Sport Pilot Talk

ming1000 · Joined: 26 Jun 2010 Posts: 23

I'm wondering what the rules are for a sport pilot to be qualified for gyroplane flying.

there are two issues:
1. there is NO ready to fly gyroplane in US market, to get train in one, which is only ELSA, I have to own one, is it right?
2. the qualified CFI are quite few.

However, gyros are really cool, and fit well in sport pilot
thank you guys.

drseti · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 1390 Location: Lock Haven PA

ming1000 wrote: 1. there is NO ready to fly gyroplane in US market, to get train in one, which is only ELSA, I have to own one, is it right?

Yes, that's an issue. One can indeed give instruction in an E-LSA, but cannot rent one out for instruction, or any other commercial purpose. So, either you'd have to own your own, or an instructor would have to be willing to give free instruction in his or her own aircraft (not particularly likely). Another possibility would be to join a club in which you were a part owner of the gyroplane. I believe you could then legally hire a CFI to train you in it.

Quote: 2. the qualified CFI are quite few.

There are quite a few CFIs (including me) who would love to get checked out in gyroplanes ourselves -- after which, we'd be available to train others in them. However, until we find our own instructors...

Quote: However, gyros are really cool, and fit well in sport pilot

I certainly can't disagree with that!

drseti · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 1390 Location: Lock Haven PA

This might interest you, from Dan Johnson's website:

Quote: FAA regulations offer a process for fully built SLSA gyroplanes to be produced and sold, but it is more difficult to accomplish for gyroplane producers than any other aircraft LSA type. The FAA is requiring a safety study of the category before they will commit to ASTM standards for the aircraft. Building and certifying a fleet of aircraft to study is something of a chicken-or-egg dilemma that is being worked out between government and industry. Someday Americans may also be offered the freedom to buy and fly a factory-built and certified SLSA gyroplane.

flyboy2007 · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 79 Location: wisconsin

You also need to get a rotorcraft license which is a whole seperate license from sport pilot or private.

ka7eej · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 177 Location: Taylor, Az

Flyboy 2007,

Not so.. Rotocraft (Gyro only) is a Sport Pilot rating..
This is from Wikipedia.

Several different kinds of aircraft may be certificated as LSA. Airplanes (both powered and gliders), rotorcraft (gyroplanes only, not helicopters), powered parachutes, weight-shift control aircraft (commonly known as trikes), and lighter-than-air craft (free balloons and airships) may all be certificated as LSA if they fall within the weight and other guidelines established by the FAA.

Please look stuff up..
Brian

flyboy2007 · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 79 Location: wisconsin

Good to know. First I heard of it.

Paul Hamilton · Joined: 21 May 2007 Posts: 351 Location: Reno/Tahoe Nevada

Note that there is a specific sport pilot certificate listed in 61.313 same as airplane. It is "Rotorcraft category with gyroplane class privlages"

tadel001 · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 251

The FAA is working on the exception. In fact, there is a meeting with the FAA and gyroplane manufacturers this week in Maryland.

Yes, you can train on an experimental gyroplane with a LODA. The FAA just released new LODA guidance.

We are importing gyroplane kits for AutoGyro (www.autogyrousa.com). We have a few dealers already set up with aircraft and should be training with LODAs within the month.