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07/23/04 - EAA FORGES AHEAD TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPORT PILOT RULE
Association Anticipates Phased-In Execution
The aviation community is mobilizing in the wake of the federal government’s adoption of a new set of aviation rules creating a streamlined, simplified avenue of participation in aviation – and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is leading the way.
EAA’s volunteer and staff experts are working closely with other industry groups and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to iron out implementation and timing issues relating to all of the new sport-pilot rule’s regulatory provinces: pilot certification, medical standards, flight instruction, flight instructor certification, aircraft certification, aircraft production certification, aircraft maintenance, and repairman certification.
“Even though we’ve worked for more than a decade to champion these regulations, we know that the work to put them into practice and open doors of opportunity for aviation enthusiasts is just getting under way,” said EAA President Tom Poberezny. “We take this responsibility very seriously, given the clear indications that government, private enterprise, and aviation enthusiasts at large are looking to EAA for leadership and guidance,” he said.
These indications include public comments from FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, who, during the press conference announcing the new rule, commended EAA and identified EAA’s annual AirVentureŽ convention and fly-in beginning next week as the definitive forum on rolling out the new rule.
Additionally, businesses planning to provide flight training, sales, warranty, and maintenance services for sport pilots flying light-sport aircraft have chosen to associate their products with EAA. For example, King Schools has entered into a contract partnership with EAA for the production and sale of DVD training materials to assist prospective pilots and instructors in preparing for knowledge and practical exams.
Timing and Execution
Reflecting the enthusiasm of its members and the growing segment of potential new entrants into aviation enticed by the sport-pilot rating’s lower training and cost requirements, EAA has advocated expedited implementation. “With the FAA’s posting of a formal implementation plan pending, we are hopeful to see an ambitious schedule,” said Earl Lawrence, EAA’s vice president of industry and regulatory affairs. “The FAA has responded well to our suggestions and genuinely appears to share our eagerness to put these rules into practice. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a schedule of phased-in implementation steps unfolding in a matter of only months,” he said.
Lawrence spearheaded EAA’s work to develop specific recommendations on the timing of implementation measures. EAA suggests that, after the FAA immediately implements some of the sport-pilot rights and privileges on the rule’s Sept. 1 effective date, the federal agency should roll out additional policies and steps in roughly the following order:
practical test standards;
inclusion of designated airworthiness representatives (DARs) for light-sport aircraft in the current policy covering the DARs for amateur-built aircraft;
establishing standards for designated pilot examiners;
revising the appropriate FAA forms, such as the pilot application form, to include sport pilots and light-sport aircraft;
publishing the operating limitations for experimental light-sport aircraft and special light-sport aircraft;
developing the policy for approving light-sport-aircraft repairman certificates; and
issuing a comprehensive set of plain-English FAA advisory circulars on the sport-pilot/light-sport-aircraft regulations.
EAA’s recommendations foresee the work and progress on these initiatives overlapping as implementation unfolds over a period of several months.
Current and Planned EAA Initiatives
EAA’s work to advance the sport-pilot rule’s implementation touches on all aspects of the regulations:
Pilot and Instructor Certification — For the past several years EAA has participated in, and often led, meetings with the FAA and other principals in the industry to develop policies and procedures governing the selection and training of designated pilot examiners for the sport-pilot rating. Consequently, much of the work to define the requirements of pilots and instructors is already completed.
Medical Eligibility — The status of medical certification for pilots who have an official denial or revocation of their medical eligibility on record with the FAA has been a rare source of rancor since the FAA’s unveiling of the regulations. EAA was first to report FAA’s commitment to developing an additional alternative for these prospective sport pilots.
In addition to allowing such pilots to seek special-issuance medical eligibility via traditional channels, the FAA has pledged to instate an alternative set of procedures for obtaining an evaluation and determination of a pilot’s medical fitness to fly under this rule. The hope is that, if a solution to the original rationale for denial is found and successfully implemented, pilots in these circumstances may eventually revert to the option of using a valid driver’s license as sufficient evidence of medical eligibility – an option under the sport-pilot rule that is immediately available to pilots who do not have an FAA denial or revocation of medical eligibility on record.
A statement issued by the FAA captures this hope: “The FAA wants to see as many pilots as possible take advantage of this exciting new rule and looks forward to working with individuals seeking to exercise sport-pilot privileges,” the statement read.
EAA’s medical counsel and other key staff are working directly with FAA to develop the particulars of the alternative recourse.
Flight Instruction – The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), an arm of EAA, continues to tap into its vast resource of staff and member expertise to develop recommendations on the best instructional techniques to get people into the air as sport pilots. This arm of EAA has partnered with King Schools on DVD instructional materials and continues to interface closely with FAA to provide observations and conclusions.
Aircraft Certification – Principals in the industry have adopted EAA’s suggestion to use the counsel of a well-established nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing standards for materials, products, systems, and services — ASTM, International — to ensure the adherence of all light-sport aircraft to industry consensus standards.
EAA’s Earl Lawrence chairs the ASTM committee charged with this task, and each of the major industry groups and the FAA have representatives participating and providing expertise in all areas pertaining to the development of standards. These disciplines include: quality controls, aircraft design (airplanes, ultralights, powered parachutes, weight-shift vehicles, and lighter-than-air craft), engine design and production, continued airworthiness maintenance, and flight testing.
Additionally, through more direct channels, EAA continues to work with FAA on programs aimed at defining and upholding the standards of materials and construction for light-sport aircraft. This work includes designing the training curriculum for designated airworthiness representatives.
Aircraft Maintenance and Repair – EAA’s SportAir Workshops now include a module for sport-pilot repairmen and inspectors. The curriculum, approved by FAA, gives textbook and, more importantly, hands-on instruction to those who seek to maintain and repair light sport aircraft.
According to Poberezny, EAA pours vast resources into these efforts because the sport-pilot regulations support the association’s vision. “These regulations open doors to those interested in aviation — a major mission of EAA’s for more than 50 years,” he said. “The avenues of participation in aviation are numerous and varied, and can be tailored to an individual’s aptitudes, skills, and proclivities. EAA has helped to match individuals with the right avenue of participation for decades, and these regulations will offer many more possibilities. To sample all of these alternatives, to meet thousands who are living their dream of participation in aviation, and to witness the unfolding of EAA’s mission in a one-week microcosm, come to EAA’s AirVenture convention and fly-in July 27 – Aug. 2 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,” he said.
Lawrence added that the sport-pilot rule’s potential to attract increased participation in aviation will enrich the entire field. “By broadening the avenue of entry into aviation, the sport-pilot and light-sport-aircraft regulations will open the entire world of aviation to more participation, which will bring an infusion of new talent and innovation. With more enthusiasts getting involved and participating, the possibilities for the future of aviation are endless,” he said.
EAA, The Leader in Recreational Aviation, is an international association with 170,000 members and 1,000 local chapters. To join EAA or for more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org. |
