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38-512: The Warner Sportster is an American light-sport aircraft , designed and produced by Warner Aerocraft of Seminole, Florida . The aircraft is only supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. The Sportster was designed by Jesse Anglin of Henderson, North Carolina . It was derived from his earlier design, the Warner Spacewalker II , to comply with the US light-sport aircraft rules. It features

76-614: A tiltrotor or tiltwing . These are called a convertiplane . Others like the British Harrier jump jet use thrust vectoring or other direct thrust techniques. The first powered-lift ratings on a civilian pilot certificate were issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 21 August 1997 to pilots of Bell Helicopter , Boeing , and the United States Marine Corps . In 2024 FAA established

114-461: A cantilever low-wing , a single-seat or a two-seats-in- tandem open cockpit which can be optionally enclosed under a bubble canopy , fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration . The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing, with its wooden wings covered in doped aircraft fabric . Its 28.5 ft (8.7 m) span wing has an area of 112.1 sq ft (10.41 m). The standard engine available

152-610: A four-bladed rotor utilizing compressed air to control lift over the surfaces while operating as a helicopter. At higher forward speeds, the rotor would be stopped to continue providing lift as tandem wings in an X configuration. The program was canceled before the aircraft had attempted any flights with the rotor system. A Tail-sitter is an aircraft that rests on the ground pointing vertically upwards, so that it rests on its tail. It takes off and lands vertically, tail down. The whole aircraft then tilts forward horizontally for normal flight. No type has ever gone into production, although

190-425: A helicopter, with a maximum gross takeoff weight of not more than 560 kg (1,235 lb) for lighter-than-air craft; 600 kg (1,323 lb) for heavier-than-air craft not intended for operation on water; or 650 kg (1,433 lb) for aircraft intended for operation on water. It must have a maximum stall speed of 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph) in landing configuration; a maximum of two seats; there

228-448: A maximum stall speed of not more than 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph). Ultralight aircraft in the US do not require pilot licensing, medical certification, or aircraft registration . Aircraft certified as light-sport aircraft exceed the limitations defined for ultralight aircraft and require that the pilot possess, at a minimum, a sport pilot certificate. Among these aircraft were found those that were specifically designed to meet

266-740: A new category with the following characteristics: Light-sport aircraft can be factory-manufactured aircraft or kits for amateur-building. On 26 December 2022, Japan Civil Aviation Bureau amended the Circular of Aircraft Safety No.1-006 and clarified its own stance on LSA. The significant difference between Japan and other countries described above is that LSA in Japan is defined as a type of Experimental aircraft, i.e., non-certified aircraft, similar to amateur-built aircraft but rather than practical aircraft, i.e., certified aircraft. Permission for Test Flights etc. by Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

304-607: A number of experimental variants have been flown, using both proprotor and jet thrust. Some have achieved successful transition between flight modes, as the turboprop-powered Convair XFY Pogo did in November 1954. The coleopter type has an annular wing forming a duct around a lift rotor. The transition to forward flight has never been achieved, although the SNECMA Coléoptère took off, hovered and landed vertically, solely on pure jet thrust. The German Focke-Wulf Fw Triebflügel

342-582: A special class of powered-lift aircraft to certificate them under § 21.17(b) of FAR Part 21 to address certain unique features without applying special conditions or exemptions. The final rule allows for flight training in single control eVTOL aircraft and for issue by the FAA certain deviations in cases of future technological advancements. The term is an aircraft classification used by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and

380-446: Is basically restricted to within 3 km of the takeoff/landing point avoiding residential areas. If the pilot of the LSA intends to fly outside of the above range or to land outside of the takeoff point, the pilot must have a Private Pilot license or a higher license and an effective aviation medical certificate. The required characteristics of LSA in Japan are modeled after those of S-LSAs in

418-464: Is civilian aircraft based on the V-22 Osprey. The aircraft can take off and land vertically with 2 crew and 9 passengers. The aircraft is expected to be certified in the mid-2020s. The tiltwing is similar to the tiltrotor, except that the rotor mountings are fixed to the wing and the whole assembly tilts between vertical and horizontal positions. The Vertol VZ-2 was a research aircraft developed in

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456-465: Is necessary to operate LSA in Japan as well as other non-certified aircraft. In order to operate the LSA in Japan, the aircraft, like other non-certified aircraft, requires permission for test flights, etc. from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Because the LSA flight is nominally a test flight of an unknown experimental aircraft, the pilot may not have a license and the flight range

494-568: Is no limit on maximum speed unless it is a glider, which is limited to Vne 135 kn CAS ; fixed undercarriage (except for amphibious aircraft, which may have repositionable gear, and gliders, which may have retractable gear); an unpressurized cabin; and a single non-turbine engine driving a propeller if it is a powered aircraft. In the United States, several distinct groups of aircraft may be flown as light-sport. Existing certificated aircraft and experimental, amateur-built aircraft that fall within

532-418: Is the 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200 four-stroke powerplant. The 125 to 140 hp (93 to 104 kW) Lycoming O-290 has also been used. As of March 2017, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration 's list of approved special light-sport aircraft. By March 2017 five examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration , all in

570-544: Is then shut down in forward flight. Some VTOL designs, including the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-38 and Yakovlev Yak-141 , have used both vectored thrust from the main engine and additional thrust from auxiliary lift jets. The Dassault Mirage IIIV was a VTOL fighter made for the NATO VTOL strike fighter requirement in the 1960s. Several other designs also resulted from this design specification. A lift fan configuration

608-495: The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey , the rotor swings forward to act as a propeller in forward flight. Some designs have a ducted fan design, in which the propeller is surrounded by a large ring-shaped duct to reduce tip losses. The powered rotors of a tiltrotor (sometimes called proprotor ) are mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles at the end of a fixed wing, and used for both lift and propulsion . For vertical flight,

646-481: The European Aviation Safety Agency published CS-LSA "Certification Specifications for Light Sport Aeroplanes". This introduced a new category of manufactured sport aeroplanes similar to the light-sport category found in the US and elsewhere. A new certification category for 'Light Sport Aircraft' came into effect on 7 January 2006. This category does not replace the previous categories, but created

684-435: The experimental category. Data from Bayerl and Warner Aerocraft General characteristics Performance Light-sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft ( LSA ), or light sport aircraft , is a category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates

722-536: The 1950s, was the Bell XV-3 , which was one of the first aircraft designs to go from vertical takeoff to horizontal successfully. The Osprey by Bell Helicopter and Boeing is a twin-engine tiltrotor design that has two turbine engines each driving three-blade rotors. The rotors function similar to a helicopter in vertical flight, and similar to an airplane in forward flight. It first flew on 19 March 1989. The AgustaWestland AW609 (formerly Bell/Agusta BA609) tiltrotor

760-585: The LSA requirements, as well as overweight ultralights (commonly known as "fat ultralights") that previously were operated in technical violation of 14 CFR 103. In addition to aircraft specifically designed to meet the LSA requirements, certain certificated aircraft, such as the original Piper Cub , happen to fall within the definition of a light-sport aircraft and can be operated by individuals holding FAA sport pilot certificates. The aircraft can not be re-certificated as LSA, however: although sport pilots may operate conventionally certificated aircraft that fall within

798-515: The Light Sport Aircraft category to incorporate the development of emerging technologies, in particular electrically-powered rotorcraft. The LSA category is expected to be drastically expanded with the introduction of MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification). Among the main proposed changes is the elimination of the current limitation on maximum weight, based on parameters related to stall speed, which will be 54 knots with

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836-575: The US FAA has a separate definition of ultralight aircraft defined in Federal Aviation Regulations . Aircraft falling within the US ultralight specifications are extremely lightweight (less than 254 pounds if powered, or 155 pounds if unpowered), are intended for operation by a single occupant, have a fuel capacity of five US gallons (about 19 litres) or less, a maximum calibrated airspeed of not more than 55 knots (102 km/h; 63 mph), and

874-489: The United States' FAA: Powered-lift. A heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low-speed flight, which depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for the lift during these flight regimes and on non-rotating aerofoil(s) for lift during horizontal flight. A convertiplane uses rotor power for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and converts to fixed-wing lift for normal flight. In tiltrotor and tiltwing designs such as

912-538: The United States. On the other hand, the E-LSA classification has not been introduced, so kit-built and plan-built LSAs are regarded as amateur-built aircraft. Imported LSA certified as CS-LSA is considered LSA on an exceptional basis, even if it does not meet the characteristics of LSA in Japan. Powered lift Some powered-lift aircraft, like the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey used by the United States Marines , use

950-422: The aircraft clean or with fixed or automatic high-lift devices (instead of the previous 45 knots). This will allow for larger aircraft (around 3,000 lbs maximum weight, approximately 1,350 kg), enabling increased safety margins, durability, and comfort for new aircraft certified under this new standard. Currently, MOSAIC is in the process of public consultation, which will last about 90 days (until mid-October), with

988-527: The category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA. The civil aviation authorities in different countries have their own particular specifications and regulations which define the LSA category. For example, in Australia the Civil Aviation Safety Authority defines a light-sport aircraft as a heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft, other than

1026-604: The construction project solely for their own education or recreation." The FAA defines a light sport aircraft as an aircraft, other than a helicopter or powered lift , that since its original certification, has continued to meet the following: Several different kinds of aircraft may be certificated as LSA. Airplanes (both powered and gliders ), rotorcraft ( gyroplanes only, not helicopters ), powered parachutes , weight-shift control aeroplanes (commonly known as trikes), and lighter-than-air craft (free balloons and airships ) may all be certificated as LSA if they fall within

1064-404: The definition listed in 14CFR1.1 are acceptable, as are aircraft built to an industry consensus standard rather than FAA airworthiness requirements. The accepted consensus standard is defined by ASTM International Technical Committee F37. Aircraft built to the consensus standard may be factory-built and sold with a special airworthiness certification (S-LSA) or may be assembled from a kit under

1102-472: The definition of an LSA, the aircraft themselves continue to be certificated in their original categories. Several designers and manufacturers of experimental aircraft kits have developed models that are compliant with the light-sport aircraft rules. In June 2012 the FAA indicated that they would re-visit the LSA program after their own studies indicated that "the majority" of LSA manufacturers they had inspected failed to show that they were in compliance with

1140-408: The experimental rules (E-LSA) under experimental airworthiness. A company must have produced and certified at least one S-LSA in order to be permitted to sell E-LSA kits of the same model. E-LSA kits are not subject to the normal experimental amateur built (E-AB) requirement 14 CFR 21.191 which identifies an aircraft, the "major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by persons who undertook

1178-455: The final regulations scheduled for 2024. Aircraft that met light-sport requirements when the rules were announced appear in an FAA list Some additional models of S-LSA, E-LSA and E-AB aircraft that meet light-sport requirements are listed here. The FAA maintains a complete list of approved SLSA aircraft models. 914 , or Lycoming IO-233 (112 mph) (404 mi) (280 km/h) (2,700 km) (129 mph) (529 mi) In June 2011,

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1216-458: The late 1950s. Unlike other tiltwing aircraft, Vertol designed the VZ-2 using rotors in place of propellers. On 23 July 1958, the aircraft made its first full transition from vertical flight to horizontal flight. By the time the aircraft was retired in 1965, the VZ-2 had accomplished 450 flights, including 34 full transitions. The LTV XC-142A was another VTOL design that used the tiltwing concept. It

1254-458: The only truly successful design of this type from the many that arose in the 1960s. These aircraft are capable of operating from small spaces, such as fields, roads, and aviation-capable ships. The Lockheed F-35B Lightning II is proposed as the next military VSTOL/ STOVL design, to replace the Harrier. A lift jet is a lightweight jet engine used to provide vertical thrust for VTOL operation, and

1292-476: The rotors are angled to provide thrust upwards, lifting the way a helicopter rotor does. As the aircraft gains speed, the rotors progressively rotate or tilt forward, with the rotors eventually becoming perpendicular to the fuselage of the aircraft, similar to a propeller. In this mode, the wing provides the lift and the rotor provides thrust. The wing's greater efficiency helps the tiltrotor achieve higher speeds than helicopters. An important early tiltrotor in

1330-419: The standards. The FAA announcement said that as a result the "original policy of reliance on manufacturers' Statements of Compliance" ... "should be reconsidered." AOPA points out that this is a normal development of a maturing standard and does not expect any significant changes in the rules, only more scrutiny by FAA to assure compliance. The FAA announced on July 24, 2023, that it was considering expanding

1368-409: The weight and other guidelines established by the local governing authority. The US definition of an LSA is similar to some other countries' definition of " microlight " or " ultralight " aircraft. Other countries' microlight definitions are typically less restrictive, not limiting airspeed, the use of variable-pitch propellers , or the 1,320 pounds (600 kg) gross weight limitation. By contrast,

1406-674: Was a design studied during the Second World War. It used pulse jets to power a rotor that rotated about the fuselage axis behind the cockpit. Similar to a coleopter fixed-wing aircraft, the Triebflügel was intended to take off and land on its tail, rotating on the pitch axis after takeoff and acceleration for forward flight. The design was never built beyond model wind tunnel testing. The Harrier family of military VSTOL jet aircraft uses thrust vectoring . These aircraft are capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) . They are

1444-488: Was developed into a working prototype but did not enter mass production. A rotor wing aircraft has been attempted but is not in wide use. The Boeing X-50 Dragonfly had a two-bladed rotor driven by the engine for takeoff. In horizontal flight the rotor stopped to act like a wing. Fixed canard and tail surfaces provided lift during transition, and also stability and control in forward flight. Both examples of this aircraft were destroyed in crashes. The Sikorsky X-Wing had

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