French increase microlight weight limits (2019)

[cluttonfred]

I came across a note regarding the 500 kg limit for two-seat microlights in France, and that struck me as odd because I thought the limit was 450 kg. It turns out the French have relaxed the microlight rules a little while still not going quite as far as some countries including the USA with Light Sport , only the second revision to the regulations since their initial publication 1985 and their first revision in 1998.

What might be of broad interest is that the French have not only changed the numbers, they have also assigned set amounts for pilot/passenger/fuel weights to prevent fudging the rules or encouraging flying over gross weight (can you hear me, Vashon Ranger?). They have also increased the "bonus" weights for a ballistic chute or floats and now allow them to be combined, raised the horsepower limits slightly, and raised the stall speed slightly.

Details in image below and document attached, but to summarize:

1. Single-seat: *330 kg/728 lb gross - (86 kg/190 lb pilot + 21 kg/46 lb fuel) = *223 kg/492 lb empty; 65 kW/88 hp max power; 70 kph/38 kt max stall
2. Two-seat: *500 kg/1102 lb gross - (156 kg/344 lb pilot & passenger + 31.5 kg/69 lb fuel) = *312.5 kg/689 lb empty; 80 kW/109 hp max power; 70 kph/38 kt max stall

*Weights above can be raised by 15 or 25 kg/33 or 55 lb for an added ballistic chute and 30 or 45 kg/66 or 99 lb for floats and the two allowances can be combined, so a two-seat floatplane with chute can weight 570 kg/1257 lb gross and up to 382.5 kg/843 lb empty.​

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What's neat to me is that these new rules now define more classic light aircraft as "microlights." A Pietenpol Air Camper, for example, would meet the rules even with a Model A Ford engine. I'd love to see something like this applied to U.S. LSA rules as well.

 

[mullacharjak]

 

[Exian]

 

[Victor Bravo]

 

[BBerson]

 

[cluttonfred]

 

[cluttonfred]