Rusty Pilot Question

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JJ Campbell
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Rusty Pilot Question

Post by JJ Campbell »

I was talking to a 78 year old rusty Private Pilot. He was not current and his medical had expired. He told me he didn't want to try to renew his medical and was interested in finding out more about Sport Pilot requirements.

I told him to the best of my knowledge he needed to get a Biannual Flight Review done and then he could fly exercising Sport Pilot privileges in an LSA with just a driver's license. So long as he had not ever been denied a medical.

I felt on firm ground there but then he asked about Gyroplanes. I told him I was pretty sure that it worked the same for PPL as it did for SP - train with one CFI who endorses you and then a different CFI who concurs. The CFIs then do their magic in IACRA and you are good to go as SP gyro pilot. I'm not 100% sure on this one. (BFR first of course.)

I told him I had no idea what needs to be done for a PPL to get PPL gyroplane legal but since he didn't want to get a medical that was moot.

Did I tell him anything incorrect?
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TimTaylor
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by TimTaylor »

Yes, you are correct. He needs a Flight Review to legally fly an LSA with a driver's license and no known medical issues that would make him unsafe. That is, if his medical is merely expired and not revoked. He would not need any endorsement, just a completed Flight Review. Of course, he might need several hours dual to be safe in an LSA. He would be a Private Pilot exercising Sport Pilot privileges and subject to Sport Pilot limitations.

If his medical expired after 7/14/06, he would be eligible for Basic Med and could exercise his Private Pilot privileges after getting Basic Med compliance.

Once he gets his Flight Review, a CFI could train him in a gyro-plane and then a second CFI could administer a flight test and then he could get his Private certificate endorsed for Sport Pilot Gyro-plane. He would be a Private Pilot exercising Sport Pilot privileges in a Gyro-plane.
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3Dreaming
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by 3Dreaming »

To act as PIC he must have a flight review. His options would be do a flight review in an airplane, or do the training, and proficiency check in a gyro, then immediately do a flight review in the gyro before conducting any solo flight. There is no requirement for solo flight time when adding a different category at the sport pilot level
TimTaylor
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by TimTaylor »

Also, it's not that he was NEVER denied a medical if he was subsequently able to obtain a medical and then it merely expired.
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drseti
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by drseti »

The only thing incorrect in what you said is that the SP category/class add-on is not presently done through IACRA. The CFI who conducts the training, and the one who conducts the proficiency check, have to sign and submit an 8710-11. There is a lengthy document on proficiency check submissions on my DPE website, http://SportPilotExaminer.US. It's item 9 on the main menu there.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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JJ Campbell
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by JJ Campbell »

drseti wrote:The only thing incorrect in what you said is that the SP category/class add-on is not presently done through IACRA. The CFI who conducts the training, and the one who conducts the proficiency check, have to sign and submit an 8710-11. There is a lengthy document on proficiency check submissions on my DPE website, http://SportPilotExaminer.US. It's item 9 on the main menu there.
Are you legal to fly based on the endorsements in your logbook while the 8710-11 wends its way through the bowels of bureaucracy?
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drseti
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Re: Rusty Pilot Question

Post by drseti »

JJ Campbell wrote: Are you legal to fly based on the endorsements in your logbook while the 8710-11 wends its way through the bowels of bureaucracy?
Absolutely, as long as the CFI who gives the proficiency check gives you the proper logbook endorsement. I also recommend that my students photocopy the signed 8710-11, and carry that with them in the plane, just in case they get ramp-checked by an FAA inspector who doesn't understand the fine points.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
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