No Sport Pilot instructor within 150 miles!

[Tessmacher]

And all three of the "local" (within 50 miles) airports with instructors had this to say:

Airport 1 (two miles from my home) "Why in hell would you want that? We don't have any of those toy airplanes for it, and we don't offer it because we can't make any money off it."
Airport 2 (22 miles away) If you're going to learn to fly, then go the full route and get the Private in a real airplane. It costs more, and the Sport certificate is worthless. We can't make any money off it."
Airport 3 (41 miles away) "I don't fool with that stupid Sport license crap. I can't make any money from it." (and then he hung up on me.)

Apparently there are no options anywhere near me that don't line the pockets of the local airports or instructors. I'm intentionally avoiding listing where I live, to prevent repercussions from this. I've seen what others have had to say, but I needed to vent.

So much for learning to fly.

[drseti]

So much for learning to fly.

I'm sorry you got such a negative response. Venting is fine, but I do hope you won't give up so easily. All you can conclude is: so much for learning to fly near where you live. A lot of flight schools around the country (including mine ) would be delighted to have you come out for an extended vacation, and work with us to get your Sport Pilot license. Many of us have affordable lodging options available for out-of-towners. Not all flight school owners think LSAs are toys, and not every CFI thinks getting a Sport Pilot rating is a waste of time. And yes, it is possible for us to still make a living doing Sport Pilot instruction in an LSA. The acquisition and operating costs are much lower than a new certified aircraft, and there's no reason not to pass these savings on to the student.

[znurtdog]

And all three of the "local" (within 50 miles) airports with instructors had this to say:

Airport 1 (two miles from my home) "Why in hell would you want that? We don't have any of those toy airplanes for it, and we don't offer it because we can't make any money off it."
Airport 2 (22 miles away) If you're going to learn to fly, then go the full route and get the Private in a real airplane. It costs more, and the Sport certificate is worthless. We can't make any money off it."
Airport 3 (41 miles away) "I don't fool with that stupid Sport license crap. I can't make any money from it." (and then he hung up on me.)

Apparently there are no options anywhere near me that don't line the pockets of the local airports or instructors. I'm intentionally avoiding listing where I live, to prevent repercussions from this. I've seen what others have had to say, but I needed to vent.

So much for learning to fly.

I wish you WOULD tell us the identity of those 3 FBOs, I will avoid them! Also, maybe someone here can help find you somewhere to learn. I also like drseti's idea Don't give up, there are always nay-sayers!

[CTLSi]

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[N918KT]

Based on what the OP said, it seems the flight school all care about making money and not caring about the student's goals and desires to become a sport pilot.

I know how it feels to not have an airport or flight school close by with sport pilot training. This past summer, I have to drive nearly 70 miles one-way to a different state each weekend to get sport pilot training and the CFI/DPE I was flying with was the best CFI I ever had. He made me feel comfortable and I felt like I made a friend and felt like a part of that airport community. I haven't soloed yet and I have to take a break from it for awhile because I am a full time college student. I know that when looking for a flight school with sport pilot, I first started looking at flight schools close to my home as possible, but sometimes, the best flight schools are the ones that are sometimes further away from your home. I know that the latest flight school I got my training from this past summer, was worth it, even though it is the farthest flight school I had to drive to for flight lessons.

[CTLSi]

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[drseti]

Not everyone enjoys the luxury of having his or her own plane, CTLSi. If you're a renter, you're at the mercy of the FBO. Many have no LSAs available.

[David Pavlich]

I feel your pain! Here's a thread that I started that will give you a similar perspective:

http://sportpilottalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3351

I have a school that's about 40 minutes away, but even for Sport, they require a third class physical (Cessna School).

David

[Horatio]

We have a similar situation here in SC. I think there's an outfit near Charleston that offers LSA rentals, but that's not convenient from the upstate. There was a school in Greenville for a time, but it closed.

I would encourage you to check into renting standard-category aircraft that meet LSA regs (Champ, Cub, TCraft, Luscombe, etc.) in your area and find an independent CFI for instruction. That's what I did. EAA used to have a list of Sport Pilot instructors on their website. That's how I found my CFI.

Who needs a school? Independent study works just fine.

[Jack Tyler]

Tessmacher, a couple of additional thoughts:
-- an extremely busy CPA in our EAA chapter who works a 50-60 hour week was driving two hours, down to the Orlando area, in order to take training in an LSA from a well regarded school. It wasn't ideal but that was the option open to him at the time and he acted on it.
-- as you will find in these threads over and over, the toughest nut to crack isn't getting good instruction but rather getting access to a rental aircraft. IMO a prospective SP student should start by researching his/her options for rental a/c suitable for the SPL first, as flying is the ultimate goal and you need an a/c to fly.
-- there is undoubtedly a network - probably multiple networks - of pilots in your area. EAA chapters, specialty flying groups (seaplanes, backcountry pilots, local airport advisory committees and support groups are all examples. Consider making an effort to plug into those groups and seek some counsel on how to locate a good instructor, identify who has a/c shares available in their a/c, and essentially reach beyond the local school's 1-2-3 people who are set in their ways. This kind of research is free and will bring you a much broader understanding of aviation generally.
-- perhaps it won't set well with some here, but I would also suggest you at least consider getting a PPL. Perhaps the additional expense isn't a barrier to you. Perhaps one of the schools has a training simulator which, when used properly, can cut back the cost and time in the cockpit. Perhaps at the end of the day, that's the only viable option open to you - altho' I challenge you to confirm that via some more investigation and networking.

[nbjeeptj]

We have a similar situation here in SC. I think there's an outfit near Charleston that offers LSA rentals, but that's not convenient from the upstate. There was a school in Greenville for a time, but it closed.

I would encourage you to check into renting standard-category aircraft that meet LSA regs (Champ, Cub, TCraft, Luscombe, etc.) in your area and find an independent CFI for instruction. That's what I did. EAA used to have a list of Sport Pilot instructors on their website. That's how I found my CFI.

Who needs a school? Independent study works just fine.

I do have my own plane that my dad and I own together that made it easier but I used a CFI that had never instructed a sport pilot. Horatio, there is a guy out of Camden that does a sport program and will rent his plane, a champ or something similar.

[Jim Stewart]

I can understand the absence of LSA planes to rent for instruction. I can't understand the hostility of the existing FBO's and instructors. The light sport guys are very active at my small airport. The worst criticism of LSA that I've heard locally is that "you can't advance to an instrument or commercial rating" which is, of course true.

As to the absence of rentals, it usually takes a new shop to get the planes out there. The schools flying 30 year old 152's usually don't have the money and are unwilling to do the training to keep a relatively fragile $100k+ airplane on the flightline.

[drseti]

The worst criticism of LSA that I've heard locally is that "you can't advance to an instrument or commercial rating" which is, of course true.

Not necessrily, Jim. My LSA, though not IFR legal, is fully equipped for instrument training. You can do all your IFR instruction and the checkride in it, as long as you stay In VMC and don't file IFR. As for the commercial maneuvers, they're all by visual reference. Thus, you can do everything required for a Commercial in an LSA, except for the required 10 hours of retract time (and, of course, the checkride, which must be done in a retract).

[CTLSi]

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[CTLSi]

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