Opinions on Sport Pilot rating

Iceman

Iceman

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Chris
I was just wondering what everyone thought about the recent sport pilot regulations? Do you think it's a good idea or not? Do you think it will cause more accidents? Anything else you would like to respond about?

I think it is a good idea. I'm not sure about only needing a licence to keep flying (my grandma can hardly keep her car on the road and she has a licence). However, I think people will be careful and aviation will grow because of it.
 
Iceman said:
I was just wondering what everyone thought about the recent sport pilot regulations? Do you think it's a good idea or not? Do you think it will cause more accidents? Anything else you would like to respond about?

I think it is a good idea. I'm not sure about only needing a licence to keep flying (my grandma can hardly keep her car on the road and she has a licence). However, I think people will be careful and aviation will grow because of it.
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I'm not quite sure what it's really good for, except to get people without a medical up in the air even if it is just in a tiny plane. I don't really see it broadening the market that greatly. I see a few hundred people who had been breaking the rules with the two place ultralights coming under the governance of the FAA, but that's all I see.
 
Chris;

I feel it is a good ideal. It gives a place for pilots who have been around a while who might have difficulty keeping a medical. Also it is a place where an young pilot to be can get some training on the basics without incurring the tremendous cost involved in getting a PP. There will always be the argument of accidents causes There is always the risks involved but that is what folks said about flying many years ago It is too early to tell and we will not really know until some time has passed to get data regarding accidents and sport pilots. There are a lot of "IFs" but if we work on minimizing these risks in a constructive way it should work out.

I have talked with several pilots who have many years of experience who may go sport not just because of a medical issue but the fact that they love to fly with basic planes. They have flown all the big fast stuff and they tell me that they really just enjoy flying short flights low and slow.

I hope it does attract new people and ideals to aviation for that is what makes the aviation community an interesting and fun place to be.


Thanks for the post and questions

John J
 
I think it's a great idea. There are plenty of people out there who just want to go fly around on pretty weekend day, and private pilot training is just overkill. This makes the training cheaper, and brings it within reach of even more people. With Sport Pilot, there is no reason anyone who can afford to golf can't become a licensed pilot, and we need to be preaching that gospel if we want GA to be more than a hobby for a few rich boys and girls a decade from now. Further, the DL in place of a medical is just common sense. We already self certify on all but the one day every three years or two that we go get our medical.
 
I think it will be more useful in retaining older pilots who either tire of the hassle of getting medicals (especially special issuance) or who don't think they can pass one again than it will be in attracting newbies. I think a lot of pilots who maybe got into flying as a travel tool but then find themselves really only doing recreational flying may opt to go this route, too. I could easily see buying an LSA myself for the kind of flying I generally do and flying as a sport pilot if the Citabria went away for some reason.
 
Ken Ibold said:
I think it will be more useful in retaining older pilots who either tire of the hassle of getting medicals (especially special issuance) or who don't think they can pass one again than it will be in attracting newbies. I think a lot of pilots who maybe got into flying as a travel tool but then find themselves really only doing recreational flying may opt to go this route, too. I could easily see buying an LSA myself for the kind of flying I generally do and flying as a sport pilot if the Citabria went away for some reason.
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This brings up a question for me, the older lapsed medical pilot issue. Now when I as a commercially rated pilot finally say "screw the medical I only fly my Eipper on Amphibs for fun", will I be able to just hop into an LSA and fly off, or do I have to jump through a regulatory hoop?:dunno:
 
Henning said:
This brings up a question for me, the older lapsed medical pilot issue. Now when I as a commercially rated pilot finally say "screw the medical I only fly my Eipper on Amphibs for fun", will I be able to just hop into an LSA and fly off, or do I have to jump through a regulatory hoop?:dunno:
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As the regs currently stand, you do not need to renew your medical when it expires to fly as a sport pilot. However, if you have been denied a medical, you cannot fly UNLESS you get a special issuance, just as in "regular" flying. Then, you just let the special issuance medical expire and you're still good to fly as a sport pilot. There may be some movement on loosening this up a little for people with certain kinds of medical denials, but that's how it stands now.
 
Ken Ibold said:
As the regs currently stand, you do not need to renew your medical when it expires to fly as a sport pilot. However, if you have been denied a medical, you cannot fly UNLESS you get a special issuance, just as in "regular" flying. Then, you just let the special issuance medical expire and you're still good to fly as a sport pilot. There may be some movement on loosening this up a little for people with certain kinds of medical denials, but that's how it stands now.
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What kind of loosening, Ken? This isn't what AAM420 is telling me....
 
bbchien said:
What kind of loosening, Ken? This isn't what AAM420 is telling me....
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I don't know the details, and perhaps in retrospect I shouldn't have even brought it up. Some of the EAA insiders say the FAA is listening to their lobbying on this issue and there may be some movement. However, when and what are uncertain at this point.
 
While the SP certificate definitely has its benefits, I think the main area of progress that was made with all the new rules is the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) rules. I think this will make it much more affordable for some pilots to own their own planes, who don't want to go through the whole kit-build experience. In particular, getting the LSA "repairman" certificate to work on your own plane is a major plus.

I don't think this will attract a lot of new pilots, but may help retain some who can't stand the less expensive crap that is on the rental line and don't want/need to pay a premium for a brand-new Skyhawk. The real key will hopefully be less expensive maintenance cost (I say as I prepare myself for the bill for my Skylane's first annual...)

On the expensive side, but nice:
http://www.usjabiru.com/J250%20Main.htm

or, for a bit less:

http://www.rans.com/Turn%20Key%20Sport%20Plane/Turn_Key.htm
 
The whole thing is almost worthless if the only ones listening are already pilots. This needs to be publicized in non-aviation circles to really get moving. Sport pilot for under $3,000! or some marketing campaign similar to Be A Pilot.
 
Iceman said:
I was just wondering what everyone thought about the recent sport pilot regulations? Do you think it's a good idea or not? Do you think it will cause more accidents? Anything else you would like to respond about?

I think it is a good idea. I'm not sure about only needing a licence to keep flying (my grandma can hardly keep her car on the road and she has a licence). However, I think people will be careful and aviation will grow because of it.
Click to expand...

A good idea for a serious compromise and if you can't get a medical, they'll sure look good. And they've been a great economic stimulus to GA already but, one can't do much with them really, compared to the 'big iron'...

In some cases, high wing struts can be re-enforced to get GW up to and over 1600 #s. Then, with the experimental certification and your PPL, you can do a lot of less encumbered flying, and you don't have to turn into a pumpkin at dusk or in IFR.
 
Does anyone think that some of the smaller certified planes like the 150, 152, and diamond DA-20's should be allowed to fly under sport rules?

With all the 150's priced between 16-22k it would make for a lot cheaper sport class.
 
Iceman said:
Does anyone think that some of the smaller certified planes like the 150, 152, and diamond DA-20's should be allowed to fly under sport rules?

With all the 150's priced between 16-22k it would make for a lot cheaper sport class.
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The downside is that it is forever VFR only.
 
Iceman said:
Does anyone think that some of the smaller certified planes like the 150, 152, and diamond DA-20's should be allowed to fly under sport rules?

With all the 150's priced between 16-22k it would make for a lot cheaper sport class.
Click to expand...

Very much so,, I believe we GA folks need what Canada has, "owner maintained", They basicly place your aircraft in a "X" status you still are required to meet type certificate requirements as inspected IAW an annual every 12 months. but you do not have to have a A&P do the work on your aircraft.

You are not allowed to:
rent it,
haul any thing for payment.
 
NC19143 said:
Very much so,, I believe we GA folks need what Canada has, "owner maintained", They basicly place your aircraft in a "X" status you still are required to meet type certificate requirements as inspected IAW an annual every 12 months. but you do not have to have a A&P do the work on your aircraft.

You are not allowed to:
rent it,
haul any thing for payment.
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I've heard that there are some issues with Canada "owner maintained" category aircraft, if you want to fly cross borders or sell one in another country (namely the USA). I don't know all the details, but it seems to be some kind of legal limbo between experimental and certified.

As an alternative, a mechanic's license for someone like me, who's capable of maintaining his own aircraft and not interested in fixing helicopters and bizjets or anyone else's airplane for profit. I would be willing to earn the right to legally sign my own log book when I change brake pads.
 
larrysb said:
I would be willing to earn the right to legally sign my own log book when I change brake pads.
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Can't you do that now?
 
Iceman said:
Does anyone think that some of the smaller certified planes like the 150, 152, and diamond DA-20's should be allowed to fly under sport rules?

With all the 150's priced between 16-22k it would make for a lot cheaper sport class.
Click to expand...


I think the 150-152 and the Diamond 20 would be a nice addition to the sport rules. Yes it would take them out of the IFR and night arena. It is a tough decision but the benefits to add them to the sport class would be great. These planes are so familiar to most of the non flying public. It could help bring more people into aviation The 150 is a reasonable priced and easy to maintain plane. The 150-152 is a little easier to fly than most of the early trainers that are under the new rule.

John J
 
I like the Sport Pilot rule, but think they should have gone farther and restructured the entire Pilot certification process. Make it more of a stepping stone.

Take lessons, get signed off for solo, you can now fly your plane solo within [5/10/20/??] miles of your airport forever. You now have a Solo learners permit. You have to have a flight review every year, or whenever you haven't flown in the last 90 days to maintain your limited priveleges. Can fly C172 class aircraft or smaller P/W ratio. WX mins 5000/5, Daylight.

Continue your lessons, cross countries, night flights, etc and earn Solo Pilots License. You are still limited to the C172 class P/W but can fly solo anywhere in the country that any other pilot can fly. WX mins 5000/5

Continue training, show more knowledge, etc. get certified as a Sport Pilot. Now you can carry a passenger in that C172.

The next step would be what is now the private. The only change would be that it is now a "Recreational Pilot", since it can not really be used efficiently for much more than recreational purposes.

What is now the instrument ticket would be the "Private" license.

I don't think there needs to be any minimum hour requirements to start any of these phases. It is up to the instructor to determine if, and when each pilot is ready to handle the tasks associated with each particular level.

I also don't think the medical should be required, if at all, until the Private/Instrument level.

As for the type of aircraft, I think the C172 and similar aircraft should be included in what is now the LSA category.
 
lancefisher said:
Can't you do that now?
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Nope.

Brake pads are not a specifically allowed item under the owner preventitive maintenance rule for certificated aircraft.

I can grease the wheel bearings, but I can't change the brake pads and sign the logs myself.
 
Mike;

You make some very interesting points in your post about the whole training process and licensing. Who knows it might make it safer for future pilots.

Thanks for the post.

John J
 
John J said:
Mike;

You make some very interesting points in your post about the whole training process and licensing. Who knows it might make it safer for future pilots.

Thanks for the post.

John J
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Not day VFR only if you operate it as a certificated aircraft under part 91/73/67. But you have to buy the night lighting system (a no brainer).
 
larrysb said:
Nope.

Brake pads are not a specifically allowed item under the owner preventitive maintenance rule for certificated aircraft.

I can grease the wheel bearings, but I can't change the brake pads and sign the logs myself.
Click to expand...

What ever happened to the Primary Category aircraft and owner maintenance?
 
I've actually been thinking about selling the Warrior and going the
Sport Pilot route and buying something like an Avid. No farther than
I ever go and the kind of flying I do would be a natural fit.
 
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