Sport Pilot

[Astro]

Anyone ever done a Sport Pilot add-on to fly airplanes?

[avbug]

Both sport pilot and recreational pilot certifications are jokes; they are aberrations that should never have been created. The private pilot certificate was underquoted for experience when the regulation was designed, as born out by the national averages. The typical pilot requires more training and time than what's required by the regulation.

 

Dumbing it down and dropping the requirements even more was idiotic, and not a step in the right direction.

[Flying Pig]

Both sport pilot and recreational pilot certifications are jokes; they are aberrations that should never have been created. The private pilot certificate was underquoted for experience when the regulation was designed, as born out by the national averages. The typical pilot requires more training and time than what's required by the regulation.

 

Dumbing it down and dropping the requirements even more was idiotic, and not a step in the right direction.

I'd have to agree. They are up and flying in and out of the same airports and airspace as everyone else..... But somehow by flying an airplane with smaller engines makes it different.

 

But to answer the original question..... it wouldn't take

Much. But after you get your light sport, I would make an effort to get your actual private.

[Astro]

I'm already a pilot. If I want to fly across the country, at night, in Bravo airspace, above 2000' AGL, and with more than one passenger, I'll take a helicopter.

 

I just want to learn how to fly an airplane.

[kona4breakfast]

I'd recommend just doing the private SEL add-on. If you can fly helis, then it's a simple affair, and you shouldn't have any issue finding a CFI that can teach you the basics and get signed off to solo, and from there it'll be easy to knock out the requirements to get your private add-on. You'd probably come out even money, too.

 

The only good reason to get a sport pilot rating would be if you didn't want to stop flying around with the Mrs. but knew you were going to be losing your medical soon.

[Flying Pig]

I'm already a pilot. If I want to fly across the country, at night, in Bravo airspace, above 2000' AGL, and with more than one passenger, I'll take a helicopter.

 

I just want to learn how to fly an airplane.

Have you thought about gliders? That's how I started. It's completely AWESOME!

[Astro]

Hang-glider yes.

 

Odd, it seems a Sport Pilot cannot fly at night, and a Recreational Pilot cannot fly from sunset to sunrise. So for some reason at sunset a Recreational Pilot has to call it a day, whereas a Sport Pilot can keep on flying for about another half hour? If the LSA has lights that is?

[avbug]

Hang-glider yes.

 

Odd, it seems a Sport Pilot cannot fly at night, and a Recreational Pilot cannot fly from sunset to sunrise. So for some reason at sunset a Recreational Pilot has to call it a day, whereas a Sport Pilot can keep on flying for about another half hour? If the LSA has lights that is?

 

 

You may be thinking about the logging of night time, when you're adding a half hour after sunset.

 

Sunset begins at sunset. According to 14 CFR 1.1, night is the end of evening civil twilight.

[Astro]

You may be thinking about the logging of night time, when you're adding a half hour after sunset.

 

Sunset begins at sunset. According to 14 CFR 1.1, night is the end of evening civil twilight.

Correct "sunset to sunrise" and "night" are not exactly the same, just like the limitatons of Sport Pilots and Recreational Pilots with regards to flying when the Sun is not around.

[live2fly06]

To the OP,

 

I just did a sport pilot add-on. The process was straightforward, and for the time being, amounts to somewhat of a "loophole" with no minimum required hours. What you're looking for is 2 endorsements to satisfy 14CFR 61.309 and 61.311, which amounts to training for a proficiency check with an authorized instructor, followed by a proficiency check with a different instructor. These endorsements are what makes you legal to exercise sport pilot privileges in ASEL.

 

Then, fill out and have both CFI's sign FAA form 8710-11 (the paper copy works fine) and mail it to the FAA.

 

No practical test, minimum cost to you.

 

 

Just my experience. As much flak as the Sport Pilot cert gets from everybody, it's a great way for us rotorheads to build cheap fixed-wing time for a Private add-on. Good luck!

[avbug]

 

Just my experience. As much flak as the Sport Pilot cert gets from everybody, it's a great way for us rotorheads to build cheap fixed-wing time for a Private add-on. Good luck!

 

 

Which is really what you want in training, after all; minimum qualification, minimum training, and a genuine race to the bottom insofar as safety, quality, capability, and instruction received. Why get what you need when you can do the bare minimum?