Standardization News

A new ASTM International standard sets quality requirements for the manufacture, documentation and records retention for light sport aircraft designed to ASTM consensus standards. F2972, Specification for Light Sport Aircraft Manufacturer's Quality Assurance System, was developed by Subcommittee F37.70 on Cross Cutting, part of ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft. F2972 will be used by those seeking civil aviation authority approval in the form of flight certificates, flight permits or similar documentation for aircraft.

Light Sport Aircraft are factory-built and intended primarily for recreational flying. Adam Morrison, co-owner, Streamline Designs LLC, and vice chairman of F37, explains that this type of airplane is less costly than those certificated through traditional venues and can be operated by pilots holding a -Sport Pilot license. "Essentially, LSA and sport pilot licenses lower the cost barriers to personal aviation while still maintaining a strong set of requirements for safety," says Morrison.

"F2972 helps to ensure that manufacturers are producing aircraft that are consistent with the design that was originally tested to show compliance to the standard," says Morrison. "F2972 also requires that manufacturers regularly audit their operations and correct any problems."

Morrison notes that F2972 was created by merging five standards developed earlier by F37. "All five of the resulting standards largely address the same quality assurance issues in a very similar manner," says Morrison. "Since the subject matter is largely common across aircraft types, it made sense to harmonize these into a single standard before continuing with further needed development."

Subcommittee F37.70 welcomes all interested parties to participate in its development of light sport aircraft standards. Manufacturers and worldwide civil aviation authorities are particularly encouraged to become involved.

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CONTACT Technical Information: Adam J. Morrison, Streamline Designs LLC • Greenwood, Ind. • Phone: 317-888-1026 | ASTM Staff: Christine DeJong • Phone: 610-832-9736 | April 22-23 • Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Germany