J5man
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- Nov 10, 2007
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Does anyone else think the LSA rules are insane?
IMHO the J5A/75hp Cub I fly is a pretty poor three place aircraft. It's not even that good of a "two" place with a couple fat guys on a hot day....
But if limited to 1320 gross and two people, it's a better LSA than many others that are LSA compliant. At 824# empty Glen's J5 will carry 20gal of fuel and two 188 pounders. Why not be able to self limit by placard/log book entry it or any aircraft to 1320# (and two place if necessary) and fly it as LSA? Heck, one could even build a new J5 as two place and it could easily meet even the SLSA rule.
There are even more insane examples like a couple of Porterfields originally certified @ 1326 gross and the Taylorcraft L2M @1325 that can't be flown LSA. It's nuts! :-[
I understand that many aircraft originally certified in the 1400-1500# gross have empty weights that would really limit their utility at 1320#. But IMO any aircraft that would be compliant by empty weight/hp as a SLSA should be allowed to be flown as LSA.
Also, what was so magic about 1320# in the first place? Is a C120/140 at 1450 somehow more complicated/difficult to fly than the 1320 pounders?
Jack
