Technical requirements for airworthiness of ultralight aircraft and gyroplanes

Airworthiness and production of ultralight aircraft

This Regulation would introduce in Finland the option for the exemption referred to in Article 2(8) of EASA Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, which will include ultralight aircraft with a higher weight limit within the scope of national regulation.

This draft Regulation will define two different categories, B1 and B2, for ultralight aircraft under national regulation. Category B1 will cover aircraft falling below the weight limits specified in Annex I to the EASA Regulation (which have previously been subject to national regulation) and category B2 will cover aircraft falling under new exemptions referred to in Article 2(8) of the EASA Regulation (higher weight limit). Different load requirements will be defined for these categories. This Regulation will not yet lay down the requirements of category B2 for sailplanes, as such aircraft are not manufactured and there is therefore still no need for such requirements.

A weight limit (450 kg) lower than the maximum limit allowed by EASA will be set for a single-seater aircraft so as not to include too efficient or demanding aircraft in terms of training requirements in lighter national regulations.

On the basis of European standards that have already been published (Germany, Czech Republic), the Regulation specifies the airworthiness requirements to be met in the new category B2.

Keywords: ultralight aeroplane, aircraft, weight limits, airworthiness