light Sport Changes

[170C]

I was very happy to see that the FAA is considering quite a number of proposed changes to the LSA rules. AOPA is pushing for an increase in the gross weight allowance with the hope that it might be increased sufficiently to include planes such as C-150's. That, if approved, would open up a bunch of planes that could be a bit more affordable than those new ones currently being manufactured here & overseas. Maybe we need to write our representatives when the time comes for proposed rule making.

[Azpilot]

I heard that one of the changes is an increase in weight up to 1500lbs, but there would be a limitation to 10,000ft.

[blueldr]

There is already a 10,000 asl limitation which apparently must have been written by the flatlanders back east.
I once took a guy from back there on a trip to Idaho from here in California. He was a fairly experienced private pilot.
When we leveled out at 9500 ft to cross the Sierras he was amazed that my stock C-170 could get that high.
He allowed as how he had never flown that high in a GA airplane.

[GAHorn]

I've had my b-model up to 14,700. (It was still climbing UP at 600 fpm, indicating 130 mph in a DIVE with the power OFF in a heck of an updraft just north of Santa Fe. I was worried about being carried up into an overcast at 18,000' and icing up! We had been cruising at 9500' in clear air, and the only activity was a TRW about 30 miles east of us when the updraft began.)

Otherwise, I've had her up to 13,500 climbing over Fort Bridger to get over the "hump" into SLC. We weighed about 2,000 lbs at the moment.

[hilltop170]

On June 29, 1981 on a bright CAVU day, I flew the 170 from Odessa to Amarillo, Texas to pick up some supplies from the Civil Air Patrol Depot. I climbed all the way from Odessa to Lubbock where the rate of climb finally went below 200fpm. I was at 16,500msl, the mixture was almost at cut-off, it was COLD, and I did not have a coat (or oxygen). I had started with full tanks, me, and nothing else in the plane, probably around 1750#. The trip took 2.5 hours and took 17.0 gallons of 80/87 at Amarillo for 6.8gph.