FAA Makes Corrections To Sport Pilot Rule

Federal Register Volume 75, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15609-15610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7039]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 61

[Docket No. FAA-2007-29015; Amdt. No. 61-125A]
RIN 2120-AJ10


Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light-
Sport Aircraft; Modifications to Rules for Sport Pilots and Flight 
Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating; Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting a final rule published on February 1, 
2010. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations for sport pilots 
and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to address airman 
certification and operational issues that have arisen since regulations 
for the certification of aircraft and airmen for the operation of 
light-sport aircraft were implemented in 2004. This document corrects 
errors in the codified text of that document.

DATES: The final rule and this correction will become effective April 
2, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this rule, contact Larry L. Buchanan, Light-Sport Aviation Branch, AFS-
610, Regulatory Support Division, Flight Standards Service, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 6500 South MacArthur Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 
73169; telephone (405) 954-6400; Mailing address: Light-Sport Aviation 
Branch, AFS-610, P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125.
    For legal questions concerning this rule, contact Paul G. Greer, 
Regulations Division, AGC-200, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-3073.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On February 1, 2010, the FAA published a final rule entitled, 
``Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light-Sport 
Aircraft; Modifications to Rules for Sport Pilots and Flight 
Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating'' (75 FR 5204).
    In that final rule, the FAA revised Sec.  61.327. Paragraph (a) 
introductory text of Sec.  61.327 referenced endorsement requirements 
for a sport pilot operating ``a light-sport aircraft that has a 
VH less than or equal to 87 knots CAS.'' Paragraph (b) 
introductory text of Sec.  61.327 referenced endorsement requirements 
for persons operating ``a light-sport aircraft that has a VH 
greater than 87 knots CAS.'' In the revision to Sec.  61.315(c)(14)(i) 
and (c)(14)(ii), however, references to those paragraphs of Sec.  
61.327 were incorrectly cited.
    Additionally, the FAA revised Sec.  61.327 to require a sport pilot 
who seeks to operate a light-sport aircraft that has a VH 
less than or equal to 87 knots CAS to receive and log training in an 
aircraft that has a VH less than or equal to 87 knots CAS. 
In the preamble to the final rule, the FAA noted that it ``does not 
believe that receiving training in an airplane with a VH 
greater than 87 knots CAS will adequately prepare a sport pilot to 
operate a low-speed, high-drag airplane with a VH less than 
or equal to 87 knots CAS without additional training.'' The agency did 
not intend to require specific endorsements for other categories and 
classes of aircraft, such as powered parachutes and weight-shift-
control aircraft that typically have a VH that does not 
exceed 87 knots CAS. Accordingly the FAA is correcting Sec.  61.327(a) 
and (c) to reflect the agency's intent and is making conforming 
corrections in Sec. Sec.  61.315(c)(14), 61.415(f), and 61.423 
(a)(2)(iii)(C).
    Sections 61.319 and 61.323 were revised to eliminate the 
requirement that persons exercising sport pilot privileges have an 
aircraft make-and-model endorsement to operate an aircraft within a 
specific set of aircraft. The FAA therefore also should have included a 
conforming amendment to Sec.  61.317 Is my sport pilot certificate 
issued with aircraft category and class ratings? to remove reference to 
the words ``make and model.''
    Lastly, Sec. Sec.  61.315(c)(14)(ii) and 61.327(c) contained 
provisions that permit a sport pilot to operate an aircraft with a 
VH less than or equal to 87 knots CAS if that person has 
logged flight time

[[Page 15610]]

as pilot in command of an aircraft with a VH less than or 
equal to 87 knots CAS prior to March 3, 2010. The FAA is correcting 
this date to read ``April 2, 2010,'' to correspond with the effective 
date of the final rule.

Corrections

    In final rule FR Doc. 2010-2056, beginning on page 5204 in the 
Federal Register of February 1, 2010, make the following corrections:

0
1. On page 5222, in the first column, revise Sec.  61.315(c)(14) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  61.315  What are the privileges and limits of my sport pilot 
certificate?

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (14) If the aircraft:
    (i) Has a VH greater than 87 knots CAS, unless you have 
met the requirements of Sec.  61.327(b).
    (ii) Has a VH less than or equal to 87 knots CAS, unless 
you have met the requirements of Sec.  61.327(a) or have logged flight 
time as pilot in command of an airplane with a VH less than 
or equal to 87 knots CAS before April 2, 2010.
* * * * *

0
2. On page 5222, in the first column, add amendment 15A to read as 
follows:


Sec.  61.317  [Amended]

0
15A. Amend Sec.  61.317 by removing the words ``logbook endorsement for 
the category, class, and make and model of aircraft'' from the last 
sentence and adding in their place the words ``logbook endorsement for 
the category and class of aircraft''.


Sec.  61.327  [Corrected]

0
3. On page 5222, in the first column, amend Sec.  61.327 by:
0
a. Amending paragraph (a) introductory text by removing the words 
``light-sport aircraft that has'' and adding in their place the words 
``light-sport aircraft that is an airplane with''.
0
b. Amending paragraph (a)(1) by removing the word ``aircraft'' and 
adding in its place the word ``airplane''.
0
c. Amending paragraph (a)(2) by removing the words ``light-sport 
aircraft'' and adding in their place the words ``light-sport aircraft 
that is an airplane''.
0
d. Amending paragraph (c) by removing the word ``aircraft'' and adding 
in its place the word ``airplane'' and by removing the date ``March 3, 
2010'' and adding in its place the date ``April 2, 2010''.


Sec.  61.415  [Corrected]

0
4. On page 5222, in the second column, in Sec.  61.415(f), remove the 
words ``light-sport aircraft'' and add in their place the words 
``light-sport aircraft that is an airplane''.


Sec.  61.423  [Corrected]

0
5. On page 5222, in the third column, in Sec.  61.423(a)(2)(iii)(C), 
remove the words ``light-sport aircraft'' and add in their place the 
words ``light-sport aircraft that is an airplane''.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 25, 2010.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2010-7039 Filed 3-29-10; 8:45 am]
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