About Light Sport Aircraft

Jabiru J230D Light Sport Aircraft
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) defines LSA as aircraft with two seats maximum, a single non-turbine engine fitted with a propeller, a non-pressurised cabin, a max gross takeoff weight of 600 kilograms (1,322 pounds), and a CAS max stall speed of 45 knots (83 km/h).
Characteristics
LSA are heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but the restrictions on weight and performance separate them from general-aviation aircraft. The light sport aircraft category includes smaller planes, gliders, gyroplanes, powered parachutes, weight-shift-control aircraft, airships, and air balloons. They are considered easier to fly and less expensive than other aircraft classifications.
LSA can also include previously manufactured aircraft that meet LSA requirements; special light sport aircraft (S-LSA), or ready-to-fly, factory-built aircraft that follow American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) design standards and can be used commercially; and experimental LSA (E-LSA), which include kit- and amateur-built aircraft meeting LSA requirements. Note that E-LSA can’t be used commercially but can be used for training if the student owns the aircraft.
Flight Requirements
Flying a light sport aircraft requires at least a pilot licence for an aeroplane in the LSA’s weight category. LSA are approved only for non-aerobatic, visual flight rules (VFR) day operation; instrument flight rules (IFR) and night VFR use are prohibited, as are solo-training flights.
Find The Right Light Sport Aircraft
You’ll often find a number of light sport aircraft for sale on ControllerEMEA.co.uk from manufacturers such as Cessna, Czech Sport Aircraft, Icon, ICP, Jabiru, and Tecnam.