Posted on 04/06/2010 8:04:14 AM PDT by Dan Nunn
Hello Dan Nunn,
Private pilot for 25 years here.
Why? Just to fly places and to see things differently.
Fly to breakfast at different areas, fly to look at the coast or get up high and watch the shuttle take off.
Just lots of fun.
Also in Pa. there are many places you can fly to for vacations.
Cost is not as bad as you would think.
I was the 1st student of a guy who had just graduated Emory Riddle and it helped him get a job at a flight school. And it cost 70 bucks with an instructor wet. (which means gas included). If you look you will find someone who can do it cheaply. But look.
I live on a private airpark so it has really become an integral part of life here. Fun, and educational.
Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft
Sport pilot training is catching on. Yet despite the burgeoning number of schools adding sport pilot training to their offerings, there are few resources where flight school managers can learn about the practical aspects of training sport pilots. What follows are lessons we have learned from practical experience.
A sport pilot candidate is not required to possess an FAA medical certificate, but may use a valid U.S. driver’s license as proof of medical fitness. Any restriction on the driver’s license becomes a medical restriction for exercising sport pilot privileges. Our school asks the candidate to disclose medications and conditions in a medical affidavit, which gives us the ability to talk openly about medical fitness from the start.
A student pilot certificate is required, however, and can be issued by any designated pilot or sport pilot examiner for about $25. Candidates complete FAA Form 8710-11, which differs from the traditional 8710-1 in that it includes an area to record driver’s license information.
FAR Part 61, Subpart C, pertaining to student pilots, also applies to sport pilot candidates, who must meet each of those requirements before solo and before solo cross-country. It’s worth noting that the current FAR 61.93(e)(12) requires instruction in flight by reference to instruments. This is said to be an oversight and should be corrected in the next revision. However, until it is corrected, diligent instructors are continuing to include some hood time for sport pilot candidates.
A sport pilot candidate must receive and log training to fly into Class D, C, or B airspace or to land at airports within this airspace. We permit candidates to earn authorization for the different airspaces of their choice. Whereas in private pilot training a cross-country must be at least 50 nautical miles, a sport pilot cross-country must be at least 25 nautical miles.
At our flight school, sport pilot candidates are primarily one of three types: the ultralight pilot wishing to become certificated, the returning private pilot who feels that sport pilot will be more economical, and the prospective pilot who has never flown before. While our average private pilot candidate is 47 years old, the average age of our sport pilot candidates is 61. The older students are more independent, idealistic, and anti-authority. Be prepared to answer “why” questions and put extra emphasis on the important concepts. Most are retired or nearing retirement and are training for self-actualization. They have time to train but still expect us to be efficient with their time. Most look for value-added, all-inclusive package pricing. Many plan to continue with additional training, specifically sport instructor as a means of working part-time, for fun, during retirement.
Because sport training isn’t available at every airport, these people are willing to travel for an organized training plan. A good training plan can be accomplished in two weeks of full-time training. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy. We budget 25 hours of flight, 30 hours of ground training, plus 40 hours of directed self-study—even if the knowledge exam has been passed.
We wrote our own curriculum, since we were unable to find a good commercially prepared program. In the beginning, ground school was a problem for us. We were not happy with any of the commercially available ground training courses, considering most are incomplete or simply “test preps.” We wrote our ground training as a series of PowerPoint presentations.
At our school, some local pilots who initially enrolled in sport pilot training have decided they love flying and transferred to the private pilot course. Those who transfer require a medical certificate before solo, of course. Even though they may also continue flying in the light sport aircraft (LSA), the applicable regulations, limitations, and privileges change, and so we administer a private presolo knowledge exam. We credit all their flight hours toward the private pilot. Those who have already taken the sport pilot knowledge exam are required to pass the private pilot knowledge exam. We’ve also seen students who elect to transfer from private pilot to sport, usually in hopes of saving hours and money.
Because our airport is in Class C airspace, the student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate must have the airspace and airport endorsements before soloing. Another endorsement is required before solo if the LSA has a VH (maximum cruise speed in level flight) of more than 87 KCAS. A separate presolo knowledge exam is required if the LSA is a different make and model from the airplane in which the student previously soloed, and those students who have already passed the private pilot knowledge test must pass the sport pilot knowledge exam.
Student pilots seeking a sport pilot certificate aren’t the only ones required to have airspace/airport endorsements. Even a certificated sport pilot must receive flight and ground training and an endorsement before flight into Class B, C, or D airspace or at airports within that airspace. Note, however, that student sport pilots need a separate endorsement for each airspace/airport, whereas for certificated sport pilots, one endorsement will cover all airspace types. Additionally, Part 91, Appendix D, Section 4 provides the list of Class B primary airports in which sport pilots are not permitted.
A sport pilot does not receive a category and class rating on his or her certificate. He receives a pilot certificate with a sport pilot rating. Category and class privileges are accomplished by endorsements in the pilot’s logbook. Even a certificated sport pilot is required to carry his logbook or other evidence of endorsements.
Additional category and class privileges are added by passing proficiency checks. The proficiency check resembles an FAA checkride in that the check instructor is required to verify the applicant’s eligibility and conduct the proficiency check within the guidelines of the practical test standards. The instructor conducting the check is required to complete the “Proficiency Check—Instructors Record” on the back of the 8710-11 form and submit it to the FAA within 10 days, just as an examiner would; the pilot’s logbook also must be endorsed.
Traditionally, flight school managers contact their local FSDO for answers pertaining to training situations. However, the FAA Light Sport Branch, located in Oklahoma City, oversees all aspects of sport pilot training/examining and light sport aircraft. We found the Light Sport Branch to be the best source for answers, as FSDO personnel are not always up to date with the finer points of sport pilot issues.
The FAA’s Light Sport Branch talks about the notion that the holder of a private pilot certificate or greater automatically holds sport pilot privileges. That means, as an example, a certificated commercial pilot who chooses not to renew his medical certificate may operate an LSA with a valid driver’s license so long as he complies with the limitations of his sport pilot privilege. A current flight review is required, as well.
Flight school managers considering sport pilot training should review FAR Part 61 subpart J, covering sport pilots. Subpart J is written in a new question-and-answer format. Unfortunately, the new format does not provide sufficient guidance for daily operations. Some questions for which we had to call the FAA for answers include:
1.Must a sport pilot train in a light sport aircraft? The answer is no, but without a medical he may only solo an LSA. A sport pilot must take the checkride in an LSA.
2.If a sport pilot candidate receives an endorsement for Class B airspace, must he also fly into and receive separate training for C and D airspace? The answer is yes if the candidate is a sport pilot student without a medical, but no if he is a certificated pilot and has just the one endorsement for B/C/D airspace.
3.If a sport pilot received initial training in a LSA with a VH greater than 87 KCAS, must he receive an endorsement for flights in a LSA with a VH less than 87 KCAS? Yes; he must receive flight and ground training and get endorsement number 25 in AC 61-65E.
Sport pilot training keeps our two LSAs in the air 85 hours per month on average. It has also doubled the use of our Cessna 152 and keeps two instructors busy. It adds about $1,000 every month to pilot supply sales plus $2,000 per month in ground school enrollments and knowledge exam testing fees.
Sport pilot training has also added new customers to our flight school. We see graduates—grandfathers—bringing in a whole new generation of pilots by introducing their grandchildren to flying. Sport pilot training has been successful for us as a new “entry level” pilot certificate.
Arlynn McMahon is the chief flight instructor for Lexington, Kentucky-based flight school Aero-Tech.
http://www.aopa.org/sportpilot/
Yes, it is worth it. And Yes, I am glad I did it.
I grew up in a family heavily involved in general aviation. Both of my parents flew, and still fly. I spent much of my childhood in the back seat of a Cessna 172. To say those experiences affected who I became is an understatement.
Aviation provides instant access to frontier. As soon as you switch the mags to hot, you are in a wilderness. You're safety and that of those with you are completely dependent on your decisions. It is the ultimate expression of self government. Some people, once exposed, require a regular fix. Life without an airplane will seem confined and suffocating. Other people get absolutely nothing out of a noisy, bumpy, and expensive ride.
So; a few observations that may be helpful to you-
1) The opinions of people who have talked themselves out of doing something, are the opinions of people who have chosen not to know what they are talking about.
2) Airplanes have never been this inexpensive in my lifetime.
3) A practical airplane has a turbofan. If you need to be somewhere on schedule regardless of weather, you need a turbofan. If you can afford this, your time is best spent working in the back of the plane and not taking jobs away from professional air crew. This is not recreation territory.
4)Learn airmanship from a crusty old pilot, not snot nosed Part 141 guys with a newly minted CFI (like I was). Learn and a taildragger. Garmin golley G1000 is a silly distraction. learn to fly the plane.
5)Never Ever Stop Learning
6) The most fun you can have is spending a summer morning shooting touch and goes in a J-3 on a grass runway. Everything else is fun and cool...just not much better...except maybe on floats.
7) The golden three: 150mph, 1000lbs useful load, 600mile range. The US is laid out such that the above performance defines all the airplane anyone can find an excuse for, beyond this is all fluff..or is no longer recreation. It's also called a Cessna 180/182. Check out the mid ‘50s vintage for value.
8) The general population has no idea what freedom they have available in personal aircraft. There is practically an alternate universe of things to do and see.
9) Overnight cross county's Prepare for delay/alternate routs. Have vacation time available in case you get delayed...it happens. Hotel reservations that are not refundable suck...don't do it. Don't avoid expensive looking FBOs: they can often get corp rates at hotels..and on the spur of the moment (call ahead). Stay flexible. We did Seattle to Oshkosh and back last summer. Delayed four nights total over at two week period. This was abnormal, but it can happen. Always be in a position to either stay a night or two..or get alt. transportation to get back to work.
9) Ramp Fees vary between free to $15 a night. There are no landing or user fees in the US. Only tie down fees. Light airplanes average 13mpg, avgas runs $3 to $5 a gallon. AOPA has software online that will route you via the cheapest gas.
10) Ground tansportaton- Most full service FBOs (airplane service station) have courtesy cars. Call ahead to find out. Major hotels, especially those working with the FBO will offer transportation to and from the hotel, typically free.
11) In the Mid West- be on the ground by noon (yah, like I fallow that advice). In the Rockies..be on the ground by 10am (Follow that advice).
Here's some places to go:
Harlem Bay (camping on airport)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.697667,-123.927026&spn=0.021671,0.037723&t=h&z=15
Friday Harbor Washington (wives dig the shopping)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=48.53201,-123.007479&spn=0.041093,0.075445&t=h&z=14&pw=2
Owahee Res. (never been, but looks cool...free cabin)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.423752,-117.329435&spn=0.04507,0.075445&t=h&z=14
Kindly Advice:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/ExclusiveVideo_PatterFlying_CFIs_SarcasmHumor_202261-1.html
Lots of resources for Pilots-Learning & Still learning.
http://www.aopa.org/learntofly/index.html
Nice old 180 for yah....
http://www.skywagons.com/2479c.html
The closest and cheapest way to fly like a bird is with paragliding. A brand new unpowered paraglider aircraft of your own with all the equipment costs about $4,000. Still the risk of injury is high, about 10 times the risk of motorcycle riding. What isn’t commonly known is that flying small airplanes has a similar fatality rate as motorcycle riding from the perspective of hours spent in travel. From the perspective of miles traveled GA is much safer, but from hours spent flying the fatality rate is about the same. If you’re at all accident prone or a don’t like to follow all the rules, it’s not the best hobby choice.
I think daily is a bit much. Personally I try to fly twice a week at least. Once on the weekend, once during the week.
There is a huge difference between flying a C182 during day VFR and flying an F18 in combat and making night traps. In between is the 19 year old flying cancelled checks at night in a light twin. The 19 year old didn’t get there flying every day.
While I’m glad I got my license (at 18 years of age) I quit flying in the mid 80’s. It became too expensive, and you have to fly a lot to keep your skills in tune. In an emergency I feel I could hop in a plane today and probably survive the trip (assuming VFR conditions), but I never flew enough to feel truly relaxed and confident.
I’ve been in aviation for over thirty years. If I didn’t do this, I’d have to get a job. I love it. Tomorrow the boss and I go to Washington D.C. in the second to smallest of the five private jets I manage. Next week I take a family to Tampa for a few days. Last week I was in Dallas and Bozeman, MT, all by private jet. In March I had a trip where space was available to take my wife and we spent time in southern California on vacation and playing with the grandkids.
I spent part of my career working for the largest flight training provider in the world. If you would like to email me privately, I would be glad to discuss flight training options.
Thank you so much for the wealth of information and knowledge.
Your post is truly inspiring - to be able to hop in a plane and travel to those cities whenever, not at the whim of an airline schedule, sounds very liberating.
Even better is the fact that there is enough ground backup to make it all possible. It wouldn’t be nearly as fun if it was all touch-and-go (at least to me).
I have a feeling that to really make it happen, I’d need to own or share a plane, because renting would become a major pain. As you said, at today’s prices, I could probably do very well owning one. People pay much more for boats nowadays.
Thanks for the information and the tips!
Go with the “Sport Pilot” license and start off with an already built, single seat experimental aircraft. These can be had for under $10,000.00. Buy you one, play with it for about a year and then decide for yourself if you enjoy it.
I use my plane to go and see friends. I currently have a Quicksilver GT400 and a Quicksilver GT500. I have a girl friend that lives about 250 miles by auto and 200 miles by air. I can drive for five hours or fly for a little over two hours with no traffic.
I will upgrade soon to a Piper Sport that cruises at 138 mph vs. the 93 mph of the Quicksilver. I am hooked.
I learned many of my basic flying skills on MS 2004.
If you own the plane and go Sports Pilot, cut that cost down to about $1,500.00 at the most. That includes the check ride.
You are not limited at all how far you can fly from your departure airport. You are limited on speed at cruise which is a bout 138 mph.
I fly my Quicksilver GT500 fairly long distances. She cruises at 93 mph and has an endurance of over five hours. I hope to upgrade to the new Piper Sport soon.
Why waste time learning in a Cessna when you can get free time in the second seat of your very own G4?
I moved on to astral projection years ago. It’s cheaper, faster, and less rules to follow.
No drink cart though.
Bump that! I can personally attest to the liberating effects of learning to aviate. Its worth far outweighs the cost.
The most important skill you can learn is judgment. If things are marginal and you ask yourself, “should I fly today” the only correct answer is NO! Once you have a couple of hundred hours of flight time and think you are good at the game, realize that this is the point when you will start to make bad calls in judgment if you are not careful in assessing your skills.
You better try it. I've never met anyone who was the same person after their first solo.
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