A sports plane is an aircraft designed for recreational or competition flying. By analogy with "sports car", a sports plane is typically small, seating only the pilot and perhaps a single passenger. Sports planes may be designed for aerobatics and/or air racing, and some are homebuilt by their owners. Racing planes are often modified from ex-military aircraft.
The term sports plane has been popularised by the new FAA category of Light-sport Aircraft, although not many sports planes would fit the legal description of a light-sport aircraft.
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