Light aircraft

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Light aircraft is a generic category of aircraft that comprises many official designations in many countries.

However, this article concentrates on those aircraft so light that they are covered by special regulations. These rules are sub-ICAO and are therefore country specific. These rules have various upper weight limits: In the UK the microlight limit is 450 kg. The US Light-sport aircraft limit is 1,320 lb (600 kg).

The term light aircraft has always meant more than those very light aircraft. The various small aircraft which are:

type certified under ICAO rules
have one or two engines
seat up to eight (or, in some jurisdictions, more)
weigh several thousand kilograms (typical upper limit well in excess of 5000kg)

are also "light aircraft".

Note that many of the small aircraft used commercially for freight, sightseeing, photography and even scheduled flights are also called "light aircraft".

Examples of "light aircraft" include most of the aircraft commonly seen at small airports: the entire range of Cessna propeller driven aircraft from the Cessna 152 up to and including the Cessna Caravan are light aircraft. All Piper, Beechcraft and Cirrus airplanes, similarly. The GA8 Airvan, the Aviat Husky, the Robin DR400: All are light aircraft.

These conventional light aircraft, properly type certified under ICAO regulations, are not considered further in this article.

1 Background
2 Definitions
3 See also

[edit] Background

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, many people around the world sought to be able to fly affordably. As a result, many aviation authorities decided to declare artificial definitions of lightweight, slow-flying aeroplanes that could be subject to "light touch" regulation. The definitions used are most commonly called ultralight or microlight, although the actual weight and speed limits are rarely the same between any two countries.

The safety regulations used to approve light aircraft vary between countries, the most strict being the United Kingdom and Germany, while they are almost non-existent in France and the United States. The disparity between regulations is a major barrier to international trade and overflight, as is the fact that these regulations are invariably sub-ICAO, which means that they are not internationally recognised.

In most affluent countries, microlights or ultralights now account for about 20% of the civil aircraft fleet.