Modifications of owner built LSA kit?

[danny_galaga]

I’m brainstorming ideas for a cabin heater in my bushcat I am building. What sort of regulations cover things like this?

 

 

[kasper]

If you are going 19- reg you are the designer as far as cao95.55 is concerned as there is no requirement nor legal inspection to build as per the kit manufacturers intention.  

 

You can add stiffeners to metal body panels to remove/reduce oil canning. You can decide to fit a 912 100hp in place of an 80. You can fit whatever instruments you like. Or change the range and detents on flaps.  Your choice.  

 

So cabin heater is all up to you. 

 

Think it thtough and chat to those who have done it. 

 

Main consideration - other than does it work - is to remove/reduce the risk of CO2/exhaust contamination in the cockpit during use or during an emergency ie reduced risk of fire impacting on the ductwork.  

 

 

[Yenn]

If it is 19 reg it is not LSA. LSA has to comply with all the designers work, so modifying becomes a No No.

 

A heater may be able to be built if it is not part of the aircraft structure. You would have to be very careful not to do anything which CASA could interpret as changing the design of the plane.

 

 

[kasper]

BUT and it's a HUGE but under 95.55 a home builder cannot assemble or build an LSA category airframe ... ONLY an approved builder can build them ... and they ONLY come under the eLSA area IF they have been an LSA in the first place an then moved to experimental.

 

The bushcat Danny is assembling may well be marketed as an LSA compliant design and in other countries it MAY get LSA type registration BUT in OZ if you as an amateur assemble a kit and register it as RAAus YOU WILL BE 19- REG and NOT an 'LSA'

 

check out CAO95.55 para 1.2 (g) and (h) for LSA reg and eLSA which both require CASR qualified manufacturer and para 1.2 (e) for homebuilt

 

All 1.2(e) aircraft get 19- reg and you can do whatever you like in building them and vary the spec and or design as you like

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Ok, I misspoke. Let’s rewind and assume the question is about my Bushcat kit that I am building which will

 

be a 19- rego.

 

so I guess what kasper says, is the answer I’m looking for ?

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Owner built, can’t be used for training anyone but the owner.

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Owner built, can’t be used for training anyone but the owner.

Damn, and I was going to build a fleet of them

 

and start a flying school ?

 

 

[Yenn]

You can do whatever you like within reason. It has to be given a certificate of airworthiness, which is basically just proof that all the paperwork is OK and you the builder have to inspect it and declare it safe.

 

As far as a cabin heater goes I doubt that it would have any bearing on the Airworthiness cert.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...As far as a cabin heater goes I doubt that it would have any bearing on the Airworthiness cert.

-except that a cabin heater has the potential to be the most dangerous item in the aircraft.

 

Just make damned sure that you heed Kaspar's warning. It's so easy for CO to get into the cockpit, especially if your heat is coming from an exhaust shroud. Even tiny amounts of CO can kill you, because it displaces oxygen in your blood.

 

CO detectors (not the silly credit-card seized ones) are not expensive.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Isn’t there a cabin heater option for the Bushcat already?

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Not sure but vaguely remember one of those extra oil cooler setups as an

 

option. My thinking is that when you want to be warm you don’t need extra cooling for the engine!

 

 

[fly_tornado]

you can't draw air from your 912's radiator?

 

 

[danny_galaga]

Oh I have a cunning plan that will be lightweight and useful (hopefully!) and doesn’t involve the exhaust 

 

i will

 

need to assemble more of my plane before I can start prototyping the design

 

 

[horsefeathers]

you can't draw air from your 912's radiator?

Nooo.

 

They're usually full of water..... ???

 

 

[Downunder]

you can't draw air from your 912's radiator?

Mine comes from the radiator. 

 

It would have been better coming from the oil cooler as it gets hotter and remains hotter than the radiator.

 

Ironically, when it's cold and you WANT the heat, the radiator is being cooled efficiently and so gives off less heat.....