95.55 weight?

What's the current MTOW weight for a 95.55 machine these days?

See http://www.casa.gov.au/download/orders/cao95/9555.pdf

MTOW weights vary with the type of aircraft ranging from 340 kgs to 614kgs depending on the configuration and type.

Generally (not alsways) the newer aircraft (without floats) is 544kgs.

Quote from the abovementioned document:

1.5 This section also applies to an aeroplane if the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) the aeroplane is an ultralight aeroplane, the major

portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by a person who

undertook the construction project solely for the person’s own

education or recreation;

(b) paragraphs 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4, and sections 95.10 and 95.32, do not apply to the aeroplane;

© the aeroplane is registered with the RAA;

(d) the aeroplane has 1 propeller, 1 engine and a maximum of 2 seats;

(e) the aeroplane has a maximum take-off weight not exceeding:

(i) in the case of an aeroplane other than a seaplane  544 kg; or

(ii) in the case of a seaplane with a single seat  579 kg; or

(iii) in the case of a seaplane with 2 seats  614 kg;

(f) the aeroplane has, in the landing configuration, a stall speed Vso that does not exceed 45 knots.

Will the weight be any different with the new LSA catergory?

The LSA category will enable LSA approved aircraft to operate up to

600kg for 'land' operations and up to 650kg for 'amphibious'

operations.

CAO95.55 will be ammended with a new paragraph which will incorporate the LSA category.

The LSA category will NOT affect any other categories we have in place currently. Aircraft currently operating under CAO95.55 (factory builts)

will not be able to take advantage of the 600kg limit unless the

factory certifies the aircraft and issues them with a Special

Certificate of Airworthiness under the LSA system.

Current 19 registered aircraft will remain at a MTOW of 544kg or as specified by the designer/manufacturer.

The LSA category was supposed to have come in Sep/Oct, but now has been

changed to the 'last quarter of this year' according to CASA. It is in

the hands of the government at the moment....

Chris

May I please buy into this one with a clear warning! It has driven me

bananas for years and STILL some aircraft owners do not understand it!

A CAO or LSA or any other regulation is just that – it sets down limits

and does not express an opinion on what any particular type or

individual aircraft is capable of.

It merely states that to use the dispensations of the category then the

aircraft must be within a certain weight limit! It does NOT

automatically state that the individual aircraft is capable of being

operated at that weight! That is determined by design certification and

expressed as Maximum Take Off Weight for the type involved!

Try two examples: You have a type that is design approved at a MTOW of

680 kg. You can still operate it under 95.55 providing you do not let

the MTOW exceed the regulation limit of 544kg. This is normally

accomplished by restricting crew weight and fuel carried.

Alternatively you may have a type that is design certified for 390 kg

but is eligible to be operated in 95.55. Then you may do so. BUT that

does not mean you can then operate the aircraft up to 544 MTOW – you

are held by the design MTOW not a regulation!

Is that clear enough? Sometimes it is not. At the AUF Brisbane Regional

Meeting ten years back an avid aircraft seller got on his hind legs

over the Skyfox – that was then selling like hot cakes as a trainer,

but were encumbered by regulation and WHAT WAS AUF GOING TO DO ABOUT

IT?

Unfortunately they could only remain within the (then) legislation with two weaklings on board and enough fuel for about half an hour – a real ‘valid’ trainer!

So Middo sprang up and suggested the guy learn to read a tech spec

sheet BEFORE he rushed out and bought half a dozen $45,000 aircraft and

then asked others to fix his problem (or words to that effect!)

This problem is going to remain with us and can only be resolved by

owners understanding the parameters. Manufactures will continue

building aircraft that are inadequate in practical terms under current

regulation with the certain knowledge that consequent pressure will

lift regulation to accommodate them – because they are there and are

popular.

Equally owners of higher capacity aircraft will flaunt the regulation

and do what they like flying ‘overweight’ until they are caught doing

it. At that point it impinges on ALL OF OUR FREEDOMS because the

Movement gets it in the neck as well as the owner!

More sadly, some unfortunate may take the wings off something and die,

by flying it overweight and thinking they were quite safe because a

‘regulation’ said so that they did not understand!

Aye

Tony

I notice in add's for new Aircraft nobody mention weights anymore. They

seem to encourage equiping the Aircraft with everything from balistic

chutes to full radio and instrument fitment. Maybe in add's they could

put an equiped weight with usefull load, the ex second hand car/

realestate dealers that are selling some of these designs would be keen

to do so.

Tony

If the design specs of an a/c show the MTOW above the AUF/RAA weight

why is it registered with us. Surely any a/c designed to exceed our

weight limit by CAO cannot be legally given the tick off by us.

I fully realize that the pilot would be responsible but it is not a

decision for him to make as it is a regulation he as well as the

AUF/RAA is bound by.

The cold fact that the tick off has been given to a/c capable of being

operated at MTOWs beyond what we as a body a regulated to has resulted

in the ludicrous situation we have now of people flying the a/c

overweight because they can and will. Whilst its all very well to

believe there will be less fuel put on board and variable weight garden

gnomes will fly in it this will not always be the case. Both the fuel

carried and the gnomes flying are a variable that must be policed

because they CAN be varied. Where is the resource to do this.

Perhaps these a/c could have part of their tanks blanked out before

acceptance. Unfortunately judging by the pics in the monthly comic of

our rather rotund generally over fifty silver hairs and no hairs

multiplied by two riding in these things perhaps there would be

insufficient fuel (none) for the flight. Perhaps they could all be made to diet before rego is accepted.

So lets reach for the original sky limit of 750kg which should bring

the aged and rusting bottom of GA capable of transfering to us.