New sport pilot Light-Sport Aircraft Rules 2010
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:37 pm
The long awaited sport pilot rules from the NPRN are soon to be out.
Should be Published to the Federal Register as law early February.
Here is a first look.
Maximum altitudes
Sport Pilots can now fly above 10,000 feet above sea level or if they need to be over terrain or mountains it is now 2000 feet AGL, whichever is higher. The 2000 feet above ground level was added. Per new § 61.315
Minimum Altitudes
If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
a powered parachute (PPC) or weight-shift-control (WSC) aircraft in non congested areas may be operated at less than 500 feet from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. This was only for helicopters before but now PPC and WSC was added. Per new §91.119 Minimum safe altitudes
No Make/model set of aircraft. 61.323 gone now and all related rules for it for pilots and instructors. It is now split up for light sport aircraft speed endorsements for an above 87 knots aircraft and now new below 87 knots endorsement for the low mass, high drag, slower speed aircraft per 61.327 for pilots and 61.423 for flight instructors.
No additional knowledge test when changing categories for private pilots and sport pilots per 61.63
Sport Pilot Student certificates are extended from 24 months to 60 months. Per 61.19 came out later 2009 but is a significant change.
Ultralight experience deadline to be able to use ultralight time as FAA recognized dual training time. Ultralight time only good for one more year towards sport and private pilot licenses per 61.52
Student sport pilots pre solo training added, if the aircraft is the faster above 87 knots and equipped with flight instruments, will have to have Instrument training (flight by reference to instruments) for solo cross country per 61.93
Clarified some weight-shift control and PPC private pilot requirements and privileges in Subpart E – Private pilots.
Cut down the dual training time required 60 days before the checkride from 3 to 2 hours for airplane and WSC, and down to 1 hour for a PPC.
I am going to have a video up on this at www.beasportpilot.com soon. See “Ask the Expert” on left hand side with “New FAA Rules”
What they proposed but did not do, withdrawn as they say:
Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot privileges with aircraft category and class
ratings on all pilot certificates (proposal 1)
Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot flight instructor privileges with aircraft
category ratings on all flight instructor certificates (proposal 2)
Withdrawn: Remove current provisions for the conduct of proficiency
checks by flight instructors and include provisions for the issuance of
category and class ratings by designated pilot examiners (proposal 3)
Withdrawn: Place all requirements for flight instructors under a single
subpart (subpart H) of part 61 (proposal 4)
Withdrawn: Require 1 hour of flight training on the control and
maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments for student
pilots seeking a sport pilot certificate to operate an airplane with a VH
greater than 87 knots CAS and sport pilots operating airplanes with a VH
greater than 87 knots CAS (proposal 5)
Withdrawn: Remove the requirement for persons exercising sport pilot
privileges and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to carry their
logbooks while in flight (proposal 6)
Withdrawn: Remove specific regulatory provisions (under proposed
§61.324) for endorsements for the operation of powered parachutes with
elliptical wings (portion of proposal 7)
Withdrawn: Add a requirement for student pilots to obtain endorsements
identical to those proposed for sport pilots in §61.324 (portion of proposal
17)
Should be Published to the Federal Register as law early February.
Here is a first look.
Maximum altitudes
Sport Pilots can now fly above 10,000 feet above sea level or if they need to be over terrain or mountains it is now 2000 feet AGL, whichever is higher. The 2000 feet above ground level was added. Per new § 61.315
Minimum Altitudes
If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
a powered parachute (PPC) or weight-shift-control (WSC) aircraft in non congested areas may be operated at less than 500 feet from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. This was only for helicopters before but now PPC and WSC was added. Per new §91.119 Minimum safe altitudes
No Make/model set of aircraft. 61.323 gone now and all related rules for it for pilots and instructors. It is now split up for light sport aircraft speed endorsements for an above 87 knots aircraft and now new below 87 knots endorsement for the low mass, high drag, slower speed aircraft per 61.327 for pilots and 61.423 for flight instructors.
No additional knowledge test when changing categories for private pilots and sport pilots per 61.63
Sport Pilot Student certificates are extended from 24 months to 60 months. Per 61.19 came out later 2009 but is a significant change.
Ultralight experience deadline to be able to use ultralight time as FAA recognized dual training time. Ultralight time only good for one more year towards sport and private pilot licenses per 61.52
Student sport pilots pre solo training added, if the aircraft is the faster above 87 knots and equipped with flight instruments, will have to have Instrument training (flight by reference to instruments) for solo cross country per 61.93
Clarified some weight-shift control and PPC private pilot requirements and privileges in Subpart E – Private pilots.
Cut down the dual training time required 60 days before the checkride from 3 to 2 hours for airplane and WSC, and down to 1 hour for a PPC.
I am going to have a video up on this at www.beasportpilot.com soon. See “Ask the Expert” on left hand side with “New FAA Rules”
What they proposed but did not do, withdrawn as they say:
Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot privileges with aircraft category and class
ratings on all pilot certificates (proposal 1)
Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot flight instructor privileges with aircraft
category ratings on all flight instructor certificates (proposal 2)
Withdrawn: Remove current provisions for the conduct of proficiency
checks by flight instructors and include provisions for the issuance of
category and class ratings by designated pilot examiners (proposal 3)
Withdrawn: Place all requirements for flight instructors under a single
subpart (subpart H) of part 61 (proposal 4)
Withdrawn: Require 1 hour of flight training on the control and
maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments for student
pilots seeking a sport pilot certificate to operate an airplane with a VH
greater than 87 knots CAS and sport pilots operating airplanes with a VH
greater than 87 knots CAS (proposal 5)
Withdrawn: Remove the requirement for persons exercising sport pilot
privileges and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to carry their
logbooks while in flight (proposal 6)
Withdrawn: Remove specific regulatory provisions (under proposed
§61.324) for endorsements for the operation of powered parachutes with
elliptical wings (portion of proposal 7)
Withdrawn: Add a requirement for student pilots to obtain endorsements
identical to those proposed for sport pilots in §61.324 (portion of proposal
17)