Sport Pilot Talk

The discrepancy is that I can give SP checkrides in an LSA, but not PP and above (even though I can give instruction for those ratings, in an LSA or otherwise). It's the lack of consistency I object to, rather than the lack of privileges.

TimTaylor wrote:
The problem seems to be that every time the FAA tries to help and give us some additional relief, someone else complains that it doesn't give them enough relief.

I try to always couch it roughly: I feel blessed that there are so many options open to me now concerning staying in the air with far less hassle than a decade ago between Light Sport and BasicMed.

"It would be nice if x were also possible" should not be seen as a complaint. More a wishlist.

FastEddieB wrote:

TimTaylor wrote:
The problem seems to be that every time the FAA tries to help and give us some additional relief, someone else complains that it doesn't give them enough relief.

I try to always couch it roughly: I feel blessed that there are so many options open to me now concerning staying in the air with far less hassle than a decade ago between Light Sport and BasicMed.

"It would be nice if x were also possible" should not be seen as a complaint. More a wishlist.

Yes, you do. It would also be nice if the FAA would extend the Basic Med "look-back" to 10 years plus 45 days. Bummer. However, at this point, since the Mooney is gone, I'm more than happy flying the SkyCatcher. It's almost perfect for my mission.

I think I would have simply said, Basic Med is the equivalent of an active 3rd class FAA medical certificate in all regards, nothing more, nothing less. It conveys all the privileges and limitations of an active 3rd class FAA medical, congruent with aircraft flown and/or pilot certificate held.

That language would certainly have resolved Eddie's concern about ferrying aircraft, mine about DPE privileges, somebody else's point about being a safety pilot, and countless other issues of which I am not yet aware.

I guess that would have been too easy.

I would also have omitted the need for a previous FAA medical and omitted the disqualification for a previous FAA medical revocation or failure. All that matters, IMHO, is your current health status, as ascertained by you and your doctor.

smutny wrote:So...

I was in the USAF 7 years before I went to Army flight school. My supervisor in the Munitions Flightline Delivery shop was MSgt. Smutney. Any relation?