Woody asked: > In reading the many Ercoupe ads I see both CD and C/D ads that say not > LSA. > > What is the criteria other than gross weight that changes the status > of these models?
Woody, If a plane has ever been upgraded to be a D (or later) model that has higher gross weight than 1320 lb., then it is NEVER AGAIN eligible to be an LSA or be flown by a Sport Pilot as pilot in command. It is legal for such planes to be returned to their original model but it's silly to do so. Once it's not eligible for Sport Pilots, it may as well be a D model and carry 1400 lb. gross weight. But some planes have paperwork showing up-conversions rendering them ineligible for LSA/SP. There's some debate on this issue. The FAA has not been definitive on just what paperwork bans the plane from LSA/SP status forever. Some indications are that the FAA will only go by the airworthiness certificate - if the airworthiness certificate was never upgraded to be a D or later then it never was a D, no matter what other paperwork was filed. Others are more cautious, thinking that if a form 337 was filed showing the upgrade, it is sufficient to ban the plane from LSA/SP. I commend sellers who are being cautious - they are doing so in spite of possible loss of the differential in price (running $5,000+). At this point, I just don't know what paperwork bans the plane. If there's a plane you like and the airworthiness certificate was never changed but the FAA files show a 337 for up-conversion, try to get an official document from your FSDO stating that since the airworthiness certificate never showed the higher model, it was never the higher model and IS eligible for LSA/SP. Get that FSDO letter in your hand before closing the sale, though. (The ban on planes having their legal gross weight lowered was imposed to prevent experimentals from doing that wholesale (and the can do it, legally) and then flying SP at the same weights they always flew. Some FAA people have expressed sympathy with the Ercoupe owners and wish we could be allowed to down-convert our planes - but they aren't going to change the regulation for us.) Good luck on your airplane hunt. Ed Burkhead http://edburkhead.com East Peoria, Illinois ed -at- edburkhead???.com (change -at- to @ and remove "???")
