Sport Pilot

[Mudge]

Would any of youse troops who know the minutiae of getting a sport pilot license (ie. benefits v. drawbacks & pitfalls) shoot me a PM and enlighten me?
I've been looking on the FAA site and the AOPA site and they just give me generalities. Ah 'preciates it.

Mudge the frustrated

[Old SAR pilot]

No Private lic???

[daveymac82c]

Hi Mudge,

I'm glad to see you're looking into it again. I was "shattered" when you told us all you had to cease your flight training.

Now, all I know is what is possible in Canada for flight training, but I found these and it might help you:

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificate ... ort_pilot/

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificate ... ochure.pdf

As for here in Canada, we call it a recreational license and it allows you to fly all the planes you would have been able to fly, but with only one passenger and no further than 50nm from your departure airport. Basically it is a watered down version of the private pilot license. It is a good way for people to be able to fly, but not have to do as much training or spend as much money. It also allows the ability to upgrade your license to a full private license.

Now looking at the second link I sent you it appears you would be limited to airplanes below 660 lbs in weight, non-pressurized, single engine, no faster than 120kts.

I hope that helps a little bit.

Cheers,

David

[Kyleb]

In the US, a recreational license was something that was rolled out about a decade ago. It allowed you to fly single engine, VFR, no cross-country, no night, only one passenger. Understandably, it was dead on arrival. Virtually nobody took that path. Why? Because it essentially eliminated the romance of flight - the X/C adventure in a light aircraft.

Sport Pilot is a new thing, which further reduces your aircraft options (there are speed, power, and size restrictions), but you are able to fly cross country, etc.

The big benefit of the Sport Pilot license is that unless you have previously lost your medical, you self-certify your medical condition - no more physicals every 1, 2, or 3 years...

This lets folks who fear that they may not qualify for a 3rd class medical to 'downgrade" to a Sport license and continue flying, but in a fairly restricted class of aircraft.

[bipe215]

Mudge,

If you just want to fly for fun, its great. You could fly Cubs, most Luscombes, Champs, T-Craft's, several homebuilts. There are a lot of light sport being produced, but most cost around $100k. You could have a decent Luscombe for 20-25k and cruise at 100-105. Plus, this type of flying will prepare you for most lower end warbird flying. There's no substitute for taildragger time. The light sport has guaranteed the value of these old airplanes. You won't lose money unless you tear it up.

Steve G

Hey Mudge, how is this "warbird" related? and aren't you too tall to be a pilot? 6-6 are you not? .... heck if you're that tall, you're already flying at altitude. haha, .... funnin ya Mr. Mudge.

Seriously, this quote is interesting, I did not know this.

In the US, a recreational license was something that was rolled out about a decade ago. It allowed you to fly single engine, VFR, no cross-country, no night, only one passenger. Understandably, it was dead on arrival. Virtually nobody took that path. Why? Because it essentially eliminated the romance of flight - the X/C adventure in a light aircraft.

Sport Pilot is a new thing, which further reduces your aircraft options (there are speed, power, and size restrictions), but you are able to fly cross country, etc.

The big benefit of the Sport Pilot license is that unless you have previously lost your medical, you self-certify your medical condition - no more physicals every 1, 2, or 3 years...

This lets folks who fear that they may not qualify for a 3rd class medical to 'downgrade" to a Sport license and continue flying, but in a fairly restricted class of aircraft.

[Wheels up]

The big benefit of the Sport Pilot license is that unless you have previously lost your medical.......

Only your LAST medical....if you lost it say 25 years ago, went through all the proceedings and hoops (and expense) and was re-issued a medical, you may let that LAST medical lapse and then be qualified for Sport Pilot self certification.
This allows those who have been out of flying due to a flunked medical a way back in. They could possibly get a new medical due to advances in medicines and treatments, exercise that medical after becoming recurrent, and let it lapse. At which time they may now self-certify and exercise Sport pilot powers.

[Zachary]

This should be able to answer some, if not all, of your questions:

http://www.eaa.org/sportpilot/

Zack