No More 'Mr. Nice Fed' -- FAA Plays Rough With LSA Community

Any time an administration such as this comes into power, regualtion rachets up, more rules, the emphasis changes from agencies trying to help the industry they regulate, to finding way to fine/penalize the participants. Thats a fact. Expect more if nothing else changes this November...

I doubt whether most of us on this forum have had enough experience with LSAs to comment one way or the other about the FAA's proposal. This opinion piece from ANN does not provide an objective presentation of the facts. For example, a discussion of past LSA accidents would have been very useful. And it contradicts itself. "After years of horrific guidance from so-called industry leaders and associations, the poorly directed and defined LSA segment could be about to be dealt a crippling blow." If the industry can't regulate itself, the FAA must step in and do the job. And if the accusations in the article regarding the actions of foreign manufacturers are true, then it seems to be a reasonable step. If the majority of problems do come from inferior imported products, then the American LSA manufacturers would be helped by this move. But the public comment period is in place to allow a full discussion by all those who will be involved. Knowing pilots, there will certainly be a LOT of discussion at Oshkosh!

Was wondering how many crashes by them it was going to take before they put some hands on it. People will get away with anything that they can to make a buck.

I see it both ways, too many "manufacturers" will sign anything to make a buck. And typically the FAA is looking for ways to justify it's existence.

This on again, off again enforcement of the regs, is why a tremendous number of people in this country who fly, are doing their flying from small private stretches of mowed fields that serve as "airfields for Ultralights. NO pilot's license, NO Medical, No A&P inspection requirements, JUST GO FLY!! For these people, who outnumber the licensed pilots, by the way, they DON'T need moving maps, night flying gear, radios, transponders, or any of the other expen$$ive trappings of "General Aviation". They DON'T need to go anywhere but "UP". For them, the destination is just being able to fly ten or fifteen miles to the mowed field of one of the fellow ultralight pilots for a summer Cookout.

Typical FAA Coffin mentality????

I don't know that much about LSA's - but i fear for them now! For the most part, except for a handful, the FAA hasn't been known to be all that warm and fuzzy to begin with.

Regulations don't save lives - but of course some regulations are important. All I ask is that we don't over-regulate anything - not just LSAs