The Sport Pilot Rating

Finally, a place for sport pilot instructors and/or wannabees to talk about instructing.

Moderator: drseti

Wm.Ince
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2013 3:27 pm
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by Wm.Ince »

MrMorden wrote: . . . I can do everything I need to complete my recreational flying mission with my SP rating. And I do think that within 5-10 years the Class 3 Medical will be going away, as it serves bery little safety purpose. SP was the first atep, BasicMed was the second. The FAA moves slowly, but it will get there eventually.
Concur there.
It’s what fits the mission. SP is not for everybody, but presently, suits my needs just fine.
Bill Ince
LSRI
Retired Heavy Equipment Operator
User avatar
FastEddieB
Posts: 2880
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:33 pm
Location: Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by FastEddieB »

MrMorden wrote:Plus my ELSA has the considerable advantage of self-maintenance.
Wow! I wish my Sky Arrow could do that!
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
CFI, CFII, CFIME
[email protected]
Wm.Ince
Posts: 1080
Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2013 3:27 pm
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by Wm.Ince »

FastEddieB wrote:
MrMorden wrote:Plus my ELSA has the considerable advantage of self-maintenance.
Wow! I wish my Sky Arrow could do that!
:D . . Maybe it’s time for you to “trade up!”
Bill Ince
LSRI
Retired Heavy Equipment Operator
User avatar
MrMorden
Posts: 2184
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 7:28 am
Location: Athens, GA

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by MrMorden »

FastEddieB wrote:
MrMorden wrote:Plus my ELSA has the considerable advantage of self-maintenance.
Wow! I wish my Sky Arrow could do that!
That’s the difference between a German airplane and an Italian one... :wink:
Andy Walker
Athens, GA
Sport Pilot ASEL, LSRI
2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
nub_pilot
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 9:09 am

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by nub_pilot »

ultimately, I would love to own an E-LSA to allow me to conduct the inspections and majority of the maintenance. I enjoy working on anything with an engine.

I have meet with my instructor to identify a path forward and I think we have a great plan. Hopefully I can get everything in order and complete my training in the shortest amount of time possible.
TimTaylor
Posts: 1594
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:17 pm

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by TimTaylor »

No need to rush it. Enjoy the journey. Learning to fly is flying.
Retired from flying.
User avatar
drseti
Posts: 7227
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:42 pm
Location: Lock Haven PA
Contact:

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by drseti »

MrMorden wrote: That’s the difference between a German airplane and an Italian one... :wink:
Correct! One maintains itself to death, whilst the other neglects itself to death. (I leave it to the reader to speculate as to which is which.)
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
User avatar
drseti
Posts: 7227
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:42 pm
Location: Lock Haven PA
Contact:

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by drseti »

nub_pilot wrote: Hopefully I can get everything in order and complete my training in the shortest amount of time possible.
Completing in the shortest time possible produces pilots with the lowest skill level possible! Since there's no substitute for experience, you'll be better off taking it slow and easy.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
nub_pilot
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 9:09 am

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by nub_pilot »

drseti wrote:
nub_pilot wrote: Hopefully I can get everything in order and complete my training in the shortest amount of time possible.
Completing in the shortest time possible produces pilots with the lowest skill level possible! Since there's no substitute for experience, you'll be better off taking it slow and easy.
You provide a good point as Want to learn as much as I can and be able to provide sufficient proficiency to be the safest pilot I can be. I love learning all I can with regards to this topic and I can't seem to get enough reading and watching various training videos. While the reading nor the videos provide the quality learning as does actual flying, I can at least try to be prepared with what to expect when actual training occurs.

thanks for the feedback and redirections.
nub_pilot
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 9:09 am

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by nub_pilot »

UPDATE:
Found a plane and instructor about 40min from me (only LSA available for training in the state). Schedule a discovery flight, get in the air, and about 2 hours later we land. What an awesome feeling and want to train everyday to learn as much as I can along with becoming proficient in all of it.

I get the flu and am out a whole week, during that time the owner of the plane (lease back to charter for instruction) is getting some soft field training from my instructor and they have an incident which results in a total of the plane (no one was hurt and they walked away). Now I'm on the search for another option. the instructor has a Cub available, but I'm about 30lbs over weight. My work schedule makes it very challenging to eat right and exercise properly.

I travel to VA a lot and thought I would reach out to a local school there. stopped in and asked about whether they teach Sport Pilot and have an LSA. the young instructor looked at me and in a snooty voice asked "why would you want to do that?" I felt it was beneath him to stoop down and teach the menial Sport Pilot course. I felt offended b y his question and replied that I might not clear a medical and didn't want to take the risk. his tone changed a little bit and seemed to brush me off because I would become a future student.

I really hate people that jump to conclusions and feel that a lower level certificate is useless. I explained my situation in CT in which there are no other eligible LSA's with enough useful weight to train in. an other instructor said that is why the Sport Pilot certificate will never survive because there is not enough of a return on the plane investment.

feeling discouraged, but I am going to charge forward and continue to train with my ground school course and get that taken care of now while I continue to look for other opportunities.

sorry for venting in this forum, but I need to get it out of my system to be able to move forward.


thanks for listening.
Jeremy
TimTaylor
Posts: 1594
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:17 pm

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by TimTaylor »

Maybe you need to take two weeks vacation and go somewhere and "get 'er done."
Last edited by TimTaylor on Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Retired from flying.
nub_pilot
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 9:09 am

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by nub_pilot »

TimTaylor wrote:Maybe you need to take two weeks vacation and go some where and "get 'er done."
I'd love to do that, do you have any recommendations.....I have the Hotel points and the vacation time at work.
TimTaylor
Posts: 1594
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:17 pm

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by TimTaylor »

No, I don't, but I'm sure some others here do.
Retired from flying.
JJ Campbell
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri May 31, 2019 4:10 pm

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by JJ Campbell »

nub_pilot wrote:
TimTaylor wrote:Maybe you need to take two weeks vacation and go some where and "get 'er done."
I'd love to do that, do you have any recommendations.....I have the Hotel points and the vacation time at work.
I live in VA near the Pentagon and it takes me 75 minutes to drive to the other side of the Bay Bridge to W29 on Kent Island. This is the home of Chesapeake Sport Pilot. They have 2 Tecnam P92 Eaglets high-wing LSAs with much better usable weight than C162s. They also have 2 low-wing RV12 LSAs. Great place to train but the winds are a challenge in the Winter being on the Chesapeake bay. But, you do get to be pretty darn good at cross-wind landings!
Sport Pilot ASEL
Tecnam P92 Eaglet
nub_pilot
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 9:09 am

Re: The Sport Pilot Rating

Post by nub_pilot »

JJ Campbell wrote:
nub_pilot wrote:
TimTaylor wrote:Maybe you need to take two weeks vacation and go some where and "get 'er done."
I'd love to do that, do you have any recommendations.....I have the Hotel points and the vacation time at work.
I live in VA near the Pentagon and it takes me 75 minutes to drive to the other side of the Bay Bridge to W29 on Kent Island. This is the home of Chesapeake Sport Pilot. They have 2 Tecnam P92 Eaglets high-wing LSAs with much better usable weight than C162s. They also have 2 low-wing RV12 LSAs. Great place to train but the winds are a challenge in the Winter being on the Chesapeake bay. But, you do get to be pretty darn good at cross-wind landings!
Tomorrow I'm going to run down to Horizon in Chesapeake to see if they have an accelerated program. I can always work out an extended work trip down here to see if I can get it taken care of rather than wait for something to become available in CT.

I also looked into do an accelerated program in FL. I've also heard that AZ has a couple also.
Post Reply