Light sport airplanes asm 2013 sundararajan

Credit: AOPA

AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2013By

Prasad Sundararajan

A Case Study of Design, Performance and Economic Analysis of Light Sport Airplanes

A Case Study of Light Sport Airplanes

General Aviation Industry The GA Marketplace U.S Civil Pilot Population

Light Sport Aircraft FAA – LSA/ Sport Pilot Regulation Special-Light Sport Airplanes

Special-Light Sport Airplane Design Characteristics

Comparison of S-LSA Models Allegro LSA Design/ Manufacturing

Systems Architecture based Design Structure Matrix

Findings & Trends


Sport Pilot Certificate Privileges Limitations

• Daytime Visual Flight Rules • Prohibited from Class A airspace. • Cross-country flying anywhere in the country • Prohibited from flying in Class B, C,

or D airspace until receiving training and a logbook endorsement from an instructor.

• Fly solo or with one passenger • No flights outside the U.S. without prior permission from the foreign aviation authority.

• Fly in Class E and G airspace (and B, C, and D airspace with appropriate training).

• No flights while carrying a passenger or property for compensation, hire, or

• for furtherance of a business. • Fly up to 10,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) or

2,000 above ground level (AGL) over mountains. • May not tow any object.

• Allows sport pilots to fly production (standard

airworthiness certificate) and experimental amateur-built aircraft that meet the definition of a light-sport aircraft. Allows rental of special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA).

• Maximum speeds up to 138 mph in a one or two seat capable aircraft with a maximum stall speed of 51 mph.

Source: EAA Sport Pilot Sourcebook, FAA Regulatory Brief

The introduction of Sport Pilot/ Light Sport Aircraft (SP/ LSA) regulations in 2004 by the FAA heralded a new aviation horizon in the United States.

The SP/ LSA regulation created a new category of aircrafts: Special-Light Sport Aircrafts (S-LSA). An S-LSA is a factory-built, ready-to-fly aircraft that has met ASTM consensus standards for design, production, quality assurance, maintenance, and continuing airworthiness.

Light Sport Airplanes account for 20-25% of all General Aviation piston airplanes sold since 2009. According to industry analysts, LSA along with business jets are forecast to be the two primary growth markets in GA.

In the next five years, LSA market share is expected to be between 33-50% of piston airplane sales (FAA Forecast)

Special-Light Sport Airplanes (S-LSA) manufacturers are utilizing the fast developing state-of-the-art digital avionics given that a FAA certification is not a requirement for this category.

Systems Engineering plays a vital role in LSA production. This paper presented one of the first systems architecture based DSM for Allegro LSA

Findings/ TrendsA Case Study of Light Sport Airplanes

Light sport airplanes asm 2013 sundararajan

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