SSDR rules

For discussion on all aspects of the Single Seat De-Regulated, sub 115kg microlight aircraft category.


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Ian Melville
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SSDR rules

Post by Ian Melville » Sun Nov 14, 2010 11:07 am

Having just wasted a few minutes looking for the latest rules, only to find them on our own site. Googling SSDR was a waste of time, had to use the full name. To save anyone else searching.

A summary
Empty Weight must not exceed 115kg
Max gross weight 300kg, 330kg if it's water based
Wing loading must be lower than 10kg sq/m
Stall speed less than 35kts CAS (this is not in the CAA document!!)
CAA reg displayed
3rd party insurance

Link to the full details are here http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co. ... lights.pdf

Link to CAA ORS
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4_805.pdf

A Bleese
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Post by A Bleese » Sun Nov 14, 2010 5:03 pm

And, if you're looking at stuff in pounds, I think that works out to 2.04 lb/ft2, but I'm happy to be corrected.

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SSDR Regs

Post by [email protected] » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:57 pm

The 35kt stall speed and max 300kg are for all single seat microlights. The max empty weight of 115kg is virtually identical to the US ultralight class. The wing area must therefore be more than 11.5sq.m or just under 124sq.ft.

If you look on the BMAA website they have (strangely enough) a less up-to-date technical note on SSDR's which also states the requirement for a noise certificate, but this now seems to have been dropped.

In addition, you need to have the aircraft registration on a brass plate on the aircraft.

Ian Melville
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Post by Ian Melville » Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:47 pm

I was under the impression that the 35kt stall speed was dropped because there was no practical way to prove compliance, however with the specified wing loading and max all up weight, it should comply by design.
If the 35kts still applies as it is still a microlight then
A can we have :D
(v) 315kg for a single seat landplane equipped with an airframe mounted total recovery parachute system;

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SSDR Rules

Post by [email protected] » Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:37 pm

I've never been able to suss out how the SSDR regs generaly are policed. I know that when you apply for registration with the CAA you have to enclose a copy of the 3rd party insurance, but with none of the Permit to Fly regime anyone could build just about anything and claim it as an SSDR. The only time that one may come to grief would be if you had a crash (which would have to be reported to the CAA) and/or had to make an insurance claim.

NickChittenden
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Post by NickChittenden » Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:44 pm

One would need to burn the evidence quickly!

tony bishop
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Post by tony bishop » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:31 pm

I don't believe that it is necessary to show your insurance to the CAA. We certainly didn't when we got our registration for the prototype e-Go (then still on the drawing board).

As the SSDR s a subset of the microlight class, I believe that we do still have to meet the 35kt rule.

In practice there's no inspection or compliance testing. Unless, of course, you crash it. It's entirely up to the owner to ensure that weight, etc. are within the rules.

Tony Bishop
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Dave Stephens
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Post by Dave Stephens » Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:26 pm

I do believe that you have to show the CAA insurance before you fly, and there is a set amount of time that you have to do it before the date of the first flight.

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John Dean
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Post by John Dean » Tue Dec 21, 2010 10:46 pm

Dave would appear to be correct. Section 7 of the Civil Aviation (Insurance) Regulations 2005 states:-

7. - (1) On applying for the registration of an aircraft in the United Kingdom under article 4(6) of the Order, the following shall be provided to the CAA -

(a) an insurance certificate or any other evidence of insurance relating to the aircraft for aviation-specific liability in respect of passengers, baggage, cargo or third parties; or

(b) a declaration in writing that the applicant will not permit the aircraft to be flown other than as a State aircraft unless he has first provided to the CAA such a certificate or such evidence of insurance.

G.Dawes
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Post by G.Dawes » Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:49 pm

I want to know if the wing area mentioned is precisely that or does lifting body fuselage meet the criteria as wing area. anyone think that it may?

Bill McCarthy
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Post by Bill McCarthy » Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:28 pm

On some microlights the wing struts are included in the lifting body area.

ian herdis
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Post by ian herdis » Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:43 pm

Normally in aircraft design text books, the wing area includes the projected area through the fuselage. So wing area is span x cord.

I would ASSUME the codes use that same format

Ian Melville
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Post by Ian Melville » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:00 pm

As Ian sez, Quote is lifted from my link at top of thread
For a conventional aircraft, the lifting area is taken as the area of the wings, including wing flaps (if fitted) and ailerons. Where the wing panels attach to the fuselage sides, it is normal to include the ‘virtual’ portion of wing buried in the fuselage.
However a lifting body(partial or completely) is not a conventional aircraft, so I would think it would depend on how radical the design was.

carlmeek
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Re: SSDR rules

Post by carlmeek » Mon May 06, 2013 9:22 pm

I'm quite fascinated how this works in the real world.

For example: If I get insurance on an aircraft i've designed myself, and then apply to the CAA, presumably nobody checks anything.... so what's to stop me registering a plank of wood as an aeroplane?
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Ian Melville
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Re: SSDR rules

Post by Ian Melville » Tue May 07, 2013 6:16 am

carlmeek wrote:I'm quite fascinated how this works in the real world.

For example: If I get insurance on an aircraft i've designed myself, and then apply to the CAA, presumably nobody checks anything.... so what's to stop me registering a plank of wood as an aeroplane?
Self preservation :D The rules help as a plank of wood will have a wing loading that exceeds the rules.
Ian Melville
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