Sport Pilot Talk

I applaud the comment - "Learning to fly IS flying".

Those of us who want to start to learn at an advanced age and limited resources get hope and comfort from the notion that learning, wherever and however often you can, still allows a person to experience the wonder of flight.

Thanks

My fifth flight is tomorrow. When I first met my CFI, I told him that I wanted one plane to train on; the same plane that I would have for my check ride. I also brought up that I wanted him to be my CFI during my entire training; I asked if he was just building hours and then he would move on to bigger and better things.

He said one plane one CFI.

I’ve read to many stories on here that switching CFI can be hazardous to training, as well as switching up planes.

Though I have a 5+ hour roudtrip drive for flight training, I love the plane I am training on and my CFI is awesome. It is worth the trip!

Maybe you could "double up." Drive over early in the morning and have a morning lesson. Go eat lunch and rest a while, then have an afternoon lesson. Drive home in time to get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Tim,
I like that idea. Fly am, do the city of Chicago, fly pm.

sportflugzeug wrote:Tim,
I like that idea. Fly am, do the city of Chicago, fly pm.

That's how we did my Sport seaplane endorsement and it worked very well. Flew about 2 hours in am, lunch, then flew about 2 hours in pm. Had check ride with another CFI on day 2.

Type47 wrote: If I want to get my private, maybe 6 hours of additional training in my own plane?

More like 10. You need to do your airspace training (unless you already have the endorsement), night flying (including a night XC), flight solely by reference to instruments, the longer 3-leg, 150 nm solo XC (unless you already did that), and 3 hours minimum in preparation for the checkride.

Plus another written and another check ride.

drseti wrote:

Type47 wrote: If I want to get my private, maybe 6 hours of additional training in my own plane?

More like 10. You need to do your airspace training (unless you already have the endorsement), night flying (including a night XC), flight solely by reference to instruments, the longer 3-leg, 150 nm solo XC (unless you already did that), and 3 hours minimum in preparation for the checkride.

The airspace endorsement really doesn't do you much good for the private pilot, because the 3 TO and landings must be solo for the private.

drseti wrote:

Type47 wrote: If I want to get my private, maybe 6 hours of additional training in my own plane?

More like 10. You need to do your airspace training (unless you already have the endorsement), night flying (including a night XC), flight solely by reference to instruments, the longer 3-leg, 150 nm solo XC (unless you already did that), and 3 hours minimum in preparation for the checkride.

At 180 + hours flying and constant studying, I am confident I can pass the written with little prep at this point.
Just need night cc and instrument flight then on to the checkride prep.

I am more likely to just go up with an instructor for a couple hours here and there just because I want to learn and experience flying at night and who can’t benefit from instrument training?
That would check off those boxes.

Then I could keep flying and adding hours until the time if or when I want to go for PP.

Maybe one of my biannual flight reviews becomes checkride prep and practical test.

Of course, I have thought of it. But I have no current plans.

sportflugzeug wrote:My fifth flight is tomorrow. When I first met my CFI, I told him that I wanted one plane to train on; the same plane that I would have for my check ride. I also brought up that I wanted him to be my CFI during my entire training; I asked if he was just building hours and then he would move on to bigger and better things.

He said one plane one CFI.

I’ve read to many stories on here that switching CFI can be hazardous to training, as well as switching up planes.

If 'one plane' means the same make and model then that is a good idea. I used 3 during my initial Student to PP path. When our C 150 was down, I went up in the C 172. Different but it was still Flying!

Same Instructor - good as long as you like them and feel they are concerned with your best interest and not just following the syllabus. And that instructor attitude trumps all else! Why would you care if he want to build time and move on. If he is a professional his end game will have no bearing on his instruction.

If you don't like him or have any reservation about them, then try another one and see what happens! You are paying a lot of money. Spend it on Satisfaction not on being uncomfortable

My CFI and I just “clicked” when I was introduced to him. He is extremely friendly, patient, and understanding.

UPDATING OLD THREAD

So, I moved to ATL area for a job change. Great, must be a lot of LSA's for rent around here, more than my old town of Louisville. Nope.

So, bit the bullet, got a 3rd class, took the PPL written, and restarted flight training in spring of 2019 (do not recommend taking a year off after 18 hours in the log book - to be honest, I lost almost all of that original training).

Got my PPL temporary paper license on Jan 1 2020 after an entire month's worth of scheduling and weather delays for a check ride.

I still think the Sport LSA sounds like a great option. Reading up on the Sport Pilot option is what got me engaged enough to push me over the edge to get serious about this amazing bucket list item. Sport Pilot and specifically the availability of renting and LSA just were never going to be available to me. In the end, all good. I'm now licensed to legally rent the plane by myself to continue to learn how to fly.

I'm up in the air, and I guess after all that's what matters.

Well . . . congratulations on getting your PPL! Well done.
Hats off to you for your tenacity.