ttabs Posted May 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Thanks Shawn and all for the input. I've got to get this thing switched over to ELSA. I'm just don't want to rush the decision - heck I just picked it up. Glad to see such a good smattering of replies here. Tells me the forum is active! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 9 hours ago, ttabs said: Thanks Shawn and all for the input. I've got to get this thing switched over to ELSA. I'm just don't want to rush the decision - heck I just picked it up. Glad to see such a good smattering of replies here. Tells me the forum is active! I really do hate ALWAYS being the negative nancy in the room, I do it mainly because no one else here wants the job , and dont get me wrong converting to E-LSA will be the best thing you ever did with a legacy SportCruiser. You seem just like me, wanting to tinker and upgrade the shortcomings of the SportCruiser and some of it's outdated avionics. I just want to share with you what I experienced on my journey. Herein lies the problem Tom, unless you have a DAR in your pocket you'll be hard pressed to find one who'll switch it over AFTER you've already done the work. Is there one out there, sure, but I think he'd be crazy to risk his livelihood for a $400-$500 job? Part of the process is a thorough aircraft inspection and log book inspection looking for discrepancies. Remember, there is a photo of your OEM/STOCK instrument panel in your POH. One member here stated his inspection and conversion took 5-6 hours. This would be pretty thorough if you ask me. He wore a rubber glove and was gentle if that helps. You say you dont want to "rush the decision" but you are on a clock now and the "decision" has really already been made. You have until your next annual condition inspection, whenever that is, to convert. Because finding a LSRM-A to sign off your logbook with all your non-approved changes is yet another issue. Again, is there one out there who will, I'm sure. If you want to rip out your instrument panels and steam gauges and install the latest Dynon HDX system, that's completely legal in the SportCruiser, swapping your attitude indicator with the Garmin G5 is not. You're sliding down a slippery slope here and I wish you luck with this one. Again, it's your aircraft and your butt on the line so you can of course do whatever you like. If you're not worried I'm certainly not. And you are correct, this is an active forum and hopefully others will chime in with their input/advice. We've all "been there done that" when it comes to the SportCruiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttabs Posted May 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 Thanks Shawn for the advice. I’m reading your comments carefully. OK then - converting to ELSA is at the top of my priority list. No sense in me reinventing the wheel- I’ll get it done. BTW - the G5 is (I mean .. can be) really awesome! ?. Review is errr - slightly delayed. Instead- Ive got a DAR to go find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 10 hours ago, ttabs said: Thanks Shawn for the advice. I’m reading your comments carefully. OK then - converting to ELSA is at the top of my priority list. No sense in me reinventing the wheel- I’ll get it done. BTW - the G5 is (I mean .. can be) really awesome! ?. Review is errr - slightly delayed. Instead- Ive got a DAR to go find. Glad you are making this a priority, it'll save you lots of headaches in the future. I'd hate to see you get stuck in limbo or have to "undo" all your cool mods just to get it converted. Or worse, be grounded at your next annual condition inspection. Also keep in mind when hunting down a DAR is that not all DAR's are created equal. Meaning not all DAR's can do the conversion. Start with a local DAR in your area and they will point you in the right direction. The latest DAR directory, April 2018, can be found here if you dont know of one already. It lists 7 in Washington. https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/designees_delegations/designee_types/media/DARTDirectory.pdf I understand your trike is "experimental" and I'm sure you enjoy the freedom of doing whatever mod you want to it without asking permission from the manufacturer or anyone else for that matter. Unfortunately it's just not the same with S-LSA aircraft. Let me rephrase that, it's just not the same with a Czech Sport Aircraft S-LSA aircraft. Nearly every other manufacture of light sport aircraft will allow changes. Let me say that again in case you missed it, nearly every other manufacturer of light sport aircraft allow changes. Of the 25 I researched, 2 never got back to me, the remaining 23 will allow changes to their aircraft. There's a little paperwork to fill out and sometimes you might have to pay a fee that could be up to $150. Big deal, right. At least they allow changes. CSA DOES NOT, long story short, they SUCK when it comes to changes. Sorry I got carried away there and lost my head.....again. I just have some rather strong feelings towards CSA in the LOA department if that wasn't clear. Here'a also a link on this forum to "some" of our discussion on the conversion. There is more info scattered around the forum. I looked at the G5 and it's pretty cool to slip into a steam gauge panel or use as a backup instrument. It has all the functions of an EFIS in a very small package. I have the legacy Dynon D-100 and D-120 glass in my 2007 SportCruiser and it really does the trick for a simple glass panel. I am considering upgrading to the Skyview in the future but for now what I have really fits my needs. Please keep up up to date on your DAR search and your plane. Looking forward to hearing about your progress. Feel free to message me privately and I'll help in any way I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch462 Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 5 hours ago, ShawnM said: Also keep in mind when hunting down a DAR is that not all DAR's are created equal. Meaning not all DAR's can do the conversion. Start with a local DAR in your area and they will point you in the right direction. The latest DAR directory, April 2018, can be found here if you dont know of one already. It lists 7 in Washington. ttabs, Check with your local EAA 79 in Spokane someone there will know what direction to point you in. Congrats on your purchase, hope everything works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brudy Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 Welcome I am new to the forum as well as crowding 40 Hrs toward my private. The weather wont cooperate to fly out finish my purchase of an SC and fly it back. That being said The evidence is all here to convince ELSA! is the way to go. Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtk Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 10 hours ago, Bryan Roodvoets said: That being said The evidence is all here to convince ELSA! is the way to go. Hi Bryan, I hope the weather cooperates soon so you can fly YOUR Sportcruiser home! the hardest part of converting to E-LSA was the vacillating I did weighing the pros and cons of converting. In the end, there really are no “cons”, just all sorts of positives to go E-LSA. Especially if you’re considering a panel change and better options for ADS-B compliance than the factory offers. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Bryan Roodvoets said: Welcome I am new to the forum as well as crowding 40 Hrs toward my private. The weather wont cooperate to fly out finish my purchase of an SC and fly it back. That being said The evidence is all here to convince ELSA! is the way to go. Bryan As RTK stated, there are no "cons" to converting to E-LSA regardless of what the naysayers might tell you. It doesn't devalue the plane and your insurance isn't going to go up either. It's the best thing you can do to your SportCruiser since there is no cooperation with the factory for changes that will make the aircraft better, safer and to make the pilot workload less. Ask me how I know. A word of advice, make sure the aircraft is EXACTLY like it came from the factory back in the day and the previous owner didn't do any changes or upgrades to it that wasn't allowed by the factory. I've seen owners slip in subtle changes and items that are not allowed and try to pass those on to the next owner and hope they are not educated enough to know the difference. The DAR who does the conversion will look for these things. There's a fellow member here who bought a legacy SportCruiser with two fairly major changes to the plane that he has to "un-do" in order to convert to E-LSA and then "re-do" those changes. They were VERY OBVIOUS to me but the new owner didn't catch these during the purchase. Some owners seem to think they can do whatever they like to their S-LSA aircraft and you simply can't. A word of advice, do your homework and a thorough pre buy when purchasing an aircraft. Good luck with everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Necco Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 17 hours ago, ShawnM said: A word of advice, do your homework and a thorough pre buy when purchasing an aircraft. Couldn’t agree more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrosa Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 Wow ttabs just watched one of you videos. The knife egde one. Spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttabs Posted October 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2019 Thanks Atrosa. Have you looked at any of the vids I posted from this years run in Joseph OR? It was another fabulous location. Joseph OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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