Sport Pilot Talk

Jim Stewart · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 259

Quote: BTW for any licensed PP out there, all you need is a biannual but I strongly suggest a good checkout in an LSA.

True if your medical certificate is valid. If not you revert to sport pilot rules and need category and class endorsements in your logbook

rsteele · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 261

All this begs the question, how long does it take to go the other way? Say from an LSA to a 172?

rfane · Joined: 26 Apr 2006 Posts: 214 Location: Sunnyvale, CA

Jim Stewart wrote: True if your medical certificate is valid. If not you revert to sport pilot rules and need category and class endorsements in your logbook

Jim,

I don't believe this is the case. Holder of a PP-ASEL should not need any additional endorsements for LSA, unless they are for tailwheel or sea planes. The requirement is that they adhere to sport pilot rules, i.e. 10K' ceiling, no flying at night, etc. They don't require endorsements for airspace or speeds, as the PP-ASEL does not have restrictions, and the training was received while earning the cert.

Jim Stewart · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 259

I certainly see your logic, but I can't find anything in the FAR's that backs it up. I don't recall any regulation that exempts a PP flying as a LS from any of the LS conditions.

Pawlander · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Pawleys Island, SC

From the 2009 AIM (61.303)

If you hold only a US drivers license and you hold at least a recreational pilot certificate with a category and class rating, then you may operate any light sport aircraft in that category and class, and you do not have to hold any of the endorsements required by this subpart, but you must comply with the limitations in 61.315.

Daidalos · Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 132 Location: KHWV

Jim Stewart wrote: Quote: BTW for any licensed PP out there, all you need is a biannual but I strongly suggest a good checkout in an LSA.
True if your medical certificate is valid. If not you revert to sport pilot rules and need category and class endorsements in your logbook

Although I did not explicitly state it, I was referring to excising SP privileges with a PP license and no medical.

The chart in 61.303 makes it easy to see. I was thinking specifically of 61.303(2)(iii)(A)(1) which says “You must comply with the limitations in §61.315, except §61.315(c)(14) and, if a private pilot or higher, §61.315(c)(7).”

NOTE except §61.315(c)(14) and §61.315(c)(7)
Which means you do not need any additional endorsements;
(1) to fly in A,B,C & D airspace or land at airports within them.
(2) The speed endorsement for Vh above 87 kts.
Hence the conclusion all a PP needs is a current biannual.

You can find all this at gpoaccess.gov which is where the FAA website point to for all CFR's.

Thanks to others who have already pointefd this out. This ismy first time back since may last post.

tech10002 · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 37 Location: Lexington, Ky

Here's a table that makes it easy. http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFar.nsf/FARSBySectLookup/61.303

You definitely do not need the logbook endorsements if you hold a private with an expired medical and a valid driver's license.

Cub flyer · Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Posts: 593

Has there been any accidents due to lack of medical?

Specifically a medically related problem with a sport pilot.

Or are the accidents just in a sport pilot airplane.

If you count all the pilots transitioning to fly as sport pilots. Standard and LSA airplanes the accident averages might work out better. But who knows how many are doing that.

Most accidents are due to lack of aircraft specific training and unusual handling characteristics in the LSA designs.

Hopefully that does not make Avemco and other insurance companies pull out of the sport pilot market before more easy to fly LSA designs become available.