LSA sport pilot/private/seaplane privileges confusion

[rookie1255]

If I'm a private pilot, I can fly an LSA, and I can do so without a medical. If I want to fly a seaplane though, I need to take a checkride to add a seaplane rating.

Sport pilots can fly LSA seaplanes with just an endorsement by an instructor, no real checkride.

Can I as a private pilot, get an endorsement and be able to fly LSA seaplanes without a checkride? Or does this just apply to folks with ONLY a sport license?

 

[MauleSkinner]

You can get an endorsement to exercise Sport Pilot privileges, but you’d need a rating if you wanted to exercise Private Pilot privileges.

 

[bflynn]

You can fly a LSA seaplane with training and an endorsement by a sport/seaplane CFI.

I suppose if you have a seaplane rating, you can go straight to a LSA seaplane without training or endorsement.

 

[MauleSkinner]

You can fly a LSA seaplane with training and an endorsement by a sport/seaplane CFI.

Just to clarify...you can get the LSA seaplane endorsement from a CFI-Sport Pilot who has seaplane privileges, or from any CFI-Airplane Single Engine who has either a single engine seaplane rating or a seaplane endorsement at the LSA level.

I suppose if you have a seaplane rating, you can go straight to a LSA seaplane without training or endorsement.

True.

 

[James331]

Also keep in mind seaplane flying isn’t something to be taken lightly, don’t view it as a rating and go type thing

 

[bflynn]

Yup, I agree. You just said it more clearly.