Light-sport aircraft
A light-sport aircraft, or light sport aircraft, is a category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates the category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA.
LSAs in different countries
The civil aviation authorities in different countries have their own particular specifications and regulations which define the LSA category.For example, in Australia the Civil Aviation Safety Authority defines a light-sport aircraft as a heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft, other than a helicopter, with a maximum gross takeoff weight of not more than for lighter-than-air craft; for heavier-than-air craft not intended for operation on water; or for aircraft intended for operation on water. It must have a maximum stall speed of in landing configuration; a maximum of two seats; there is no limit on maximum speed unless it is a glider, which is limited to Vne 135 kn CAS; fixed undercarriage ; an unpressurized cabin; and a single non-turbine engine driving a propeller if it is a powered aircraft.
In the United States, several distinct groups of aircraft may be flown as light-sport. Existing certificated aircraft and experimental, amateur-built aircraft that fall within the definition listed in 14CFR1.1 are acceptable, as are aircraft built to an industry consensus standard rather than FAA airworthiness requirements. The accepted consensus standard is defined by ASTM International Technical Committee F37. Aircraft built to the consensus standard may be factory-built and sold with a special airworthiness certification or may be assembled from a kit under the experimental rules under experimental airworthiness. A company must have produced and certified at least one S-LSA in order to be permitted to sell E-LSA kits of the same model. E-LSA kits are not subject to the normal experimental amateur built requirement 14 CFR 21.191 which identifies an aircraft, the "major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by persons who undertook the construction project solely for their own education or recreation."
United States
The FAA defines a light sport aircraft as an aircraft, other than a helicopter or powered lift, that since its original certification, has continued to meet the following:- Max. gross takeoff weight:
- Max. stall speed: CAS
- Max. speed in level flight : CAS
- Max. seats: two
- Max. engines / motors: one
- Propeller: fixed-pitch or ground adjustable
- Cabin: unpressurized
- Fixed-pitch, semi-rigid, teetering, two-blade rotor system, if a gyroplane
- Landing gear: fixed
Aircraft licensing
- Can be manufactured and sold ready-to-fly under a new special light sport aircraft certification category. Aircraft must meet industry consensus standards. Aircraft under this certification may be used for sport and recreation, flight training, and aircraft rental.
- Can be licensed experimental light sport aircraft if kit- or plans-built. Aircraft under this certification may be used only for sport and recreation and flight instruction for the owner of the aircraft.
- Can be licensed experimental light sport aircraft if the aircraft has previously been operated as an ultralight but does not meet the FAR Part 103 definition of an ultralight vehicle. These aircraft must have been transitioned to E-LSA category no later than January 31, 2008.
- Will have a standard FAA registration - N-number.
- Category and class includes: airplane, gyroplane, airship, balloon, weight-shift-control, glider, and powered parachute.
- U.S. or foreign manufacture of light sport aircraft is authorized.
- Aircraft with a standard airworthiness certificate that meet above specifications may be flown by sport pilots. However, the aircraft must remain in standard category and cannot be changed to light sport aircraft category.
- May be operated at night if the aircraft is equipped per FAR 91.205, if such operations are allowed by the aircraft's operating limitations and the pilot holds at least a private pilot certificate and a minimum of a third-class medical.
FAA certification
The US definition of an LSA is similar to some other countries' definition of "microlight" or "ultralight" aircraft. Other countries' microlight definitions are typically less restrictive, not limiting airspeed, the use of variable-pitch propellers, or the gross weight limitation.
By contrast, the US FAA has a separate definition of ultralight aircraft defined in Federal Aviation Regulations. Aircraft falling within the US ultralight specifications are extremely lightweight, are intended for operation by a single occupant, have a fuel capacity of five US gallons or less, a maximum calibrated airspeed of not more than, and a maximum stall speed of not more than. Ultralight aircraft in the US do not require pilot licensing, medical certification, or aircraft registration.
Aircraft certified as light-sport aircraft exceed the limitations defined for ultralight aircraft and require that the pilot possess, at a minimum, a sport pilot certificate. Among these aircraft were found those that were specifically designed to meet the LSA requirements, as well as overweight ultralights that previously were operated in technical violation of 14 CFR 103.
In addition to aircraft specifically designed to meet the LSA requirements, certain certificated aircraft, such as the original Piper Cub, happen to fall within the definition of a light-sport aircraft and can be operated by individuals holding FAA sport pilot certificates. The aircraft can not be re-certificated as LSA, however: although sport pilots may operate conventionally certificated aircraft that fall within the definition of an LSA, the aircraft themselves continue to be certificated in their original categories.
Several designers and manufacturers of experimental aircraft kits have developed models that are compliant with the light-sport aircraft rules.
In June 2012 the FAA indicated that they would re-visit the LSA program after their own studies indicated that "the majority" of LSA manufacturers they had inspected failed to show that they were in compliance with the standards. The FAA announcement said that as a result the "original policy of reliance on manufacturers' Statements of Compliance"... "should be reconsidered." AOPA points out that this is a normal development of a maturing standard and does not expect any significant changes in the rules, only more scrutiny by FAA to assure compliance.
The FAA announced on July 24, 2023, that it was considering expanding the Light Sport Aircraft category to incorporate the development of emerging technologies, in particular electrically powered rotorcraft.
LSA under the new MOSAIC spectrum
The LSA category will be drastically expanded with the introduction of MOSAIC. Among the main changes is the elimination of the current limitation on maximum weight, based on parameters related to stall speed, which will be 59 knots with the aircraft clean or with fixed or automatic high-lift devices. This will allow for larger aircraft with up to 4 seats thus enabling increased safety margins, durability, and comfort for new aircraft certified under this new standard. Currently, MOSAIC has been entered into the Federal Register on July 22, 2025. This final rule is effective October 22, 2025, except for amendatory instructions 3, 8, 9, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23 through 26, 71, 72, 75, 76, and 80, which are effective July 24, 2026.FAA certified models
Aircraft that met light-sport requirements when the rules were announced appear in an FAA listSome additional models of S-LSA, E-LSA and E-AB aircraft that meet light-sport requirements are listed here. The FAA maintains a complete list of approved SLSA aircraft models.
| Manufacturer | Design | Engine | Max. cruise | Max. range | Orders | Availability | Type |
| 3Xtrim | 3Xtrim Navigator 600 | 100 HP Rotax 912 S | 747 NM | 2008 | Certified | ||
| Advanced Composites Solutions | ACS-100 Sora | Kit | |||||
| Aeropro / fly-Aerotrek.com | Aerotrek A240 or A220 | Rotax 912 A/ 912 S | 300+ sold | since 1990 | Certified | ||
| Aeroprakt Manufacturing | A-22LS | Rotax 912UL, Rotax 912ULS or Rotax 912 iS | since 2016 | Certified | |||
| AMD | Zodiac 650B | Continental O-200 + Others | Certified | ||||
| Aviasud Engineering | Aviasud Mistral | Rotax 582 DCDI | Certified | ||||
| BOT Aircraft | SC07 Speed Cruiser | Rotax 912ULS or D-Motor LF26 | 2016 | E-LSA, pending S-LSA certification | |||
| Breezer | Breezer | Rotax 912 UL2 | |||||
| CGS Aviation | Hawk Arrow II SLSA | Rotax 582, Rotax 912 F, HKS 700e, HKS 700T, Jabiru 2200 | 70 kn | 130 NM | 170+ | 2008 | Certified |
| Cessna | Cessna 162 | Continental O-200D | 195. 80 in stock for spares | Since 2009 - discontinued Feb 2014 | Certified | ||
| Cirrus Design | Cirrus SRS | Rotax 912 S | Unknown, project suspended | Certified | |||
| Comco Ikarus | Ikarus C42 | Rotax 912 F | 105 kn 194 km/h | Certified | |||
| Cub Crafters | CubCrafters CC11-160 Carbon Cub SS | Titan 340CC, 180 HP | 300+ | 2009 | ELSA Kit/Certified | ||
| Czech Sport Aircraft | SportCruiser/PiperSport | Rotax 912 S | 170+ delivered | Available since 2006 | Certified | ||
| Czech Sport Aircraft/Wet Aero USA | CZAW Mermaid | Jabiru 3300 or Rotax 912S | 2006 | Certified | |||
| DOVA Aircraft | DV-1 SKYLARK | Rotax 912S | 2004 | Certified | |||
| Ekolot | Ekolot KR-030 Topaz | Rotax 912UL | 2010 | LSA Certified | |||
| Europa Aircraft | Europa XS | Rotax 912 / 912 ULS / 914 or Jabiru Aircraft | 750 NM | 2009 | Kit | ||
| FANTASY AIR | Allegro 2007 | Rotax 912 F or 912 S | 2008 | Certified | |||
| FK-Lightplanes | FK12 Comet | Rotax 912UL/ULS, 914, or Lycoming IO-233 | 351 nm | 1997 | Certified | ||
| Flight Design | Flight Design CTsw: CTLS: CTLSi | Rotax 912S; Rotax 912iS | 350+ | 2005 | Certified | ||
| Higher Class Aviation | Sport Hornet LRS | Rotax 912 F or Rotax 582 | 040+ | 2009 | Certified | ||
| JIHLAVAN airplanes, s.r.o. | Skyleader 600 | Rotax 912 100 hp & 115 hp | Available | Certified | |||
| JMB Aircraft | VL3 | Rotax 916 | 1500 nmi | 500+ | since 2012 | Certified | |
| ICON Aircraft | ICON A5 | Rotax 912 iS | 1500+ | 2015 | FAA Approved | ||
| Kitfox Aircraft | Denney Kitfox | Rotax 912 S | 4000+ | 2008 | ELSA Kit/Certified | ||
| Paradise Aircraft | Paradise P-1 | 100 HP, Rotax 912 S | 2008 | Certified | |||
| Pipistrel | Pipistrel Sinus LSA | Rotax 912 80 hp | 1000+ | since 1995 | Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit | ||
| Pipistrel | Pipistrel Virus LSA | Rotax 912 80 hp | 1000+ | since 1999 | Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit | ||
| Pipistrel | Pipistrel Virus SW LSA | Rotax 912 80 hp & 100 hp | 1000+ | since 2008 | Certified LSA Airplane & Glider RTF & Kit | ||
| Pipistrel | Pipistrel Taurus LSA | Rotax 503, 55 hp | since 2004 | Certified LSA Glider RTF | |||
| Pipistrel | Pipistrel Alpha Trainer | Rotax 912 80 hp | since 2012 | Certified LSA Airplane RTF | |||
| Progressive Aerodyne | SeaRey Elite LSA | Rotax 914 | LSA Kit/Certified | ||||
| Progressive Aerodyne | SeaRey Sport LSA | Rotax 912UL | LSA Certified | ||||
| Rainbow Aircraft ltd. | Cheetah XLS | Rotax 912 or Rotax 582 or Jabiru 2200A | 100+ | 2001 | ELSA Kit/Certified | ||
| Remos Aircraft | Remos G-3 | Rotax 912 S, 100HP | 2007 | Certified | |||
| Remos Aircraft | Remos GX | Rotax 912 S 100HP | Certified | ||||
| Renegade Light Sport originally T&T Aviation | Falcon LS | Lycoming IO-233-LSA | 460 nmi | 2010 | LSA Certified | ||
| Skyeton | Skyeton K-10 Swift | Rotax 912 S, 100HP | 2006 | Certified | |||
| SkyRunner, LLC. | SkyRunner MK 3.2 | 914 UL | 120 nm | 2016 | FAA Approved / S-LSA | ||
| Sling Aircraft | Sling 2 | Rotax 912 iS or 912 ULS | 320+ | 2010 | Certified RTF & Kit | ||
| TL Ultralight | TL Ultralight TL-96 Star | Rotax 912 F | 70+ | Available | Certified | ||
| Storm Aircraft | Storm Rally | Rotax 912 S | 2004 | Certified | |||
| Storm Aircraft | Storm Century | Rotax 912 S | 2004 | Certified | |||
| Tecnam Aircraft | Tecnam P2004 | Rotax 912 S | 100+ | 2005 | Certified | ||
| Terrafugia | Terrafugia Transition | Rotax 912 S | 100 | 2012 | Experimental/Certification planned | ||
| Van's Aircraft | RV-12 | Rotax 912 iS | 1000+ | 2008 | ELSA Kit/Certified |