Back to Aircraft Certification Page

 

How to certifying your Experimental Light Sport Aircraft

Airplane, Powered Parachute or Weight Shift Control

 

 

First off let’s go over why one would choose Experimental Light Sport Aircraft rather than Experimental Amateur Built.  At this time and up until Jan 31, 2008 ANY aircraft that hasn’t been previously certified can become an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft, referred to as an ELSA.  That means you don’t have to prove you fabricated 51%, it can be any bunch of parts flying in formation.  Another good reason is that every aircraft has to have a condition inspection every 12 months.  With an ELSA you may take a 16 hours course and inspect any ELSA you own.  A subsequent buyer could do the same.  However, with an Amateur Built aircraft only the original owner or and A&P can do that inspection.  So it makes it much more desirable for your aircraft to be ELSA in the long run.

 

Here is a step by step process  to assist you in certifying your existing Ultralight Trainer to ELSA:

 

  1. Decide if you want a special N-number.  If so go onto www.faa.gov and the aircraft registration section and reserve one.  Cost is $10.00 to reserve it.  This is only a reservation for that number not the registration itself.
  2. Register the aircraft.  This will entail getting the only form that isn’t downloadable.  FAA form 8050-1 is the "application for aircraft registration" form and can be had at any FAA office.   If you can't get one from them I have those forms also and can send you one.   There are instructions on the form as to how to fill it out.  Read them carefully!!  There is also even more detailed instructions for filling out this form here on my website to help you.   You will keep the pink copy and send in the other two a white and a green.  Make sure you print your name as well as sign at the bottom.  The data you put on this form becomes pretty much set in stone so when you fill out the application for airworthiness certificate later you will use this data.  A tip here is: don't make a long model.  Everything you put as Make and Model has to go on the data plate and there isn't enough room for long names.  
  3. You will also fill out and have notarized a form 8050-88a.  This is on my website and can be filled out online and printed.  These two forms along with $5.00 will be sent to the FAA registration branch in Oklahoma City.   It has been taking around 2-3 weeks to get the registration certificate back.  Instructions for filling out the 8050-1 and 8050-88a are on this website, please take the time to look at them.
  4. In the meantime you should download the appropriate inspection checklist from my website and go over your aircraft and make sure it has all the legal stuff.  There are required placards, markings and numbers as well as the rest of the items on the checklist that need to be checked.  This is the actual checklist I use when I inspect your aircraft so there should be no surprises for you or me.  Please don't call or email me and ask if you really have to do something that is on the checklist.  Yes, you do.  However they are generic checklist so if you don't have the item on you aircraft, say a fuel tank drain you won't have to install one.  Any thing that has an FAR number I suggest you read that.  Those are required.
  5. After you receive, in the mail, your registration certificate you can go on the website and fill out and print a form 8130-6d  "Application for Airworthiness Certificate".   Under Section II,  Certification Requested  Do not check any boxes in line B-9,  this if for Special Light Sport Aircraft (SLSA) which are factory built.  You would check line B  Special airworthiness certificate then, box 4  "Experimental"  then,  box 8 operating light sport then, box 8a  "Existing aircraft without an an airworthiness certificate & do not meet part 103".  The other two are for kit and previous certified SLSA.  Section III,  C  asks if aircraft records are in compliance with 91.417.  If you have a logbook where previous maintenance has been recorded you would check this box.  If you don’t have a logbook you must get one.  That is where I will record the inspection of your aircraft.  If you don’t have one, one must be started and kept as part of the aircraft records.  This is very important.  No logbook, no inspection.  Generally any aircraft that has been flying should have some kind of aircraft logbook.  This is also important because if you don’t have a logbook documenting previous flight time;  you will have to start out in phase I flight testing and that could be anywhere from 5 to 25 hours depending on what my inspection finds. 
  6. Next you will need to prepare a weight and balance data form for an airplane or a weight and loading form for a powered parachute or weight shift control.  Instructions for doing this are on my website.  If you have any questions call me.
  7. You will also need a program letter.  This is a letter required by regulation 21.193,(a) requesting the airworthiness certificate and setting  forth the purpose for which the aircraft is to be used.   Which is for your education and enjoyment.  It outlines what you are going to do, with what and where.  A couple examples are on my website.  If you are going to have me do your inspection you will need to address the program letter to the Flight Standards District Office I work out of.  That address is: Federal Aviation Administration, Spokane FSDO, 6133 E Rutter Ave, Spokane, WA 99212.  If you are in another part of the country substitute your geographically responsible FSDO.
  8. The final item you will need are a three view drawing of your aircraft OR three photos; front and sides.  These photos need only be 5"x6' not 8.5X11 full page prints.  You can get all three on a single page of paper.  I do not need you to fax the photos to  me but you must have them at the time of inspection.  They are required by the FAA when I send in you paperwork to the aircraft registry section where it becomes part of the permanent records of the aircraft.  If you dont' have the photos, no airworthiness certificate will be issued.
  9. When you have accomplished all the above call me to schedule an inspection.  I will request you fax me a copy of all the paperwork, less the photos, so I can check it  for accuracy and print out your operating limitations and airworthiness certificate.  This is why you wait until you get your registration certificate back before continuing.  The 8130-6d application must match exactly the registration certificate as to Make, Model and Serial Number.  And those two much match exactly the fireproof data plate permanently fastened to your aircraft in an easily accessible and readily found  place.

So there you have it,  a fairly easy step by step process for certifying your ELSA.  If you have any questions call me.

Back to Aircraft Certification Page