Time Winding Down for E-LSA Trainer Owners

January 7, 2010 — Owners of E-LSA aircraft used for training, regardless if they are engaging in training operations or not, need to amend their aircraft’s airworthiness certificate by January 31, 2010, or it will expire and cannot be reissued. The process for allowing flight training to continue under an amended certificate has stalled within the FAA; however, owners should not wait for that situation to resolve before amending their airworthiness certificate. If the deadline is missed, the aircraft will never again be eligible for an airworthiness certificate.

The amendment process is not a guarantee that an aircraft will be able to operate as previously certificated. The process will remove any allowances for flight instruction or restrictions on maintenance required for flight training operations on the airworthiness certificate. However, the new certificate will allow the aircraft to be flown after the January deadline. This will also make it eligible should a process for allowing flight training operations be issued by the FAA at a later date. Contact EAA at 888-322-4636, extension 4821, 920-426-4821, or Govt@EAA.org for further questions on this process.