Sport Pilot Talk

That's a good question, Jim, for which I don't have a clue. That's one for a DAR, and I only happen to be a CFI and DPE. But, I know somebody I can ask Monday, if nobody else chimes in before then.

$4-6k annual premium for a $30k airplane! In fact, all fully comprehensive insurance is prohibitively expensive. I’ll have to go liability only. The hull value has absolutely no bearing on the premium charged for liability insurance. A $30k airplane can inflict just as much damage on the property o...

Thanks, Jim. AOPA has recently reported numerous cases in which purchasers of aircraft followed that procedure, but FAA did not issue a registration card before that 90 day period had run out.

After I (in my role as DPE) approve a Student Pilot Certificate application, it takes about a week for the background check ( much longer for non-citizens) before the temporary certificate shows up on IACRA. The temp is good for 120 days, and the plastic card usually arrives in 90. On a related note...

(Three employees of the same company flying to attend a company meeting would count as being "for a common purpose.") True - except in this example, the common purpose is work related, rather than purely recreational - which means it is not allowed of Sport Pilots. (Not to mention that th...

fatsportpilot wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 2:15 am Is that dangerously thin in your opinion?

Not in my opinion - I've flown fabric covered aircraft, and the fabric is much thinner than that! But you have to be aware of where you step and where you push, and absolutely keep such a plane hangared (hail on the ramp can do it serious damage).

Points well taken, Tom.

Semantics, Tom. CFR 65.83 refers to mechanics . An LSRM is a repairman . (But I'll ask the Carpenters for an interpretation, just to be sure.) PS: in support of my interpretation, § 65.81 refers specifically (and separately) to certificated mechanics and certificated repairmen . § 65.83 does not men...

The LSRM rating, once earned, is yours forever - no FAA currency requirements (actually, this is true of the A&P rating as well. Only the IA, DAR, DER, DPE, and CFI certificates require renewal every two years, with training and currency requirements). That said, continuing education is always a...

Most all-metal LSAs use .020 (20 thousandths of an inch) aluminum skins. That's what we engineers call oh-two-oh, and Burt Rutan calls oh-two-thin.

Many manufacturers are afraid of lawsuits. NGK makes the sparkplugs that are used in Rotax engines. When you buy spares from them, they come in a box displaying a picture of an airplane in a circle, with a diagonal slash mark across it. 3M makes a product called Propeller Leading Edge Tape. You can ...

I'm sure if the unit in question can inflafe motorcycle tires, it's perfectly capable of inflating tires on an LSA. Air is air, after all. I suspect the vendor hears the word airplane, and immediately worries about liability issues.

My recommendation is to neither overhaul the Woodcomp or install a new one. As long as it needs to come off, replace it with a new Warpdrive (the model with a nickel leading edge). Its only a couple of hundred more, and won't be prone to delaminatipn or leading edge abrasion. You will need an LoA fr...

How so Dr. Paul? Every year since the first 737 Max accident, GA accidents and claims have been down, yet my insurance premiums have gone up at least 20% per year - every year ! Since the underwriters took such a bath on those Boeings, it stands to reason that they're going to try to recoup their l...

Unfortunately, Warmi, every accident affects your insurance rates. We GA pilots are still paying for Boeing's 737 Max accidents! And, every stunt like this one is liable to result in more restrictive regulations for the rest of us.