Manufacturers of fixed-wing Light-Sport Aircraft are required to revise their Pilot’s Operating Handbooks for new production airplanes in accordance with new ASTM standards by no later than Nov. 12.
On July 29, the FAA published in the Federal Register the availability of ASTM International standard F2746–09, Specification for Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) for Light Sport Airplane, as well as ASTM F2245-10c, Specification for Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
One of the changes in ASTM F2245-10c is the requirement to use either ASTM F2746-09 or the format and content requirements of General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Spec 1 for POHs supplied with LSA. A key enhancement introduced by this change is the reorganization of LSA POH content to align with that found in larger general aviation aircraft, according to ASTM officials. This enhances safety because pilots transitioning to larger aircraft from LSA or from larger aircraft to LSA will be presented with a POH that has an identical organization, officials note. Other enhancements include better transfer of needed information for non-OEM aircraft equipment, such as avionics and engines, clarified change control requirements, more accurate airspeeds and more detailed content throughout.
A previous revision to the ASTM F2245 standard also included a new section addressing airspeed indicator markings. While not required to upgrade their previously produced aircraft to the new POH requirements, LSA manufacturers are encouraged to review the previously revised airspeed indicator marking and new POH requirements with regard to their previously produced aircraft. If necessary, manufacturers are encouraged to provide customers of those aircraft with updates to ensure that they have accurate determination of airspeed data and adequate presentation of that data in their POHs and airspeed indicators.
The accepted changes in these standards are part of an ongoing effort by ASTM Committee F37 to enhance the content of the standards based on feedback from industry, FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and other worldwide civil aviation authorities, ASTM officials note.
“The changes in these standards, along with forthcoming ones, are demonstrating the ability of the consensus standards process to rapidly respond to the needs of the light sport aircraft industry, reducing the time for safety enhancements to reach consumers on new production aircraft,” says Adam Morrison, Streamline Designs LLC, F37.20 chairman and vice chairman of F37.
ASTM International is one of the largest international standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM International meets the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency. ASTM standards are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems and commercial transactions.
