Light Sport Manufacturers Must Comply With New Standards By November 12

On July 29, 2011, the FAA announced in the Federal Register the availability of ASTM International standard F2746–09, Specification for Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for Light Sport Airplane, as well as ASTM F2245-10c, Specification for Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane. Manufacturers of fixed wing light sport aircraft are required to revise their POHs for new production airplanes in accordance with these new standards by no later than Nov.12, 2011.

ASTM F2245 and ASTM F2746 are under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F37.20 on Airplane, part of ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft. F37.20 currently maintains six published standards related to airplanes.
 
One of the changes in ASTM F2245-10c is the requirement to use either ASTM F2746-09 or the format and content requirements of General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Spec 1 for POHs supplied with light sport aircraft. A key enhancement introduced by this change is the reorganization of LSA POH content to align with that found in larger general aviation aircraft. This enhances safety because pilots transitioning to larger aircraft from LSA or from larger aircraft to LSA will be presented with a POH that has an identical organization. Other enhancements include better transfer of needed information for non-OEM aircraft equipment such as avionics and engines, clarified change control requirements, more accurate airspeeds and more detailed content throughout.

A previous revision to the ASTM F2245 standard also included a new section addressing airspeed indicator markings. While not required to upgrade their previously produced aircraft to the new POH requirements, LSA manufacturers are encouraged to review the previously revised airspeed indicator marking and new POH requirements with regard to their previously produced aircraft. If necessary, manufacturers are encouraged to provide customers of those aircraft with updates to ensure that they have accurate determination of airspeed data and adequate presentation of that data in their POHs and airspeed indicators.
 
The accepted changes in these standards are part of an ongoing effort by ASTM Committee F37 to enhance the content of the standards based on feedback from industry, FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and other worldwide civil aviation authorities.
 
“The changes in these standards, along with forthcoming ones, are demonstrating the ability of the consensus standards process to rapidly respond to the needs of the light sport aircraft industry, reducing the time for safety enhancements to reach consumers on new production aircraft,” says Adam Morrison, Streamline Designs LLC, F37.20 chairman and vice chairman of F37.

FMI: www.astm.org