Procedures exist to repair 60-year-old Aeroncas and brand-new Sport Cruisers alike. But owners may have a bigger role—and headache—than they expected.

By Jeff Van West

Back when this whole LSA thing was being conceived, part of the appeal was simplicity: Two seats, fixed-pitch prop, a couple instruments ... what could go wrong?

Actually, a lot can go wrong, break or just plumb wear out. So-called legacy LSAs can have over half a century on their airframes. Corrosion and fatigue mean just about anything can snap. For a Piper J-3, that’s no problem. You could literally build a J-3 from scratch with available replacement parts. For an Aeronca C-3, your options are limited. …