Aims To Help With Insurance, Financing 

In addition to providing pilots with a less-costly option for taking to the skies, the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) movement is also a benchmark program that allows manufacturers to have greater regulatory oversight than every before.

The Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is well aware of that -- and while self-regulation means new airplanes are coming to market sooner, as the saying goes (and with apologies to Stan Lee) with great power comes great responsibility. 

It is with this in mind that LAMA announced this week an industry-based, voluntary standards compliance auditing program for LSA manufacturers. According to LAMA, the audit program provides an independent third-party review of a manufacturer’s documentation and production procedures.

Currently, LSA manufacturers declare they have meet ASTM standards for design, performance, testing and quality assurance for their aircraft production, instead of the more rigorous -- and far more expensive -- FAA type- or production-certification. 

By conducting an external audit, LAMA states, a manufacturer demonstrates its commitment to complying with the ASTM standards specifically developed for the FAA Light Sport rule.

“Independent auditing is consistent with FAA’s desire for the light aviation industry to self-regulate,” said LAMA President Tom Gunnarson. “LAMA provides this service to its members as a low-cost method to increase the level of safety for this burgeoning industry.”

Under the program, an audited LSA manufacturer will be automatically enrolled in the LAMA audit promotional and safety programs for the next two years as an accredited company. LAMA will provide recognition for audited companies on the LAMA website and other sources.

Additional benefits are expected in the areas of insurance and financing... two hurdles still facing more widespread acceptance of light sport planes.

FMI: www.lama.bz