EASA's Proposed European Light Aircraft Category

de Havilland Support Ltd

EASA’S PROPOSED
EUROPEAN LIGHT
AIRCRAFT CATEGORY
Bill Taylor
Chief Executive
de Havilland Support Ltd

SCOPE
• MDM 032 Process
• Certification Specifications
• Design Organisation Approvals
• Overview of ELA Concept
•Other Issues

MDM 032 Process
• A Concept for Better Regulation in
General Aviation:
– Initial Airworthiness
– Continuing Airworthiness
– Operations
– Licensing

MDM 032 Process
• Working Group with airsports involvement
• Advance Notice of Proposed Amendment
(A-NPA) 14-2006 published 16 Aug 06:
– Closed 16 Oct [8054 comments]
• NPA 2008-07 published 18 Apr 08:
– Closed 18 Jul [843 comments/79 commenters]
• Comment Response Document (CRD)
• EASA Opinion to EU Commission

Certification Specifications
• CS 23 – Normal, Utility, Aerobatic and
Commuter Category Aeroplanes
• CS 22 – Sailplanes & Powered Sailplanes
• CS VLA – Very Light Aeroplanes
• CS VLR – Very Light Rotorcraft
• CS LSA – Light Sport Aeroplanes
• CS 30 – Balloons/CS 31 – Airships (new)

• LSA USA
LSA Certification
– FAA issue Special Airworthiness Certificate
– American Society for Test and Measurement (ASTM)
standards – consensual
– Pilot/engineer licencing
• LSA Europe
– EASA will issue Type Certificate
– EASA acceptance of ASTM standards
– Normal EASA rules (Part M, FCL etc)

Certification Specifications
ANNEX II
CS LSA
CS 22
CS VLA
LONG TERM
CS 23
450 750 850 600
900 1000 1200 2000
MAXIMUM TAKEOFF MASS AUTHORISED (kg)

Design Organisations
• Part 21, Subpart J – Full DOA
• Alternative Procedures DOA
• Combined DOA/POA
• Simplified DOA
• European Light Aircraft (ELA) Process

• ELA 1 (

ANNEX II
Design Processes
MAXIMUM TAKEOFF MASS AUTHORISED (kg)
450 750 850 600
900 1000 1200 2000
ELA 1
FUTURE?
AP DOA
FULL DOA
COMBINED DOA/POA
SIMPLIFIED DOA

ANNEX II
Proposed New Concepts
CS LSA
CS 22
CS VLA
450 600 750
ELA 1
850
LONG TERM
CS 23
900 1000 1200 2000
FUTURE?
AP DOA
FULL DOA
COMBINED DOA/POA
SIMPLIFIED DOA

Other Issues
• Use of parts without EASA Form One
• Commercial/Non-commercial Use
• Applicability of Other Legislation

Parts Without Form One
• Contentious issue
•Exclusions
– Primary Structure
– Flying Controls
– Life Limited Parts
• May be made without POA
• Must use approved design data

Commercial/Non-Commercial
• New definition in EU 216/2008, the new
Basic Regulation
– Will flying training be deemed Commercial?
• No restriction of use for ELA, even if
incorporate parts without Form One

Other Legislation
• Applicability of Part M to ELA:
– Continuing Airworthiness Management etc
– Unwillingness(?) of EASA to make Part M more
proportionate to risks of light GA
• Proposed Part 66 Certifying Staff licences:
– Basic ELA
– Full ELA
–B3
• ‘Grandfather’ rights for BGA/LAA inspectors?

Conclusion
• Within initial airworthiness, EASA is
showing a willingness to improve regulation
• ELA is a PROCESS, not hardware
• ELA is NOT a Euro LSA
• Role of QE not clear and needs more work
• Proposed Part 66 ELA/B3 licences positive
• Part M still disproportionate for light GA

de Havilland Support Ltd