Quicksilver ELSA
Transition Costs
Aircraft Preparation
Aircraft
need to be in condition for safe operation. If your aircraft has been taken
care of over the years, chances are that the only preparation for inspection
will be paperwork and adding the required placards (and an ELT if the aircraft
is a two place). Your sails should pass a standard punch test for your
continued safety (Quicksilver Fabric Tester, P/N 60100, is available for $39.99).
Rainbow Aviation sells an ELSA Transition kit for $6. It includes forms,
placards, sample forms and logbook endorsements as well as step by step
instructions for preparing your aircraft.
Refer to www.rainbowaviation.com/transition_kit.htm
Other commonly
ordered items and their approximate costs are listed below:
|
Sail Sets,
Average cost -- $1000 to $1800 |
Tires
-------------------------- $10 to $20 each |
|
Replacement
Tubing ----- $35 to $75 each |
Owner’s
Manual ----------- $40 to $80 |
|
All major
Bolts & Hardware - $500 to $700 |
Assembly
Manual --------- $45 to $120 |
|
All major
Wing Wires --------- $400 to $600 |
Service
Bulletins ---------- $21 |
Aircraft Improvements
As an ELSA, changes can be made
before or after you have the inspection for registration done. It is most
convenient to make any wanted or needed changes prior to registration, but if
you decide to make changes after the inspection, simply:
(1) Update the Weight and Balance.
(2) Place your plane back into Phase
1 for 5 hours and fly it solo to prove the new modification (only required if
the modification changes the flight characteristics).
(3) After
the 5 hours, endorse your aircraft logbook, proclaiming the plane is safe, and
back into Phase 2.
The list
below shows approximate costs for some improvements:
|
Gearbox
upgrade -- $500 |
Disc
Brake Kit ------------ $450 |
Strobes
--------------- $200 |
|
Electric
Start -------- $500 |
Wheel
Pants--------------- $300 |
Radio
------- $250 - $1000 |
|
Prop
upgrade-------- $500 |
12 Gal.
Fuel Tank ------- $380 |
BRS---------$2500
- $3500 |
Instrumentation
Although
there are no requirements for instrumentation under the LSA rules, there are
several points to consider. An Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) is required
with the only exceptions being if you are giving flight instruction in a qualified
two-seat aircraft and will operate within 50 miles of home or when flying a
single seat aircraft. If you are planning to use your aircraft for your SP check
ride, you will need a minimum of an Altimeter and Airspeed Indicator. Aircraft
being used for hire as a SP Flight Trainer, an option available until 2010, are
not required to have specific instruments, but here is a suggested minimum
list:
|
ELT
----------- $250 to $500 |
Tachometer
-- $45 to $189 |
Altimeter
------ $99 to $229 |
|
Magnetic
Compass---- $75 |
Airspeed----------------
$145 |
Hourmeter -------------- $45 |
|
Engine
Temp. Gauge (CHT, EGT or Water Temp) --------------------------------- $65 to
$135 |
||
|
CPS
Maxi-flight Deck Instrument Pod (mounts overhead, holds 3 small + 3 large) --
$165 |
||
|
OR |
||
|
QS Engine
Instrument Pod (mounts overhead, holds
2 small + |
||
DAR/FAA Inspection
Most owners
will use a Designated Airworthiness Representation (DAR) for their inspection. Rates
vary by location, but generally speaking, it will cost about $300 to $600. In
most areas, the FAA Inspectors are scheduled too far out to use at this late
date, but if you are lucky enough to find one that can do it, the cost is free.
Phase 1 Flight Period
It is
preferable that you have a sport pilot license or higher before N numbering
your plane because you will need to be a licensed pilot to operate it from this
time forward. The Phase 1 test flying period may be able to be signed off based
on your previous time operating it; but otherwise, you will have to find a properly
licensed pilot to do it. If you plan to get your Sport pilot check ride in your
own two-seater, this may be more of an issue. Check with your inspector to see
what is acceptable.
Maintenance and Annuals
Once the plane
is an ELSA, it is required to be inspected once a year (Annual) and every 100
hours if it is used as a SP Flight Trainer for hire. The cost to hire an
Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic (A & P) to perform the inspection will vary
by area and the amount of work required. A ballpark estimate is $100 to $300
for the Annual Inspection. Repairs and maintenance will add to the cost if
needed.
There are
two options that allow you to do your own inspections. FAA regulation §65.107 allows the owner
of an Experimental Light-Sport Aircraft to earn a Repairman (LSA) Inspection rating by attending an FAA accepted 16
hour course. Successful completion of the course allows you to perform the
annual condition inspection on any Experimental-LSA airplane you own, now or
in the future. These courses are given at various locations around the
country and the cost is around $350. This is a good place for owners to start. The
16 hour course will be most appreciated before starting the transition even
though it will continue to be of obvious value after it is done. For more info,
go to http://www.rainbowaviation.com/16_hr__course.htm
The 2nd
option is a 120 hour course that allows a person to earn a Repairman Maintenance Rating. Successful completion of the course
allows you to perform the maintenance, the annual condition inspection, and the
100 hour inspections (required on aircraft used for hire) on Special Light
Sport Aircraft and Experimental Light Sport Aircraft and charge for your services.
The cost of this course is around $3500. For more info, go to http://www.rainbowaviation.com/120_hr_course.htm.
People and Sites for more info
►Sport
Pilot Rule - Condensed Version, Only 19 Pages - www.sportpilot.org/rule/sp_rule.pdf
►What
the DAR and FAA Inspectors reference for the Inspection - www.usua.org/SportPilot/Order8130-2F.pdf
►Quicksilver
Dealers Brain and Carol Carpenter of Rainbow Aviation Inc. are busy traveling
the country and putting on the 16 hour course. They also do the 120 hour course
at their location in
►Quicksilver
Dealer Bob Comperini is both a DAR and a DPE and operates near Lancaster, CA.
Bob has an excellent website www.fly-ul.com
and is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. He has offered his assistance. His
email address is bob@fly-ul.com.
►Quicksilver
Dealer Jon Thornburgh, a DPE and so much more, was
one of the first people in the country to fully understand the new rules and
regs. He has written extensively on the subject; you will find a list of
articles at www.sportpilot.info/sp/ExpTrikes_Messages_with_Links.htm.
In addition,
Jon is available for help at jon@jonthornburgh.com
and the phone number 800-971-8710.
Summary
Here is a
recap of the approximate costs for ELSA Transition based on an average
Quicksilver needing an average amount of preparation, improvements, upgrades
and instrumentation.
|
ACTION /
EQUIPMENT |
AVERAGE COST |
|
Preparation
(Average prep time is about 3 hours) |
----- |
|
Improvements
(optional) |
----- |
|
Instrumentation
(optional) |
------ |
|
ELT |
$225 |
|
DAR
Inspection |
$425 |
|
ELSA
Transition Kit from Rainbow ($20 for
EAA kit) |
$6 |
|
16 hour Repairman’s
Course (Optional) - $350 |
----- |
|
Label
Maker / Decals, Labels, and Placards |
$35 |
|
Average
Cost for ELSA Transition |
$691 |
If you have
questions, please contact me at (951) 506 – 0061 Ext. #2 or email netsales@qsair.com.