Floats or gear gross weights - history

[jtpitkin06]

Why the difference in gross weight for fixed gear or floats?


Here’s a bit of history on how we ended up at 1320 and 1430 gross weights.
The FAA had created Part 103 for ultralights. They were single seat, no license and no aeronautical knowledge testing required. The camel’s nose was in the tent. The Ultralight Association petitioned the FAA for more weight to carry heavier pilots or add a second seat. The FAA took it a step further largely spearheaded by EAA to create the Sport License.

Then the FAA looked to Europe to see what they were doing about microlights.and ultralights. The original number was 450 kilograms or 992 pounds. That number was deemed too difficult to work with for designing newly manufactured LSA’s. So the number was bumped to 560 kilograms, or 1232 pounds, used by the Aussies and Canadians .

When the FAA published the proposed rules (NPRM) they were flooded with comments requesting more weight to include some certified airplanes like the Champ and the Cub. Part of the argument was to allow more weight for four stroke engine reliability.

So the FAA bumped it up to 600 kilos or 1320 pounds. During the comment period there was also a request to allow additional weight for floats. The FAA recognizes the decrease in performance with floats but considered a 50 kilogram or 110 pound increase in gross weight to accommodate floats acceptable. No, floats do not carry their own weight. It takes power to haul those boats into the air.

During the comment period there was a lot of crying about getting the weight a bit higher to allow the Cessna 150 and other certified aircraft included in the LSA’s. The FAA’s reasoning is LSA was to create a new class of inexpensive airplanes that were simple to fly. We all know that the inexpensive part never materialized.

So that’s where we are today in the USA…. 1320 pounds land, and 1430 pounds seaplane. And yes, it's based on metric weights of 600 and 650 kilograms.


Fast forward… There is an exemption in the works. The EAA and AOPA petitioned the FAA to eliminate the medical requirement for airplanes with four seats or less, one passenger, fixed gear and 180 horsepower or less. The exemption would bring many aircraft into the Recreational License arena. Should that occur, it will open a world of aircraft to the Recreational and Private Pilots without a medical. I predict light sport will not be the issue it is today with home builders. The difference in getting a Recreational license or Private Pilot over a Sport License is minimal. Most pilots now flying under LSA are moving down from commercial and private. This exemption will shift the no medical required pool of aircraft to include Cherokee 180, Cessna 172, Cardinal 177B. Musketeer, and a gaggle of home builts not currently LSA.

Let’s hope that happens soon.

John Pitkin

Greenville, Texas

[inzersv]

Thank you John, I always learn from your posts. Much appreciated.