The rush is on in Europe, at least for the best-prepared of LSA producers. EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, has accepted ASTM standards as a means of certifying light aircraft in the European Union, but put its own stamp on this approval. Those wishing to sell an ASTM-compliant SLSA in Europe have some extra hoops to jump through. The letters DOA, POA, and RTC apply, being, in order, Design Organization Approval, Production Organization Approval, and Restricted Type Certificate.
If you think that sounds a little like Part 23 requirements (read: expensive), you’re right. Yet if a LSA producer wants to sell essentially the same airplane in the USA and the EU, it has to get all the approvals. Recently, a third company achieved this, following Czech Sport Aircraft and Flight Design.
The Czech company announced, “Evektor SportStar RTC gains EASA CS-LSA Type Certification and becomes one of the first aircraft on the market certified according to the latest EASA CS-LSA regulations.”
SportStar RTC was certified as a derivative of the Evektor EASA JAR/VLA-certified training aircraft known as Harmony VLA. SportStar was the very first aircraft approved by FAA in the American SLSA category in April 2005 and has logged many sales in use as a basic flight trainer in the USA, Australia and other countries.
An EASA Restricted Type certificate enables Evektor to begin delivery of fully manufactured SportStar RTCs to customers in Germany, Holland, Czech Republic, and Turkey.
The company’s U.S. representatives — Dreams Come True (Steve Minnich) and AB Flight (Art Tarola) — explained that Evektor-Aerotechnik is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of LSA, advanced ultralight, and private pilot training airplanes, with more than 40 years experience in aircraft manufacturing and EASA-certified production. A fleet of more than 1,100 Evektor aircraft has been already delivered worldwide.
For more information: EvektorAircraft.com
For more on Sport Pilot and LSAs: ByDanJohnson.com
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