ‘special’ airworthiness certificate. The manufacturer must provide an approved pathway for the installation and issue a letter that allows the installation. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to assure that the aircraft remains in compliance with the FAA accepted industry ASTM consensus standards when they approve the installation of alternative avionics.

While the S-LSA manufacturers must be involved in approving the addition or changing of equipment in their aircraft, the ADS-B unit must comply with the performance requirements of the technical standard order for ADS-B Out, but it does not have to be TSO approved by the FAA.

Here’s the bottom line; owners of S-LSA’s that want their airplanes to remain in that certification status need to work with the manufacturers to determine how they will comply with ADS-B requirements, or for the installation of other equipment such as an angle of attack indicator.

(Image of an S-LSA from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov