Sport Pilot to Private Pilot.

[Lspilot82]

Hi, recently I received my SP license and currently have 70 hrs of flight time. A buddy of mine offered me a great deal that I cannot pass up on. He offered to help me get my private at a great discount. My question is, what hours can I use from SP and what training can I use. My instructor I received training for, for my SP was a GA CFI as well, however his aircraft was not setup for anything but light sport. I know I have to get hours under the hood, night flying, as well as VOR stuff and take a longer solo cross country. So what is usable from Light Sport and what Isn't. Thanks in advance guys.

[drseti]

Brian, since you did your SP with an FAR61 Subpart H CFI, all your hours (and acquired skills) count toward the Private. You will of course need some additional training, and maybe a long XC, if you haven't already accomplished that mission as a solo SP. I've put together an upgrade course for folks in exactly your position. You can see the whole curriculum at http://avsport.org/about/upsize.htm. Feel free to share this with your CFI

[Lspilot82]

Brian, since you did your SP with an FAR61 Subpart H CFI, all your hours (and acquired skills) count toward the Private. You will of course need some additional training, and maybe a long XC, if you haven't already accomplished that mission as a solo SP. I've put together an upgrade course for folks in exactly your position. You can see the whole curriculum at http://avsport.org/about/upsize.htm. Feel free to share this with your CFI

Thank you sir, I appreciate that. I have yet to do a longer XC, however I can get it accomplished in the next few days

[drseti]

Go for it, Brian. Just don't forget: 150 miles, 3 legs, landings at 3 airports, and log it as such.

[Lspilot82]

Go for it, Brian. Just don't forget: 150 miles, 3 legs, landings at 3 airports, and log it as such.

Yes sir!!!

[3Dreaming]

Go for it, Brian. Just don't forget: 150 miles, 3 legs, landings at 3 airports, and log it as such.

You can make more stops if you want, just make sure one leg is at least 50nm.

[jnmeade]

§ 61.109 Aeronautical experience.

(a) For an airplane single-engine rating. Except as provided in paragraph (k) of this section, a person who applies for a private pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation listed in § 61.107(b)(1) of this part, and the training must include at least—

(1) 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a single-engine airplane;

(2) Except as provided in § 61.110 of this part, 3 hours of night flight training in a single-engine airplane that includes—

(i) One cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles total distance; and

(ii) 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport.

(3) 3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments, including straight and level flight, constant airspeed climbs and descents, turns to a heading, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, radio communications, and the use of navigation systems/facilities and radar services appropriate to instrument flight;

(4) 3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in a single-engine airplane in preparation for the practical test, which must have been performed within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test; and

(5) 10 hours of solo flight time in a single-engine airplane, consisting of at least—

(i) 5 hours of solo cross-country time;

(ii) One solo cross country flight of 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations; and

(iii) Three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.

Note the requirement is for one leg of MORE THAN 50 nm, not AT LEAST. As a matter of fact, we have a local situation where an otherwise attractive airport is listed as 50 nm. We don't use that just because we don't want the examiner to throw it out in case he knows of the distance (and I'm pretty sure he does). Remember, the examiner does not have any latitude. If the FAR says MORE THAN 50 nm the examiner can not say, "oh, that is close enough".

At the risk of increasing the complexity, and I really don't intend to do that, it is sometimes useful to look at the aeronautical experience for the next higher rating, such as commercial, because sometimes a flight can be modified slightly and cover a future requirement. I would probably not change a flight much to accommodate such an eventuality, but it doesn't hurt you to know so you can log it if it works out.

[Jim Stewart]

Start working on your knowledge test and oral as soon as you can. Both are much harder than the SP equivalents. My sport pilot oral was a half-hour of pretty much casual conversation. My PP oral was 2 hours of hardcore interrogation with lots of emphasis on FAR's, airspace, weather and charts.

[newamiga]

Jim did you have the same DPE for both rides? I am curious as I know several folks in our flying club out here in Denver who have gone from SP to PP and the experience was pretty friction free and the oral was almost identical with the added differences between the two, night, VOR, etc. I know when I did my check ride for SP the oral was a little over 2 hours. It was pretty comprehensive.

Carl

[drseti]

I know when I did my check ride for SP the oral was a little over 2 hours. It was pretty comprehensive.

That has been the experience of all of my SP graduates as well (using two different DPEs).