Were you comfortable explaining to your fellow pilots you became a sport pilot because of a medical reason?

[drseti]

Realistically you are looking at an extra 15 hours of flight time with closer to 5 being flight instruction.

My students typically do it in ten.

[TimTaylor]

I don't recommend Sport Pilot as a stepping stone to Private. Just go straight for Private and take one written and one flight test.

I respectfully disagree. It depends on the flight school and how the curriculum is designed, of course. In my case, with a modular curriculum design, everybody gets the Sport first, and then those 25% who wish to go on to Private can do so with ten hours or less of additional instruction. (The other 75% have found that SP fits their mission).

Since my students complete Sport in about 35 hours, that means the Sport to Private route still costs less than the typical Private course, even including the two writtens and two checkrides.

YMMV.

For the 25 percent who are going for a Private certficate, what is the advantage to getting a Sport Pilot certificate first? I mean those who know they are going Private, not those who LATER decide to upgrade to Private.

[3Dreaming]

Realistically you are looking at an extra 15 hours of flight time with closer to 5 being flight instruction.

My students typically do it in ten.

10 extra hours of instruction plus the extra 5 hours of solo comes to 15 hours of flight time.

[drseti]

For the 25 percent who are going for a Private certficate, what is the advantage to getting a Sport Pilot certificate first? I mean those who know they are going Private, not those who LATER decide to upgrade to Private.

Once licensed as a Sport Pilot, they typically exercise their SP privileges for a while before upgrading. So, in the process of flying around by themselves or with a family member, they gain experience, have fun flying (isn't that why the got licensed in the first place?), and satisfy their PP solo hous and long XC requirements without me breathing down their necks.

[drseti]

10 extra hours of instruction plus the extra 5 hours of solo comes to 15 hours of flight time.

See above, Tom.

[3Dreaming]

For the 25 percent who are going for a Private certficate, what is the advantage to getting a Sport Pilot certificate first? I mean those who know they are going Private, not those who LATER decide to upgrade to Private.

Once licensed as a Sport Pilot, they typically exercise their SP privileges for a while before upgrading. So, in the process of flying around by themselves or with a family member, they gain experience, have fun flying (isn't that why the got licensed in the first place?), and satisfy their PP solo hous and long XC requirements without me breathing down their necks.

It still counts as part of the hours needed to move on to the private pilot certificate, even if it was done before they made the decision to do so. Also be careful, because flights with family members or cross country flights with the same doesn't count towards the solo hours required for the PP certificate.

I remember an examiner story about a commercial applicant. The examiner, looking through the logbook noticed his long cross country was to Florida. He ask the applicant to tell him about the trip. The applicant said it was a great time, he had taken his family to Disney World. The examiner sent him home to complete his commercial cross country requirements.

[TimTaylor]

For the 25 percent who are going for a Private certficate, what is the advantage to getting a Sport Pilot certificate first? I mean those who know they are going Private, not those who LATER decide to upgrade to Private.

Once licensed as a Sport Pilot, they typically exercise their SP privileges for a while before upgrading. So, in the process of flying around by themselves or with a family member, they gain experience, have fun flying (isn't that why the got licensed in the first place?), and satisfy their PP solo hous and long XC requirements without me breathing down their necks.

I don't disagree with that, but if their goal is a Private certificate, that just adds cost and time. Nothing wrong with that, just not what I recommend. Go straight for Private and get it done.

[foresterpoole]

I'll chime in here, I started under sport but ended up private. First, Ithink that sport was a great place to start for me, I do not plan of flying for a living and just like it as a hobby (abet a very expensive one). It was cheaper to rent the plane, it taught me to use the rudders, and it really did give me a better understanding of light aircraft. After 40 or so hours I was ready for the sport checkride, which was postponed first due to weather and then because of aircraft maintenance. After some serious thought I decided to get the medical and start flying 172's to finish up with a private. It took about 15 hours of duel and another 5 of solo before I felt ready. I finished up with 70.6 hours in the book, including checkride. Flying the light sport to start saved me $55/hour while I gained the basic "stick and rudder" skills. So if nothing else it was worth it to start in a sport plane just for the money savings. Now the downside, and ultimately one of the main reasons I went on for private: aircraft availability. Just about every FBO has a 172 hanging around for rent, not every FBO has a light sport. When the Tecnam went down for the engine just prior to my rescheduled checkride, I tried to find a plane to rent, that went nowhere, no one else in the state rents light sport aircraft. The FBO I fly out of has 2 Cessna's and a Piper, only one light sport. So more options to rent for me with a PPL, because right now I just can't justify owning. I don't think it "cost" me anything to start in a sport aircraft in fact I think it saved me a bunch and made me a better pilot.

So long as you follow the IAMSAFE checklist and fly within the limits of your license/rating I guess my answer is there really should be nothing uncomfortable about having a discussion about it. Before I catch flak, let me also add you need to exhibit good judgement and decision making: if you've had a heart replacement and are trying to skirt the FAA, your not going to get a lot of empathy from me. But, if you don't have a disqualifying medical condition and don't want to bother with the AME then I'd say who am I to judge?

[TimTaylor]

Also, don't confuse Sport Pilot certificate with Light Sport Aircraft. You can get all or most of your Private in an LSA if you so choose.

[SteveZ-FL]

Here in Central FL I've been lucky.  Joined a flying club with an LSA (its only aircraft) and a couple CFIs. The club is at an airfield 15 minutes from home.  On the same airfield is also a flight school with an LSA and only a few miles further away is another flight school with two LSAs (one a tailwheel).  When the club LSA was down for maintenance I had a lot of local alternatives and took advantage of them.

According to my primary care physician (a pilot) a flight physical would not be a problem.  Even so, I don't feel motivated to go PPL.  Probably the club has a lot to do with it.  The club membership has a 5:1 PPL:SP ratio, the comraderie is great and the club's LSA is fun to fly.  Having all those other alternatives close by also reduces the need to go PPL.

The title of this thread says it all.  If the SP-student or SP is made to feel like "less" or otherwise uncomfortable by folk with PPL, CFI or ATP tickets, then the problem is those other folk.  Aain, I'm surrounded by helpful and supportive aviators without "ticket-bias."  I would hope I'm not the exception to the rule.

[TimTaylor]

It's a none issue unless:

you want to carry more than one passenger
you want to fly at night
you want to fly IFR

Otherwise, forget it.

[Half Fast]

Here in Central FL I've been lucky.  Joined a flying club with an LSA (its only aircraft) and a couple CFIs. The club is at an airfield 15 minutes from home.  On the same airfield is also a flight school with an LSA and only a few miles further away is another flight school with two LSAs (one a tailwheel).  When the club LSA was down for maintenance I had a lot of local alternatives and took advantage of them.

Steve, I've been looking for a club with an LSA, or at least another rental alternative. Would you mind filling in a few details, or PMing me? I'm in Haines City. Thanks!!

[SteveZ-FL]

Here in Central FL I've been lucky.  Joined a flying club with an LSA (its only aircraft) and a couple CFIs. The club is at an airfield 15 minutes from home.  On the same airfield is also a flight school with an LSA and only a few miles further away is another flight school with two LSAs (one a tailwheel).  When the club LSA was down for maintenance I had a lot of local alternatives and took advantage of them.

Steve, I've been looking for a club with an LSA, or at least another rental alternative. Would you mind filling in a few details, or PMing me? I'm in Haines City. Thanks!!

x

PM sent.

[foresterpoole]

The title of this thread says it all. If the SP-student or SP is made to feel like "less" or otherwise uncomfortable by folk with PPL, CFI or ATP tickets, then the problem is those other folk. Aain, I'm surrounded by helpful and supportive aviators without "ticket-bias." I would hope I'm not the exception to the rule.

If you are an exception it's a sad day for aviation. General aviation is a small community, being closed off and exclusive by "ticket" will not allow our hobby (for some a profession) to grow and be understood by the public. Airports are closing, prices are climbing, and people just don't see aviation as anything more than a glorified bus. We need more clubs like this.