Hello!
Are there any students on this board that are currently training for their Sport Pilot's license, or have recently completed training? Can you speak about your experiences and the amount of time it took to finish your training. Can you speak about ground school and what syllabus you followed and if you had any training aids like the King video courses. What made you go for Sport Pilot rather than Private Pilot?
Thanks!
Sport Pilot Training
Moderator: drseti
Sport Pilot training
I'm currently working on my Sport Pilot certificate. I'm probably about 1/2 way through the work (both ground and flying). I'm using the Gleim books and online training. I don't have a lot of experience with any other programs as far as online training, however Gleim's is so/so. The books aren't laid out very well as far as a curriculum and the online CBT doesn't offer a lot of visual presentations. The one thing I can say is that the CBT does really well on helping me learn the testing material for the exam. I wish the CBT included more interactive tutorials, but with what I'm doing it's really helping to move me along.
As for the time it's taken me to finish the training - I'm trying to go up roughly two to three times a week, and I started back in November. The weather has been the limiting factor for me. The past couple of weeks I've gotten some good traction with the good weather we've had here lately. If I can continue to hit good days I think I should be ready to take my exams in another month or two. Right now I'm just shy of 10hrs (if not over a tiny bit).
Why to get the Sport over the Private? Well, cost-wise, the Sport is going to get me flying with less money. All the time logged post-Sport pilot license can be used toward a Private license, so there's no harm, no foul for going this route. I plan on getting a Private license in the future, but this route it should take me less money to get going.
Hope that helps.
Brian
As for the time it's taken me to finish the training - I'm trying to go up roughly two to three times a week, and I started back in November. The weather has been the limiting factor for me. The past couple of weeks I've gotten some good traction with the good weather we've had here lately. If I can continue to hit good days I think I should be ready to take my exams in another month or two. Right now I'm just shy of 10hrs (if not over a tiny bit).
Why to get the Sport over the Private? Well, cost-wise, the Sport is going to get me flying with less money. All the time logged post-Sport pilot license can be used toward a Private license, so there's no harm, no foul for going this route. I plan on getting a Private license in the future, but this route it should take me less money to get going.
Hope that helps.
Brian
Brian Garrett
[email protected]
[email protected]
I'm working on my sport license right now. I just finished the ground school and got the instructor endorsement for the test. I'm going to call Tuesday to see when I can schedule it. I used the King complete course. Overall, the course is very good, but there are some frustrating parts to it. It basically consists of a program that plays videos off a bunch of CD-ROMs that give you instruction in the different areas of the sport pilot curriculum. Then it asks you questions pertaining to the video you just watched. Most of the time, the questions are correct for the video, but many times, they ask the questions out of sequence and you have no clue how to answer them. Usually the material is in the next video. It's not a deal breaker. They just need to do a little more editing to get it completely right. The sectional reprints in the study guide are about 5% out of scale, too, so that can make it hard to answer the chart based questions that require you to calculate wind corrections, time enroute, eta, magnetic headings, etc.
I also got the King Take Off videos and the checkride course. The Take Off videos can be a bit corny, but they are very informative and interesting. The METAR/TAF one helped me immensely. I think I actually get all those arcane codes now.
I scored 100% on all the practice exams, so I hope that's a good sign for how I'll actually do on the test. I'll let you all know in a few days.
I'd definitely recommend the King course despite its minor shortcomings.
Oh, and what made me go for the sport license instead of the private is I have a couple medical issues that will make me have to get a special issuance. They're no big deal and I would eventually get my medical according to some consultants I talked to. I just didn't want to go through all that right now. I think I'm going to fly as a sport pilot for a couple years and then maybe try to get a medical and go for my private.
I also got the King Take Off videos and the checkride course. The Take Off videos can be a bit corny, but they are very informative and interesting. The METAR/TAF one helped me immensely. I think I actually get all those arcane codes now.
I scored 100% on all the practice exams, so I hope that's a good sign for how I'll actually do on the test. I'll let you all know in a few days.
I'd definitely recommend the King course despite its minor shortcomings.
Oh, and what made me go for the sport license instead of the private is I have a couple medical issues that will make me have to get a special issuance. They're no big deal and I would eventually get my medical according to some consultants I talked to. I just didn't want to go through all that right now. I think I'm going to fly as a sport pilot for a couple years and then maybe try to get a medical and go for my private.
Thanks for the responses. I have had previous training -- about 20 hours -- towards a PPASEL, and am just getting back into aviation. The Sport Pilot license seems to be perfect for my mission of local sightseeing and short cross country trips around 50-75nm. The flight school I am considering has a Flight Design CT with glass panel. I hope to take a discovery flight soon and begin my training shortly after that. I have found that there are not "formal" Sport Pilot training packages for ground school like there was for the PP... I had used the Jeppesen syllabus in my previous training. I'll check out the materials mentioned above and will probably purchase the King Schools videos... I had their Private Pilot videos and they seemed to help.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
I've taken the written, got a 96 (missed 2) and used the ASA training CDs (It a program, not a video) I think you should have reference material as well, like a FAR/AIM and some sort of book, but I found the ASA material my main source. If you want videos, I've use the ASA PPL stuff (before I switched to SP) it's pretty good and reasonably priced. Don't forget the online resources.
I've solo'ed. It's taking me a very long time due to plane availability and weather and proximity to the airport. The old advise about the fly more you fly, the less you end up paying is certainly true. I've spent way too much money "refreshing" stuff I had already mastered due to not flying often enough.
Ron
I've solo'ed. It's taking me a very long time due to plane availability and weather and proximity to the airport. The old advise about the fly more you fly, the less you end up paying is certainly true. I've spent way too much money "refreshing" stuff I had already mastered due to not flying often enough.
Ron
Just to clarify, the King schools course is a program too. It just plays videos as part of the program and then asks computer based interactive questions after each video clip. They're the same format as the Take Off videos, so the go together quite well. There is also a question review where you can take all 466 possible questions, and it tells you if you're right or wrong after you answer. Then there are practice tests at the end that look and behave just like the FAA CATS system. You don't get the score or any feedback until you are finished.
The King Schools get it all course comes with about everything you'll need for the knowledge test and check ride other than the FAR/AIM book. It comes with an FAR/AIM CD-ROM. I just prefer the book, so I picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble for 12 bucks. The course I got was $523 with the EAA discount, so it's definitely not cheap, though.
The King Schools get it all course comes with about everything you'll need for the knowledge test and check ride other than the FAR/AIM book. It comes with an FAR/AIM CD-ROM. I just prefer the book, so I picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble for 12 bucks. The course I got was $523 with the EAA discount, so it's definitely not cheap, though.
Ground School for Sport Pilots? Why not just Pilots?
Many of you have commented that there are far and few ground schools for the Sport Pilot. Why not instead go to a Private Pilot ground school? The training and information should be IDENTICAL, aside from some night training info and perhaps VOR. More knowledge is always better than less.
Shame on your CFI for not suggesting this. This is why I think we should do away with the CFI-Sport and require full CFI-Airplane training and flight time for all "flight instructors." The extra hours and training a traditional CFI has really shows up in their students' skills, knowledge, judgment, aeronautical decision making ability, weather interpretation, cross country planning, crew resource management skills, and the list goes on.
We provide a full ground school environment and group study sessions, along with individual ground training, and numerous field trips. Our course text is the Gleim course. We chose it because it is comprehensive, easy to read, and affordable. Nothing against the more expensive courses or full color textbooks.
Computer Based Training, books, and DVDs are great...but they cannot replace a live instructor and fellow students. Many of our students come back and repeat the course for the camaraderie and field trips.
The Sport Pilot program is the fastest growing segment of general aviation. We need to promote it more for what it is. Your first pilot certificate in the line of many to come, or at least as the foundation of future learning and habits. It is not a short-cut to a pilot license.
Scott Johnson, CFI/AGI
Stick-n-Rudder Flight Training, LLC
www.lsanorth.com
Shame on your CFI for not suggesting this. This is why I think we should do away with the CFI-Sport and require full CFI-Airplane training and flight time for all "flight instructors." The extra hours and training a traditional CFI has really shows up in their students' skills, knowledge, judgment, aeronautical decision making ability, weather interpretation, cross country planning, crew resource management skills, and the list goes on.
We provide a full ground school environment and group study sessions, along with individual ground training, and numerous field trips. Our course text is the Gleim course. We chose it because it is comprehensive, easy to read, and affordable. Nothing against the more expensive courses or full color textbooks.
Computer Based Training, books, and DVDs are great...but they cannot replace a live instructor and fellow students. Many of our students come back and repeat the course for the camaraderie and field trips.
The Sport Pilot program is the fastest growing segment of general aviation. We need to promote it more for what it is. Your first pilot certificate in the line of many to come, or at least as the foundation of future learning and habits. It is not a short-cut to a pilot license.
Scott Johnson, CFI/AGI
Stick-n-Rudder Flight Training, LLC
www.lsanorth.com
Flight training begins on the ground, not in the air.℠
2011 FAASTeam Representative of the Year, Great Lakes Region
http://www.SticknRudder.com
2011 FAASTeam Representative of the Year, Great Lakes Region
http://www.SticknRudder.com
Part of the problem with a sport pilot ground school is identifying the additional information a SP needs to know and not focusing too much on what you don't need to know. We have developed a SP ground school but it took a fair amount of effort to get it right.
The biggest problem with the current educational materials is that they take the PPL stuff and just reword it for SP. That is not the right way to go. It needs to be tailored to SP.
The biggest problem with the current educational materials is that they take the PPL stuff and just reword it for SP. That is not the right way to go. It needs to be tailored to SP.
In regard to scottj's comments...
I WISH I had the option of attending a "formal" ground school, of any kind! I live in rural upstate NY and flight training at the local airports consist of a person with a CFI that owns a plane or two giving instruction, there are no "formal flight schools", so the process is very informal, unfortunately. The closest community college that offers a ground school is about 1.5 hours away and requires you to be a full-time student enrolled in their aviation science program to take their ground school. The club that I am thinking about joining to get training at has recently acquired a Flight Design CT and I have inquired about their ground school syllabus, but I do know that it is a "study-at-home" course, they are also about 1.5 hours from my home. The points you bring up are exactly what I am worried about... I would like a quality ground school education, but not only are they not available within a couple hours of my home, but there doesn't even seem to be a common syllabus available from the "biggies" in aviation training like Jeppesen. General aviation in my area is pretty much non-existent... so I am willing to travel, but my schedule only allows so much time. For that reason, I have even considered the "quick training" courses in other states (i.e. Florida), as even though they seem to be frowned upon, I could take a couple weeks off of work and possibly get a better education than I could get locally spread out over time. Most of all, I don't feel like I'm trying to "take a short cut" as you stated, rather the opposite, I'm trying to find the best materials or training options that I can so that I can become a safe and well trained Sport Pilot.
I WISH I had the option of attending a "formal" ground school, of any kind! I live in rural upstate NY and flight training at the local airports consist of a person with a CFI that owns a plane or two giving instruction, there are no "formal flight schools", so the process is very informal, unfortunately. The closest community college that offers a ground school is about 1.5 hours away and requires you to be a full-time student enrolled in their aviation science program to take their ground school. The club that I am thinking about joining to get training at has recently acquired a Flight Design CT and I have inquired about their ground school syllabus, but I do know that it is a "study-at-home" course, they are also about 1.5 hours from my home. The points you bring up are exactly what I am worried about... I would like a quality ground school education, but not only are they not available within a couple hours of my home, but there doesn't even seem to be a common syllabus available from the "biggies" in aviation training like Jeppesen. General aviation in my area is pretty much non-existent... so I am willing to travel, but my schedule only allows so much time. For that reason, I have even considered the "quick training" courses in other states (i.e. Florida), as even though they seem to be frowned upon, I could take a couple weeks off of work and possibly get a better education than I could get locally spread out over time. Most of all, I don't feel like I'm trying to "take a short cut" as you stated, rather the opposite, I'm trying to find the best materials or training options that I can so that I can become a safe and well trained Sport Pilot.
Sky - believe me, you're not alone.
However, you have one up on many other people - you actually have a cfi nearby with his/her own plane.
I realize "ground school" is a popular term, and if done right, can be very helpful in preparing for the FAA written. Or it can be nearly a total waste of time and money. Ask me how I know.
But ground school isn't necessary. Use PPL prep material, and the online test prep materials, and if you have specific sport pilot questions, ask them in active sport pilot forums.
And of course, talk with your CFI! If a cfi isn't "in the mood" to answer questions, maybe you need to look around. A cfi should be able to prepare you for a written exam. Jeez - if not, we're in real trouble!
Also, if you can afford it, go ahead and take that "two week training vacation". Come back with your certificate in hand.
Of course, that works if you have a rental (and available!) rental LSA in your area. Or if you can afford to buy one.
Or ... just do the full PPL. CFIs and rental planes are all over the place. Most folks aren't (or shouldn't be) desperate to get a quick ticket. The idea is to be trained and comfortable - not fast.
Tom
However, you have one up on many other people - you actually have a cfi nearby with his/her own plane.
I realize "ground school" is a popular term, and if done right, can be very helpful in preparing for the FAA written. Or it can be nearly a total waste of time and money. Ask me how I know.
But ground school isn't necessary. Use PPL prep material, and the online test prep materials, and if you have specific sport pilot questions, ask them in active sport pilot forums.
And of course, talk with your CFI! If a cfi isn't "in the mood" to answer questions, maybe you need to look around. A cfi should be able to prepare you for a written exam. Jeez - if not, we're in real trouble!
Also, if you can afford it, go ahead and take that "two week training vacation". Come back with your certificate in hand.
Of course, that works if you have a rental (and available!) rental LSA in your area. Or if you can afford to buy one.
Or ... just do the full PPL. CFIs and rental planes are all over the place. Most folks aren't (or shouldn't be) desperate to get a quick ticket. The idea is to be trained and comfortable - not fast.
Tom
One Man Ground School
CT Flyer hit it right on. You can have a formal ground school with yourself and your CFI. A classroom full of students is only a bonus.
When I say Ground School, take it liberally (I hate that word) to mean instruction with a CFI and not just you reading a book alone in your bed under the covers with a flashlight trying to learn a new language. Aviation.
I am a big fan of Accelerated Courses. Especially for us Northerners in cold climates in the middle of no where. Go to www.SunstateAviation.com and take their Private Pilot course, but fly a Sport check-ride if you want instead.
Unless you are flying a powered parachute or hang glider contraption, when I say Sport Pilot I am referring to a fixed wing single engine airplane. So for the record, once again, I call us Pilots. Not Sport or Private, just Pilots. You need all the hours, knowledge, and training a traditional Private Pilot education brings. I see no differance or reason for Sport to be less.
When I say Ground School, take it liberally (I hate that word) to mean instruction with a CFI and not just you reading a book alone in your bed under the covers with a flashlight trying to learn a new language. Aviation.
I am a big fan of Accelerated Courses. Especially for us Northerners in cold climates in the middle of no where. Go to www.SunstateAviation.com and take their Private Pilot course, but fly a Sport check-ride if you want instead.
Unless you are flying a powered parachute or hang glider contraption, when I say Sport Pilot I am referring to a fixed wing single engine airplane. So for the record, once again, I call us Pilots. Not Sport or Private, just Pilots. You need all the hours, knowledge, and training a traditional Private Pilot education brings. I see no differance or reason for Sport to be less.
Flight training begins on the ground, not in the air.℠
2011 FAASTeam Representative of the Year, Great Lakes Region
http://www.SticknRudder.com
2011 FAASTeam Representative of the Year, Great Lakes Region
http://www.SticknRudder.com
Just to give an update, I took the written today. There were quite a few questions that I hadn't seen in any of the King Schools test prep, and I studied it till I was sure I had it cold. I was able to figure out most of them out and ended up with a 95, so I'm not too upset. The proctor told me that they only publish 50% of the questions. I didn't realize that going in. I'm glad I really took the time to learn the material and not just memorize the questions because if I just did that, I would probably have failed or just barely passed.
I guess I could say the King Schools course prepared me adequately, but I wish they'd fix the holes in the course. The 2 questions I missed related to airport signage and area forecasts. I didn't miss the questions because of not understanding the material. I missed them because I picked the wrong wording. Anyone who has ever taken a government test knows how they love to have question with two identical answers with the exception of the noun. LOL Unless you've seen the question before, you only have a 50% chance of getting it right.
I guess I could say the King Schools course prepared me adequately, but I wish they'd fix the holes in the course. The 2 questions I missed related to airport signage and area forecasts. I didn't miss the questions because of not understanding the material. I missed them because I picked the wrong wording. Anyone who has ever taken a government test knows how they love to have question with two identical answers with the exception of the noun. LOL Unless you've seen the question before, you only have a 50% chance of getting it right.
Your experience is exactly the problem we have been addressing at our school. Many educational programs have tried to get us to use their materials but none of them are complete. Our Chief Instructor is actually working with the FAA now to revise the questions on the SP exam to better suit Sport Pilots. We are also working with several vendors to identify holes in the materials. I hope that the Kings, Gleims, ASA and other vendors realize that you can't just cut and paste. There is a difference between the two license. Not substantial but one that needs to be addressed.
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Skyview Aviation
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:31 pm
- Location: Tracy, CA
Sport vs Private
I would caution any of you to consider carefully which license you are going for. If you are planning to take the Sport Pilot checkride, you'll have to have passed the Sport Pilot written exam. You cannot take a Private Pilot written and have it count towards your Sport Pilot license. The rules are different, and not interchangeable. Studying the PP textbook/DVDs isn't necessarily the best option for passing the SP written. However, I don't think there are that many questions that are different to the point where you'd fail. Even if you missed 4 or 5 because they pertained to SP, you'd still have a passing score. On the other hand, your checkride examiner will certainly notice which questions you got wrong, and will likely spend a lot of time on those during your oral exam.