Sport Pilot Talk

Hello. I started flight training in 2002, but health stopped my path. I can hold an SI Class III, but at that time, that was going to be insufficient. At that time, I was an Aircraft Dispatcher in PHX, and wanted to fly commercially.

Back in April, a friend of mine took me up in a 172, which got me thinking... I hadnt been in anything smaller than a Boeing in a very long time.

I'm an aircraft dispatcher instructor for a worldwide all cargo operation in Memphis. I've flown flight deck Jumpseat for 312 flights. The local fbo here has a C162, and I can now afford flight training.

I guess that means its time to go fly. My friend who started all this is flying him and I up to OSH in a 172 for a few days for th show this year.

Very glad to be here...

Welcome Dispatch. Time to get in the front seat! OSH will certainly get you pumped up for flying!

Welcome, Dispatch. We are both beginner- and rebeginner-friendly here.

Sounds like you will likely be flying the C-162. Use 'search' here and you'll find lots of comments about that plane's (good) flight performance. Alas, also about much else since its manufacturing history was a bit of a saga. But zero in on the flight comments and you might find them helpful.

I'm up in DC at the Airlines 4 America HQ at an airline FAA operations specifications meeting, and while I am up here, I made an appt with the DC FSDO and got myself issued a new Student Pilot Certificate.

I fly back to MEM tomorrow. Each trip up here I do at least one cool touristy thing. One meeting I took a White House tour, one trip I visited the National Crypto Museum at Ft Meade (former intel/crypto in the military), another the National Archives, and one trip the downtown annex of the National Air and Space Museum.

Tomorrow, I'm doing the NASM at Dulles, don't fly out til 1900.

Reading Machado's Sport Pilot handbook. I'd like to take the knowledge test before I head up to Oshkosh.

Planning on starting flying late September, when I get back from my annual required ops FAM ride, and the air around MEM is less 'juicy'. Still can't decide where to go for my ops ride...

Machado's book is a good read. He makes the key concepts memorable through humor and illustrations while still covering all the information. You have the advantage of some aviation experience which will be an asset in taking your written test early.

The Gliem online prep is good as well if you want to go through and study the exact exam questions. It's helpful to have the actual knowledge from reading and study but also the test prep so you can slam through the "trick questions" for a super high score.

If you ever feel like heading east, stop by Copperhill, TN, and I'll show you how the other half lives!