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There has been a lot of hype in the U.S. about the new category of pilot and aircraft that was formally put in place after many years of development.
Some COPA members have contacted staff asking when we are going to get something like that here. In many ways, we already have it in our Ultralight Pilot Permit, self-declared medical and Advanced Ultralight aircraft. However, there are some key differences that are worth examining and COPA is doing just that in conjunction with Transport Canada. Just two issues being studied here are the medical standard and the light sport weight.
Some members have asked about Canada adopting the drivers licence as the medical standard for the ultralight permit, as they have in the US for sport pilot.
It may make sense, but there are problems with the way it has been implemented in the US, judging by the initial feedback to the FAA from Associations and individuals alike.
The way the rule is currently written, a person who has a relatively minor medical condition, but has been disqualified from a FAA class 3 medical in the past cannot fly a light sport aircraft on the basis of a drivers licence. However, a person who has never applied for an FAA medical, but has a significant health problem and still holds a drivers licence, can fly light sport aircraft.
In many ways, this does not make sense. In Canada, the category IV self-declaration permits pilots to self-declare that they do not have or have not had any of the disqualifying conditions provided on a list.
The list is essentially the same as the requirements to hold a category III medical (suitable for Private Pilot privileges). For all practicalities, the sport pilot medical category should and is about the same as category III, if you consider that reasonable people should not be flying with a significant health issue anyway.
So, perhaps in the end, whatever shakes out on the medical issue in the US may not be far off our self-declaration anyway. COPA is following this issue closely.
The gross weight for the new U.S. light sport aircraft category is 1320 pounds. When Canada established an increase in gross weight for our aircraft some years ago at 1232 pounds, it was done so for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was to coincide with what was anticipated to come out of the U.S.
The goal of our work in this regard will be to harmonize with the U.S. so that aircraft being produced for the light sport category will also be eligible for our advanced ultralight category.
An overview of the category can be found on the FAA’s site http://www.faa.gov/avr/afs/sportpilot/overview.cfm.
COPA will be studying the rule in detail for a comparison with our permits and aircraft categories with a view to harmonizing with the U.S. wherever possible. Contact Adam Hunt.