Sport Pilot Talk

So how is it that a motor glider can cruises at 147 knots and you can fly at night yet sport pilots cannot?

https://barnstormers.com/ad_detail.php? ... atid=19439

Oh not to mention retractable gear.

And you can still fly it even if you have failed a medical.

Can i convert a L39 to a motor glider?
Joking.....

Don't confuse pilot certificate privileges with category and class capabilities. A Sport Pilot flying motor gliders is still restricted to 120 kts redline and day VFR only. A Private Pilot with a glider rating can fly at night, and has neither a gross weight nor a redline restriction. In other words, if you want more privileges, you have to get a Private (regardless of the category and class of aircraft you fly).

I think the point is, the privileges awarded to a private pilot flying a motor glider are far greater than those awarded to a sport pilot flying an airplane when you consider the disparity of the medical requirements.

True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

Full disclosure: the guy selling that motorglider is a friend of mine. That said, I notice that the Barnstormers ad was posted in October 2019, and says that the annual is current through August 2019. Time warp, anyone?

drseti wrote:True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

None of those things for PP Glider. Not that I'm opposed to the motorglider privileges. Motorgliders were the pre sport pilot medical end run. Hasn't been a problem for decades.

drseti wrote:True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

I just don’t see it - it is all about a medical certificate. PP training is hardly more taxing and frankly, SP limitations are not worth the difference in training - imho both SP and PP certificated pilots start out just as green and the real learning only starts once you get your cert and start building hours.

Warmi wrote:imho both SP and PP certificated pilots start out just as green and the real learning only starts once you get your cert and start building hours.

I certainly can't disagree with that!

Warmi wrote:

drseti wrote:True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

I just don’t see it - it is all about a medical certificate. PP training is hardly more taxing and frankly, SP limitations are not worth the difference in training - imho both SP and PP certificated pilots start out just as green and the real learning only starts once you get your cert and start building hours.

But you don’t understand. Without the ability to withhold those privileges, there is no way to squeeze more money out of the aspiring pilot.

Warmi wrote:

drseti wrote:True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

I just don’t see it - it is all about a medical certificate. PP training is hardly more taxing and frankly, SP limitations are not worth the difference in training - imho both SP and PP certificated pilots start out just as green and the real learning only starts once you get your cert and start building hours.

That's bullshit. There is a tremendous amount of learning that takes place for both Sport Pilot and Private Pilot in going from a zero time student to a certificated Sport Pilot or Private Pilot. The point is, you never know it all and you never stop learning.

drseti wrote:True, but there's more to earning a PP than just holding a medical certificate. There's night training, hood training, a longer solo XC, and more dual and solo hours. As far as I'm concerned, the PP has earned those extra privileges.

The difference between private pilot glider and sport pilot airplane is not that much. In fact I think that getting a private pilot glider rating is easier than sport pilot airplane.