Light sport registered as a experimental

[Guest Fresno Jab]

About 2 years ago my partner and I purchased a jabiru j230. We have the 3300 engine. The aircraft was built as an experimental even though it qualifies as a light sport aircraft. It has the correct engine to operate at higher RPMs per Jabiru. I believe that the builder registered it as a experimental so that he could fly at higher cruise speed and also be allowed a slightly higher gross weight. My question is...is there any benefit or negative issues that I might need to be aware of? Is it common for light sport aircraft to be registered as an experimental? The only negative that I can think of is that that a light sport pilot would not be qualified to fly an experimental aircraft, which might limit resale of the aircraft in the future. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I don't think Jabiru do the ELSA compliance

 

 

[facthunter]

The experimental category is used here for warbirds and for people who want to facilitate modifications. Nev

 

 

[aro]

And Amateur Built aircraft which are VH registered.

 

 

[Guest Fresno Jab]

I guess I should have specified U.S. FAA....

 

 

[fly_tornado]

have a look at your registration documents and pilot's handbook for compliance to LSA rules. If its registered as E-AB and it meets the requirements for LSA it should be ok

 

 

[Guest Fresno Jab]

I may have not explained my situation. I am not trying to revert back to light sport. Besides, my understanding is once an aircraft is registered as experimental it cannot ever be changed. I am just wondering what other concerns are might be. This post may not be appropriate for this particular website since it does not focus on United States FAA regulations.

 

 

[David2ayo]

Hello there. This website is read all over the world, so just because most of us are in Oz, doesn't mean there aren't people in US reading who may know the detail. It is of interest to me because I like to know what other jurisdictions throw in the way of good fun, it reminds us that CASA is not the only organisation that can make a good idea go wrong.

 

A friend of mine had a canard wing thingy, VH reg, transferred to RA 19 reg, no problems at all. Don't know whether it had mods done to it.

 

One of the silly things with the J230 is that as a VH reg, it has a higher MTOW. Exactly the same aircraft. Mark Skidmore was quizzed on this at Coonabarabran Aero Club last year, we could tell he thought it stupid, but changing policy at CASA is, well, ......

 

One of the joys here is we do not have speed restrictions for RA reg, as you guys in US have.

 

David

 

I may have not explained my situation. I am not trying to revert back to light sport. Besides, my understanding is once an aircraft is registered as experimental it cannot ever be changed. I am just wondering what other concerns are might be. This post may not be appropriate for this particular website since it does not focus on United States FAA regulations.

[Fairoaks Flyer]

If your Jabiru has had its engine converted to water cooling, this will mean it has been changed to experimental category. Is your Jabiru air cooled or water cooled?

 

 

[M61A1]

Is it "experimental" or ELSA (Experimental Light Sport)?

 

LSA are factory built. They can become ELSA, if for some reason they no longer meet the LSA standard due to modification, or are no longer supported by the manufacturer. Despite being Experimental LSA they are still LSA, so your LSA pilot licence should cover that.

 

If it is just "Experimental", then it is not LSA at all. Try having a read through your own FARs, they are so much easier to understand than our own CARs.

 

Failing that, talk to your own regulators about any specific questions you may have.

 

 

[Dave English]

My understanding is that it has to be built by the manufacturer, not an owner-builder, so it can never be an LSA.

 

LSA's are really for pay for hire. They have to be maintained by a lame 2.

 

As an owner of a home build, you can do the L1 course on line ( not onerous) and maintain it yourself.

 

If you change the aircraft from the manufacturers plans, you will need to have the changes signed off by a Lame 2. Apart from that, you are free to do whatever you want to it as long as it fits into the RAA MTOW rules, etc.

 

So in your case, I'd say you are better off with a 19 registration than a 24 registration.

 

 

[facthunter]

Our "MAN" is from the USA. He needs info from the EAA . I would recommend that source. Nev