Training for Private without medical

[RyanC]

As a newly-minted Sport Pilot thinking about Private down the road, I'm unclear as to a few of the details regarding how flight experience can be counted toward a certificate when flying SP.

Specifically, without a medical, can I still count hours toward Private? With the obvious exception of night work, it seems like everything else is within the limitations of Sport Pilot. My medical situation is complicated, which is why I started with SP in the first place. Since getting a Special Issuance could very well take months, it'd be nice to be able to make significant headway while I'm waiting.

Also, does it make a difference whether I did said training (the Dual portion, obviously) in an LSA or would I need to find a bigger plane like a C172?

[ArionAv8or]

Here is an entire thread dedicated to this very subject. This one should keep you entertained for a while.

http://sportpilottalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1765

[zdc]

Just remember, if your special is rejected , you can no longer be a Sport Pilot. Even if you ask to withdraw your medical application before a decision is made, that will be considered a denial.

[RyanC]

Here is an entire thread dedicated to this very subject. This one should keep you entertained for a while.

http://sportpilottalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1765

My situation is sort of the reverse of what's discussed in this thread -- I want to use an LSA to train for the Private (ie, just keep going in the Remos). It makes sense that I could do dual hours and be OK but I'm unclear on whether the solo time, logged as Sport Pilot PIC, would satisfy those requirements toward the Private certificate when flown with no medical. I ask because my understanding is that normally a Student Certificate, when being used toward a Private does require a medical.

Obviously the night flying requirements are a whole 'nother issue all together...

Just remember, if your special is rejected , you can no longer be a Sport Pilot.

Yep -- I know; something I've thought about. My condition is not specifically forbidden by the FAA, though, so I think with sufficient headache and paperwork I could hook it up.

[zdc]

My understanding is that all of your solo time as a Sport Pilot without a medical would count towards the solo time required for private. Your dual instruction for Sport would also count towards Private as long as it was given by Subpart H CFI and not a Subpart K CFI [Sport Instructor].

[zdc]

BTW, the night flying requirements for private is dual instruction not PIC for the student, so you could still train for the night requirement without a medical in a Sport Plane [night equipped] with a Subpart H instructor. At least thats the way I interpret the reg's.

[3Dreaming]

All of your solo time counts towards the requirements. All of your instruction from a sub part "H" instructor counts towards the requirements. All of the training can be done in the Remos if it has the required equipment. You can take the check ride in the Remos if it has the required equipment. The only thing you have to have the medical for is to take the private check ride. Before you go and take your medical make sure you can still fly while you are waiting on the results. Also make double sure that getting it issued will not be a problem or you will become a former sport pilot.

[Jim Stewart]

Just remember, if your special is rejected , you can no longer be a Sport Pilot. Even if you ask to withdraw your medical application before a decision is made, that will be considered a denial.

This just requires a little planning. Call around and make sure that your medical examiner is willing to do the exam first and submit the paperwork after you pass. Regardless of what others have said, there are examiners that understand the situation and will work with you to see that you don't get a denial on your records.

[Jim Stewart]

Just did the paperwork for PP in a light sport with much light sport time.

All solo time counts. There is no verification of past medical ratings.

Your solo cross-country time may or may not count. I think distance requirements are longer for PP.

You'll need 3 hours of hood time, night cross country and 10 full-stop night landings.

[zdc]

Just remember, if your special is rejected , you can no longer be a Sport Pilot. Even if you ask to withdraw your medical application before a decision is made, that will be considered a denial.

This just requires a little planning. Call around and make sure that your medical examiner is willing to do the exam first and submit the paperwork after you pass. Regardless of what others have said, there are examiners that understand the situation and will work with you to see that you don't get a denial on your records.

Ryan has said he has a complicated medical condition, which means the Flight Surgeon will be requesting many documents. The designated medical examiner may say he is qualified but the Flight Surgeon will make the final determination and the Flight Surgeon will not make any decisions unless an application has been submitted. Ryan could seek consultation with a DME before submitting an application but a friendly DME can not guarantee approval from the Flight Surgeon.

[bitten192]

Getting your medical approved by Kansas City is a crap shoot. It depends on who you get to look at your medical records. I had an organ transplant and it took 6 months to get my medical approved. They kept asking for me to get another medical test (bring another rock). At one point they gave me 30 days to send more records and the next week I got a certified letter saying my medical was dis-approved. I wrote them another letter pointing out their error and they finally approved my medical but I had to reapply every year so that meant 6 months later I had to do it all over again. After the second time around with them I decided to stop rolling the dice with them and fly under Light Sport rules.

eb
CFI, LRSM-a/c

[bryancobb]

Hi Ryan,

Just to restate what has already been said:
The ONLY sport hours in your logbook that CANNOT be credited toward a private license, is the DUAL hours you got from a Sport CFI, regardless of what plane you were flying.

A DENIED medical application nixxes your Sport Flying forever, unless you appeal, spend a LOT of $$, and win your case.

I would NEVER attempt to get a medical, if I were you, unless an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) will do a preliminary physical, off the record, and give you 100% assurance that you would pass, at his level. I doubt an AME would give you 100% assurance that you would be successful at getting a Special Issuance, once Oklahoma City becomes involved. Once the local Doctor's not allowed to give you your medical, and he has to send your file to OK City, it becomes a CRAPSHOOT with your Sport Pilot Flying dangling in the balance.

The AOPA has a team of Doctors who specialize in getting your SPECIFIC CASE INFORMATION, and help you with an EDUCATED GUESS on the success of the special issuance after it gets to OK City. These Doctors have a pretty good track record, and there's NO RISK with discussing your case with them.

[ming1000]

I have thyroid issues though it is totally under control; my specialist even let me try to get rid of drugs; medically, I'm doing very well.

As I'm passing sport checkride in the next couple days, I'm facing the same dilemma. I do want to have a PPL, but the risk is there, a reject means not flying foreeever.

My instructor's tip is to NOT signing anything before AME say OK.

[FLA-CFI]

The only thing you have to have the medical for is to take the private check ride....

Do you? Can't you act as PIC in a Sport plane and carry passengers with only a Sport Pilot License. For the checkride I know the applicant is PIC which would be legal in a LSA....

Unless some one else has spoken with a DPE.

[bryancobb]

Here's THE IF's:

All this is assuming the Pilot Applicant's goal is to fly at the Sport Level.

1) The night dual and 10 night TO/LDG's for the Private is NOT NEEDED for Sport so do not spend any $ or time on getting that. The private can have a DAY ONLY limitation placed on it.
2) If ALL 20 OF YOUR DUAL HOURS were in a Remos and were from a Subpart H instructor, even if you had no medical, THAT TIME CAN COUNT toward the private.
3) IF ALL 20 OF YOUR SOLO HOURS were in a Remos, that time CAN COUNT toward private, even if you had no medical.
4) A private checkride CAN be done in an LSA such as a Cessna 162 or Remos.
5) FAR 61.23(a)(3)(vi) REQUIRES a medical for the checkride regardless of the type plane used for the test.
6) If you showed up at the DPE's place, in a Remos, with 20 hrs dual and 20 hrs solo in your logbook, no night hours, (all Remos time with a Subpart H CFI), a class III medical you had gotten the day before, a written test report for the Private written, and your CFI's signoff that you are ready, the Private DPE will give you the private checkride. (In the Remos if he's qualified to do checkrides in the Remos)