There appears to be some confusion about the differences between an E-LSA (Experimental - Light Sport Aircraft) vs an E-AB (Experimental - Amateur Built) Aircraft meeting LSA standards and flown as an LSA.
As quoted in the post below, for an aircraft to be licensed as an E-LSA, it must be an approved E-LSA design and must be built exactly acording to plans. End of story. However, one can build an E-AB and license it as an E-AB, then fly it under the LSA rules provided the aircraft meets the LSA standards and flies within the prescribed LSA flight envelope. One could modify a KR to meet those standards. But the best thing you could do to help yourself with that is not use the KR name. Call it an original design since it will be redesigned anyway. Weight for a KR like aircraft shouldn't be an issue as it is only designed as a 980# gross aircraft. I know of several that are licensed to 1200# gross and I'm sure there are a couple that are heavier than that, but Light Sport allows up to 1320# gross. The biggest issue will be to get the stall speed down to the LSA max stall speed of 51 mph CAS and max cruise (easily limited by limiting rpms) of 138 mph CAS. This shouldn't be too difficult to attain as my KR with RAF 48 Diehl Wings has a stall of 52 mph with flaps and 55 mph clean. But you will be likely to have fewer issues with the FAA and insurance if you call the aircraft an original design and drop the KR name. We'll still let you show up at the Gatherings. ;o) If the aircraft is licensed as an E-AB and flown under Light Sport rules, the FAA really doesn't get involved beyond issuing the E-AB airworthiness and after the fact if something bad happens. Where bad things might happen using the KR name would be when you attempt to insure the plane. The insurance underwriters have a list of E-AB planes they know can be flown under Light Sport rules. KRs are not on that list. So calling your new Light Sport legal plane a KR has the potential to leave you with a plane that you can't insure if you choose to fly under Light Sport rules. Yes, your insurance will want to know what set of rules you are flying under. Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM ----- Original Message ----- From: jon kimmel Sent: 05/29/12 12:54 PM To: KRnet Subject: Re: KR> Kr-2s Lsa? My wing is going to have a higher aspect ratio than most...with a 25 foot span. The spar chords have been beefed up significantly so it will be heavier...I didn't design it but I checked it and the logic is sound. It could handle the standard kr2 extensions to make it longer than 25 feet, but then I would be concerned about where the WAFs mount to the wing. I think the toughest part of an lsa would be getting the weight down. Also, when I talked to the faa guy he said that a lsa has to be 100% built per plans at signoff...it seems like the KR community might have a tough time conforming to that standard.
