Sport Pilot Talk

Hi guys,

I live in Raleigh and have yet to figure out where I can get one of these -- is it something I can do via mail or does it need to be in person? Also, am I required to have this prior to solo or just sometime before I do my check ride?

Yes, you need a student pilot certificate before you solo. It will need to be done in person. You can do it at FAA FSDO, or any DPE can do it. The DPE may charge you for his service, but the FAA will not. Sometimes at flyin events like Sebring, Sun n Fun, and Oshkosh there will be a place that you can go to get it done for free too. Tom

Skunk, this is something your flight instructor should be working with you to obtain. You have to apply in person, to any Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or at any FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). You will need an appointment, and you need to bring along photo ID.

Many DPEs and FSDOs are requiring that applications for student pilot licenses be done only through the FAA IACRA website (that's an acronym for Integrated Airman Certificate and Rating Application). You can visit iacra.faa.gov by yourself, and create an account (you'll make up your own username and password; the system will then assign you a Federal Tracking Number. You will need to give this FTN to your instructor, DPE, FSDO, etc, so they can access your records).

Once your account is created and you have an FTN, you can then begin to fill out the FAA Form 8710 on the IACRA website. This is your application for a Student Pilot certificate. When you go to get your certificate issued, the FSDO or DPE will be able to access the form on their computer, by using your FTN. (Of course, you should always carry a printout of the application with you, in case the system decides not to cooperate!)

You can also get a Student Pilot Certificate issued by an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) -- but only if you are taking a physical exam and applying for a medical certificate. Since Sport Pilots don't need an FAA medical, this is probably not what you want to do.

You will also be using IACRA (with that same FTN) to create your application for your Sport Pilot license, when you're ready for your checkride. Most DPEs won't give you a practical exam until you've filled out the 8710-11 on IACRA, had your flight instructor endorse (digitally sign) it online, and then provided them with your FTN. Again, you'll want to have a printout with you when you report for your checkride, just in case.

I'm surprised your flight instructor hasn't discussed all this with you. It's normally the CFI's responsibility to walk his or her students through these procedures. (In your instructor's defense, it's possible that he or she hasn't yet figured out IACRA. The FAA doesn't make it easy!)

_________________
The opinions expressed in this post are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the position of the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof. H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D., CFII, LSRM-A/GL/WS
AvSport of Lock Haven
http://AvSport.org fly@AvSport.org

Nobody explained any of this to me either. It was pure luck that I marked the correct checkbox when visiting AME.

_________________
http://zaitcev.mee.nu/

Two years ago when I went to the FSDO to renew my CFI they wanted it on paper because the one guy that knew how to use IACRA was out of the office.

The other defense is that i've had 8 instructors now. Between flight schools going out of business, my switch from ppl -> spl, and just dumb luck, i've not been consistent. The upside is that the guy i'm with now does see where my abilities are, but there is a disconnect as to what i've already done and what i haven't already done -- for example, i've never done emergency procedures before. he was about to solo me 2 weeks ago and i brought up that i should probably know what to do in an emergency before he solo'd me. apparently another instructor wrote in my log book that we had discussed it, which we had, but we had not had any practical experience with it. So back up we went!

This might just be another example where I need to take care of a few things and make sure my ducks are in a row...

I ended up getting mine from The DPE that ended up doing my check ride. My instructor was thinking that I would not have to have one since the medical examiner usually did this and my drivers license was my medical. It cost me having to redo my solo flight training including my cross country (this due to the fact that all my solo time at that point was illegal). The good thing was I was able to meet the DPE prior to going down for my check ride, which made me feel more confortable with him since I had met him before. That was of course until I had issues in my log books that were a big time consuming delay in the oral part of the check ride. any instructor that has done a sport pilot should be able to help you with that part.

I can't believe a flight instructor would solo a student without checking into, and complying with, the FARs! The Sport Pilot rule is now eight years old. The solo endorsement requirements have been in place from the beginning. Every CFI has to renew his or her flight instructor rating every two years. That means your CFI would have had plenty of opportunities for learning the requirements, if he or she hadn't been sleeping through CFI refresher class. If I misled one of my students to this extent, the student would be within his or her rights to expect me to pay for the duplicated flight training.

I'm sorry to hear you were jerked around like this, Jeep. It reflects badly on my profession, and should be a cautionary tale for student pilots on this forum: make sure your chosen CFI knows the Sport Pilot rules!

It's been stated here before that many flight schools don't want to mess with the Sport Pilot rating. Maybe this is why -- they don't want to bother learning a new set of rules. But if this is their attitude, why would you want to fly with them (even for the Private Pilot rating)?

_________________
The opinions expressed in this post are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the position of the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof. H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D., CFII, LSRM-A/GL/WS
AvSport of Lock Haven
http://AvSport.org fly@AvSport.org

I was his first sport pilot so I cant be to mad. luckly I was not renting the airplane so maint and fuel was the only cost, plus it was fun flying the additional time, Just was ready to be able to take a passanger.

Being the first is no excuse. I check the regs with each student before solo, solo cross country, and checkride to make sure everything is correct. It's good for the students looking it up in the regulation. Tom