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Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 2:51 pm
by cyriaque
Happy to find this forum. I live in Baton Rouge. 67 yr old PP with about 500 hours time. I'm looking to get a current BFR as a sport pilot. The closest LSA I can find for rent is in New Orleans. If anyone in my area who is current as PP or SP would like to share expenses and take me along, I'd love to do that. I've got about 90 hrs taildragger time. Learned to fly in a J3. Got my IFR in Raleigh, NC area 23 yrs ago but found staying current not the type of flying I like. Last time I had the opportunity to fly a bit was about 5 yrs ago in a Sportstar that was available for rent in Hammond. Great, fun little airplane. I've seen a couple of other La. guys here and hope to hear from them.

Re: Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:20 pm
by FlyingForFun
Delete

Re: Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:08 pm
by cyriaque
Thanks for the reply. I'm aware of that and may have to do that since LSAs are scarce as hen's teeth around Baton Rouge. I've got about 8 hrs in an Evektor Sportstar. Why haven't LSAs caught on better with FBOs?

Re: Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:15 pm
by FlyingForFun
Delete

Re: Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:48 pm
by drseti
Welcome aboard, Charles. If you'd care to take a little vacation, come up to rural Central PA, where I run a small flight school using an Evektor SportStar. We have a nice little B&B about a mile from the airport, where you and your spouse can stay, take in some Amish Country tours, enjoy some wonderful meals, we can get your flight review out of the way, and you can rent the SportStar to explore the northern Appalachians. You'll find Lock Haven a lovely community, and the historic Piper Memorial Airport is full of friendly and supportive pilots. (I have openings available in mid-October, when the fall foliage is at its best.)

As for your question about the dearth of rental LSAs, this has been a problem for the industry, much discussed on these forums. The problem is partly economic, partly perceptual, and partly one of tradition on the part of established FBOs ("this is the way we've always done it"). Nine years in, we're still trying to achieve critical mass.

The good news is that we've cranked out thousands of Sport Pilots (and unknown thousands of higher rated pilots who've let their medical lapse and are flying as Sport Pilots). Contrast this with the mere couple of hundred Recreational Pilot certificates that were issued during the three decades that option has been available, and I think you'll agree that SP and LSA are at least modestly successful.

I hope you'll stay actively involved in the discussions here. It's good to have you in our little family.

Re: Charles in Baton Rouge

Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:07 pm
by cyriaque
Thank you for the invitation to PA. It's been a long time since I have been to that beautiful part of the world. Had two nice Navy cruises at NAS Willow Grove back in the '60s. The Sportstar is a great airplane in so many ways. Handles like a little fighter. I loved flying it down in the "wilds" of southeastern La. If I had the $$$ it's the plane I would buy.