Sport pilot school

AKA~Naked Jailer

AKA~Naked Jailer

Filing Flight Plan
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Another random Day
I'm looking to take a vacation, instead of spending a year getting a lesson a leek to get my SP an maybe having life get in the way, I'd like to go somewhere for two to 4 weeks, and fly home...

Any suggestions for schools in the US that specialize in Sport?
 
There are a few options, Sling Pilot Academy in Torrance, CA is the first to come to mind. But Icon offers sport pilot training in California as well.

What is your end goal? Do you plan to buy a plane (if so, what do you have in mind)? Where do you live and plan to fly?

Also, Have you completed your written? Most accelerated programs want you to knock that out first.
 
You kinda stumped me at “and fly home.” If you intend to fly a school plane home, they’re gonna want it back. That kind of limits you to schools in your immediate area. Where are you?
 
AKA~Naked Jailer said:
I'm looking to take a vacation, instead of spending a year getting a lesson a leek to get my SP an maybe having life get in the way, I'd like to go somewhere for two to 4 weeks, and fly home...

Any suggestions for schools in the US that specialize in Sport?
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Not many, really. Some possibilities below, but most are on the long side and really aimed at 3 days/week. Naturally they all use the FAA minimum hours, which is fairly unrealistic.

* First Landings, Apopka Florida, Tecnam P92 high-wing, gives a two week timeline (the only one I've seen): https://www.firstlandings.com/sport-pilot/
* Sling Academy in Torrance California might do such a thing: https://www.slingpilotacademy.com/individual-courses/
* Paul Hamilton near Reno Nevada does accelerated training: https://sportpilottraining.sportaviationcenter.com/
* AIA in Sacramento California says they do a 30-45 day accelerated program, and their chart lists a "4 week fast track": https://www.aiaviationacademy.com/training/all-pilot-training-programs/sport-pilot/
* Renegade (manufacturer and school), Deland Florida, has a "Prepaid Accelerated Light Sport Pilot Training Package (w/ housing)". http://renegadelightsport.com/sport-pilot-license-training.htm
* In The Pattern, Denton Texas, doesn't explicitly offer accelerated but I'd ask (they have two Vashon Rangers): https://www.inthepattern.com/flight-training

I'd use the typical weather of an area if I chose to go to a city for accelerated training: https://jasonblair.net/?p=743

The "light sport man" list is horribly out of date, but it at least gives some hints about rentals near you: https://lightsportman.com/where-to-rent-light-sport-aircraft-lsa/

Otherwise, there are several places that have a fleet of LSAs, versus just one at an airport. Where do you live?
 
rhkennerly said:
You kinda stumped me at “and fly home.” If you intend to fly a school plane home, they’re gonna want it back. That kind of limits you to schools in your immediate area. Where are you?
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Unless I can buy a plane on the spot I ment figuratively, ground to licensed in 2 weeks.
 
It suposed to be a vacation, so I'm looking for a full service Sport fight school. Travel is good. I'm in Oregon, but would rather good over local.
 
MarkH said:
What is your end goal? Do you plan to buy a plane (if so, what do you have in mind)? Where do you live and plan to fly?

Also, Have you completed your written? Most accelerated programs want you to knock that out first.
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Hobby, fun, buy. I Am new enouph that I don't know what I like yet. I've only been in the 172 so far. Self study? Or on line course?
 
AKA~Naked Jailer said:
It suposed to be a vacation, so I'm looking for a full service Sport fight school. Travel is good. I'm in Oregon, but would rather good over local.
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If you're in PDX, you only have two LSA choices, one is an old Cub taildragger.

I thought about going to Colorado or Utah or Vegas.
 
You’re going to have difficulty getting a SP cert in two weeks anywhere. Odds are high that weather or other issues out of your control will intervene. 4 weeks, maybe, if you take to it real quick.
 
AKA~Naked Jailer said:
Unless I can buy a plane on the spot I ment figuratively, ground to licensed in 2 weeks.
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Okay, understood. I think you are seeing some good location/fleet advice. Of course, knock out the written first. Matching season to location is important. Florida & AZ flying are wonderful during the winter, miserable flop-sweat & bumpy during the summer.

As you said yourself in another post, you don’t know what you like yet.

I’d give up on the idea of owning right away; you need a mission profile first. Visiting around local airports & $100 hamburger runs are perfectly fine—it’s what most of us do. But You are fortunate to live in a region where other non-traditional options are open to you: float plane on fresh water lakes, ski planes on snow, plus activities like hill hopping federal land above the cactus line, gravel bar landings & river running. (See the Trent Palmer & similar vids:
).


Any plane for the $100 hamburger. Specialty equipment for the others.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I only know of them because they ferried a SportCruiser I'm teaching in to here, but you might look at Thrust in Addison, TX. They are kind of the successor to the SportCruiser US presence and have, I think, about a dozen SportCruisers in their fleet with the latest Dynon Skyview HDX panels.
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I forgot about Thrust (and about Chesapeake, above). Chesapeake has two planes, Thurstflight has a dozen (Addison Texas) and advertises PPL "in as little as 3 weeks". I'd probably hit them up to see if they were rentable if I was traveling near there.
 
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I'm in Vegas and a member of Desert Flying Club.

We have 2 Remos GX in our fleet, priced at $118.75/hour and $128.75/hr (the more expensive one has AP). Nice little planes. https://desertflying.club/aircraft-rental-las-vegas-fleet/

But, reach out to Camille (our flying club administrator) to schedule the CFI in advance, because not all of our CFIs train in the Remos, and CFI availability is more difficult than aircraft availability right now. I'm sending you her contact via DM, if anyone else wants it, DM me.
 
Have a talk with First Landings in Apopka, FL. https://www.firstlandings.com/ They can design a program around what you need.

I did both Sport and Private there. First Landings has trained something like 20% of all US Sport Pilots. They have a variety of planes and instructors, so if one becomes unavailable you won’t be stuck.

Plan for 4 weeks. Maybe you’ll get it done in less, but don’t bet on it. Even four is challenging. LSAs, being (obviously) light, are more limited by wind than larger aircraft. You will have some lessons cancelled due to winds or other weather conditions.

Also, check on the availability of the examiner (DPE). Sometimes they have to be booked pretty far in advance.
 
Half Fast said:
LSAs, being (obviously) light, are more limited by wind than larger aircraft
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Well...let's say definitely more challenging. And it's not only weight. Vso in the 30s makes for slow landings without much momentum.

Fun fact: The max demonstrated crosswind component for a SportCruiser is 12. It's 11 for a Mooney J.
 
I wanted to get my Sport Pilot Cert in 2 weeks also...Really thought it was possible. Almost went to First Landings because of their "2 week program", but chose a different school since First Landings was a 2.5 hour drive. I've been on my school's calendar every morning or afternoon since early January and yet I've only flown 17x. Fog, clouds, wind...The cancellations have been constant. I'm really considering throwing in the towel right now. If this is in winter when we don't have many storms, I can't imagine what summer is like. Just doesn't seem like LSA get to go up very often.
 
FLEngineer said:
I wanted to get my Sport Pilot Cert in 2 weeks also...Really thought it was possible. Almost went to First Landings because of their "2 week program", but chose a different school since First Landings was a 2.5 hour drive. I've been on my school's calendar every morning or afternoon since early January and yet I've only flown 17x. Fog, clouds, wind...The cancellations have been constant. I'm really considering throwing in the towel right now. If this is in winter when we don't have many storms, I can't imagine what summer is like. Just doesn't seem like LSA get to go up very often.
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172s and Cherokees get grounded by weather just about as often. Fog and clouds have the same effect on a 172 as on an LSA. And new students are their own limiting factor for wind, not the plane.

Welcome to general aviation.
 
Half Fast said:
172s and Cherokees get grounded by weather just about as often. Fog and clouds have the same effect on a 172 as on an LSA. And new students are their own limiting factor for wind, not the plane.

Welcome to general aviation.
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I get that, as far as training goes. I'm just wondering how often it will really be possible to fly with a SPC after the training. The ability to fly IFR and at night would add a lot more possibility.

For the OP, I would still say 2 weeks is extremely unlikely. My plan was exactly like yours. Take two weeks of vacation, stay in a hotel, and finish the cert quick.
 
There's a flying club here in Walla Walla that offers instruction in a Technam. They have several instructors & a DPE. You'll have to join their club but I believe they offer short term memberships. PM me if you want more info.
 
Checkout Aerodynamic Aviation in San Jose at KRHV. Mild weather year-round. Only 2 SP instructors, and one LSA - a SportStar Max.
 
FLEngineer said:
I get that, as far as training goes. I'm just wondering how often it will really be possible to fly with a SPC after the training. The ability to fly IFR and at night would add a lot more possibility.
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Many private pilots never get (or never use) their instrument rating and many choose not to fly at night. And they do just fine. It's all about the mission and the geography. I suspect speed and carrying capacity is a bigger deciding factor between a Skylane and a Skycatcher than IFR or night flight.

Those who opt for an SPC are just making different choices than you.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Many private pilots never get (or never use) their instrument rating and many choose not to fly at night. And they do just fine. It's all about the mission and the geography. I suspect speed and carrying capacity is a bigger deciding factor between a Skylane and a Skycatcher than IFR or night flight.

Those who opt for an SPC are just making different choices than you.
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Agreed. Also, once you get your SPL, you can get endorsements. And, if you do the required flights to PPL standards, you can apply them toward your PPL.

Some people don't have a choice. They can't, or no longer can pass a 3rd class medical (but haven't failed one), so SPL is their only option, besides ultra-light.
 
Salty said:
Yes, it’s possible, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
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Thats more of an indictment of the garbage level of CFIs most schools employ.

If you are reasonably coordinated and know how to study 10 days would be completely doable.

But most CFIs are garbage and the wait time for DPEs will add weeks/months to your time.
 
pfarber said:
Thats more of an indictment of the garbage level of CFIs most schools employ.

If you are reasonably coordinated and know how to study 10 days would be completely doable.

But most CFIs are garbage and the wait time for DPEs will add weeks/months to your time.
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The best CFI in the world can't fix the weather when it turns bad in the middle of those 10 days.

Don't most schools advertising that kind of accelerated curriculum have a DPE on staff?
 
Dana said:
The best CFI in the world can't fix the weather when it turns bad in the middle of those 10 days.

Don't most schools advertising that kind of accelerated curriculum have a DPE on staff?
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Arizona would like a word with you.

If you can't or won't accept that CFIs are the reason 80%+ of students quit basic flight training then keep your head in the sand.

80%+ of CFIs admit they hate the job, but screwing over students is the preferred wayto get to ATP minimums.
 
pfarber said:
Thats more of an indictment of the garbage level of CFIs most schools employ.

If you are reasonably coordinated and know how to study 10 days would be completely doable.

But most CFIs are garbage and the wait time for DPEs will add weeks/months to your time.
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I have had several CFIs. Most are good. Some are great. I have only had one that I would describe as not very good. None that I would call garbage. But that could just be me.
 
Perhaps the FAA will broaden the Sport Pilot fleet in the near future to include common aircraft like 150’s, 172’s, Cherokee’s etc. Finding a school close to you would then not be an issue. But I take it that you’re in a hurry and not willing to wait that long. Study up and get the written out of the way. If you do that the flying part will become easier to grasp and your learning curve won’t be so steep.
In my particular case, flying 2x a week seemed to be a good balance as I needed time to process what I learned, but everyone is different. Like others have mentioned, weather, scheduling issues, mechanicals and other things will cancel quite a few flights. Pretty tough to have all the stars aligned and get it done in a pre-determined time frame. It’s something you have to get used to when it comes to flying.
 
pfarber said:
If you can't or won't accept that CFIs are the reason 80%+ of students quit basic flight training then keep your head in the sand.
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Where the hell did that come from?

I said, "The best CFI in the world can't fix the weather when it turns bad in the middle of those 10 days." We were talking about weather interfering with completing a SP program in 10 days, then you turn it into a rant about CFIs?
 
I’d like to think that I’m a good candidate for the “SPL in 2 weeks” program. I had 30 hours & a supervised solo in a C150 from almost 30 years ago before life happened. I also regularly fly a very well-equipped Xplane sim which gives me lots of practice with basic procedures. I just need the real-world feel to the controls. I’m hoping to get my SPL in the next couple years. An accelerated program is very appealing…
 
TheLight75 said:
I’d like to think that I’m a good candidate for the “SPL in 2 weeks” program. I had 30 hours & a supervised solo in a C150 from almost 30 years ago before life happened. I also regularly fly a very well-equipped Xplane sim which gives me lots of practice with basic procedures. I just need the real-world feel to the controls. I’m hoping to get my SPL in the next couple years. An accelerated program is very appealing…
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If you can make it work, I'd do it. There used to be an outfit in FL that did a 2 week PPL. Sport seems much more reasonable. Get an online or computer test thing to bring yourself up to the current level of regulations, weather stuff, avionics, etc. Mostly, I would expect you'll be learning ground handling, landing, and maneuvers.
 
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