Sport Pilot License Question

[Jeff Vaughan]

Do you have to train in a Light Sport Aircraft to get a Sport Pilots License?

[Pilot135pd]

The only aircraft I teach in the Sport Pilot category are gyroplanes but without going to look at the Regs I would think you have to and the reason would be that as a Sport pilot when I give you an endorsement to your certificate it says that I have found you proficient to fly that specific aircraft. It would be impossible for me to write that I found you proficient in it if you come with another for example heavier aircraft (which operated differently).

[Mark33]

I could be wrong, but I would think that one the main reasons a person would need to train in a light sport aircraft if they're going for a light sport pilots license rather than a PPL is that when it came time to solo or to take their check-ride that they wouldn't be able to do it in a standard category aircraft. So, point being, I don't think a person can do their L.S. training in a standard category aircraft, but I do think you can do all of your training to get a PPL in a L.S. aircraft.... if that training is done with a regular CFI.

This topic is of interest to me because my girlfriend is interested in getting her pilots license and I think getting her PPL via a L.S. license and using that as a stepping stone would be a great way to go. From what I understand, if you do your L.S. training with a regular CFI...and not with an instructor that can only train in L.S....that all of your L.S. training hours can be applied toward your PPL. Is this correct?

Regardless if you're goal is to get a L.S. license and stop there, or to get a PPL, I just think it makes sense to do your training in a L.S. aircraft. Due to ease of operation, modern glass cockpit equipment, and economic operations of the aircraft itself, I think that doing your training in a L.S. aircraft is the way to go.

Mark

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by Mark33

I could be wrong, but I would think that one the main reasons a person would need to train in a light sport aircraft if they're going for a light sport pilots license rather than a PPL is that when it came time to solo or to take their check-ride that they wouldn't be able to do it in a standard category aircraft. So, point being, I don't think a person can do their L.S. training in a standard category aircraft, but I do think you can do all of your training to get a PPL in a L.S. aircraft.... if that training is done with a regular CFI.

This topic is of interest to me because my girlfriend is interested in getting her pilots license and I think getting her PPL via a L.S. license and using that as a stepping stone would be a great way to go. From what I understand, if you do your L.S. training with a regular CFI...and not with an instructor that can only train in L.S....that all of your L.S. training hours can be applied toward your PPL. Is this correct?

Regardless if you're goal is to get a L.S. license and stop there, or to get a PPL, I just think it makes sense to do your training in a L.S. aircraft. Due to ease of operation, modern glass cockpit equipment, and economic operations of the aircraft itself, I think that doing your training in a L.S. aircraft is the way to go.

Mark

In the past all training given by a Sport Pilot CFI only counted for a Sport Pilot certificate but that changed in July 2018. Now all the training you get by them can be used for Private Pilot but you still need a regular CFI to give you the additional training they can’t give you and to endorse you for the check ride.

Not only that, since that date all hours you flew in that ultralight many years ago now count toward your total time toward an additional higher certificate ! Times are changing.

[j-red]

The answer is yes, but not exclusively. For instance, i got my sport pilot very first and then moved onto the ppl later. I had several hours of dual in a Cherokee that counted toward my needed 20 hours of instruction. But I couldn’t solo the Cherokee without a medical, so all of the xc and solo work had to be done in a lsa. If I had the medical, I believe I could have solo’d in the Cherokee as a student pilot, but still would have had to take the checkride in an lsa, which would have meant enough time in that particular plane to be proficient. All of my instructors were full cfi ‘s so all the time with them went toward my private when the time came.

PIC Time in an lsa DOES count toward the PPL. In fact, you could get your whole ppl in an lsa if you wanted.

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by j-red

... All of my instructors were full cfi ?s so all the time with them went toward my private when the time came.

Even if they were only Sport Pilot CFIs, all of that time (Since the FAA Regulation change in July 2018) counts for the Private Pilot training.

[Mark33]

All great new!! Once again, I think it?s a great idea to do all of your training in a new/modern LSA regardless if you?re only wanting to get your SPL or your PPL. So with all of this in mind, and the fact that all of the hours earned during sport pilot training can be applied towards a PPL, is there any downside to obtaining the SPL first even if the PPL is the ultimate goal? The way I see it, it allows you to get flying sooner/cheaper while gaining great experience and lets you work on you PPL more at your own pace.

Mark

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

Don't forget that a sport pilot can fly any kind of airplane that complies with LSA speed and weight limitations -- standard category or experimental, amateur built.

[Spirko]

Originally Posted by Mark33

All great new!! Once again, I think it?s a great idea to do all of your training in a new/modern LSA regardless if you?re only wanting to get your SPL or your PPL. So with all of this in mind, and the fact that all of the hours earned during sport pilot training can be applied towards a PPL, is there any downside to obtaining the SPL first even if the PPL is the ultimate goal? The way I see it, it allows you to get flying sooner/cheaper while gaining great experience and lets you work on you PPL more at your own pace.

Mark

Mark, my plan was almost exactly as you describe. I trained for and received Sport Pilot, Private Pilot, and IFR all in Light Sport Aircraft. If I were to do it all again, I would definitely train in a Light Sport Plane, but I'd go straight for PPL and skip the Sport Pilot Certificate. The tests were almost entirely the same and the only difference in training is the night cross country required for PPL and some more hours. Here in busy Los Angeles airspace, not too many people get their certificates in the minimum amount of time anyway.

[Spirko]

Originally Posted by Ed_Wischmeyer

Don't forget that a sport pilot can fly any kind of airplane that complies with LSA speed and weight limitations -- standard category or experimental, amateur built.

Standard Category planes that can be flown by Sport Pilots have just a few more restrictions; can't have a constant-speed propeller, more than two seats, etc. There are plans to alter these requirements, including weight and speed, but that still looks like a couple years out.