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LSA Buyer’s Guide

Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or Fudge-Ribbon Granola-Mocha Delight? How’s a pilot to choose which bird to buy?

As a prospective LSA owner, you might justifiably conclude that once you’ve made the crucial decision to buy an aircraft, the most difficult decision is behind you, yes? To quote Comrade Putin: Nyet!

In truth, your Decision Quest has just begun. Once you’ve decided to bring a new LSA home, the real challenge begins: Which type, level of performance, onboard toys and sheer flying feel are going to best fit your desired flight style?

The burgeoning list of top-quality LSA keeps on a-burgeonin’, making the choice even tougher—as in “ice-cream store” tough. At this writing, no less than 87 LSA designs have gained FAA ASTM approval just since April 2005.

The Sport Pilot Envelope
To borrow a playbook page from our ever-lovin’ fed gov, “We’re here to help.” We’ll start the drill with some thoughts on how to begin your search. Then you can peruse our snapshot guide to the latest hot ships.

First, let’s review the sport pilot performance envelope. The sport pilot rule allows a maximum stall speed of 45 knots and a level-flight, full-power speed of 120 knots. LSA can carry only a pilot and one passenger, and are permitted a single reciprocating engine, fixed landing gear, an unpressurized cabin and a maximum gross takeoff weight of no more than 1,320 pounds.

Although LSA can be made IFR-capable, sport pilot ticket holders are constrained to VFR conditions and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet MSL. (Note: Rule revisions are in the works to include a max of 2,000 feet AGL over higher-terrain regions.) Also, sport pilots can’t fly at night.

Because many current models can easily cruise above 10,000 feet, if you have or might get the full private pilot certificate, consider the full performance range of the LSA you choose—you may want a broader range of capabilities in the future. So much for the reg. Let’s head to the ice-cream store.

Which Plane Fits You?
LSA come in many yummy flavors. The wing shape that rocks your world may be a $20,000 powered parachute; a high-speed hang-glider/motorized-trike unit; a $40,000 aluminum-tube ultralight; a gyrocopter; a 50-foot-span motor glider; a $130,000 low-wing, composite cruiser; a high-wing, all-metal runabout; a fabric-covered taildragger or...well, you get the idea.

Even after you decide on the type of aircraft that stirs your flying fantasies, the decision fire-walk isn’t yet run. Many LSA on the market come outfitted with EFIS panels as standard equipment. Ironically, many LSA models will only provide “steam-gauge” instruments as an option!

EFIS panels integrate all kinds of instrumentation into one easy-scan display: flight instruments (airspeed and altitude, etc.), engine readouts (rpm, CHT and EGT, etc.), magnetic compass, slip/skid ball and even GPS, clock/timer, G-meter and density-altitude/true-airspeed calculators.

One important point: Don’t take published aircraft prices at face value, here or elsewhere. Compare apples to apples: Decide on the equipment and options you want, then price all your final target aircraft with those options.

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