Sport Pilot Talk

Hello,
I'm new here and see their is a lot of great information. I am semi retired at 50 and have the time and money to get my LSA license. This has been a dream for many years. But I'm having a hard time finding a flight school because of my size. I want to build a Cub or KitFox but I want to have my LSA license before I start writing checks for a plane. I live in Southeast Indiana just 20 minutes west of Cincinnati Ohio. I have a local school that trains in a J3 Cub, but the instructor is 245lbs and I'm right at 270lbs. That only leaves like 30lbs for fuel. I'm just a big country boy. 6ft tall and built like a power lifter. I even called Thrust Flight school in Texas. They offer a 2week fast track course for LSA. It's 8 hours a day training for 14 days, both class and flight time. But they have a 200lb weight limit. I weighed that as a JR in high school. They actually told me to make this post on here to find a small instructor with a tail wheeled aircraft that can train a 270 lb guy. I'm willing to travel and spend as much time as it takes to make this dream come true. I will have completed any and all online courses before flight training. I know there is guys my size flying LSA. I'm looking to build and keep a Bush plane here at the farm in Indiana. I already built a 1/4 mile grass strip... I will be very grateful for any and all advice that can help me attain my LSA License..

Thanks everyone..

LittleJoe.

I know of two schools in IL that can accommodate 270 lbs students but none of them supports getting taildragger endorsements.

I asked a BushCat dealer here in IL about it and this is what I got from them
We don’t have a BushCat taildragger for instruction purpose at Galt 10C. The BushCat can easily handle a 270 lbs person though. Our Dealer in Atlanta, GA have a BushCat taildragger which they instruct in and do tailwheel endorsements. However, their BushCat is not insured for solo flight, so that makes it tricky to get your whole license through them. Give them a call and see what they may be able to do for you:
Get Inspired Flight
(706) 804-GIFT

Joe, I share your weight category, if not your height, and sadly can't qualify for a 3rd class medical, but I'm 70 and take several meds.

IF you are healthy enough to pass the physical, I'd truly suggest you go for Private pilot, not Light Sport. Get that and then you are able to fly a wide variety of aircraft, including the Kitfox, when you get type rated in them. More importantly your weight/size won't be a factor in the typical planes used by general flight schools nor stuck with so few choices for small/light CFIs.

A Sport Pilot certificate is what you are after. That is all that is needed to fly LSA without a 3rd class medical. I agree that a Private Pilot certificate might be the way to go if you can pass an FAA 3rd class medical.

I lost 33 pounds in 60 days so I could get checked out in a Cessna SkyCatcher. If you are over-weight at 270, I would start by losing a few pounds. Every 6 pounds is another gallon of fuel.

Otherwise, just keep looking until you find an instructor and aircraft that will work for you. Good luck.

Thanks for all the great advice. But I'm afraid I will not pass the Medical. 5 back surgeries and while the last one was a success I had to take pain Meds for months post surgery. That was a year ago. I talked to a lady at the AOPA and she said with my medical history they will probably decline me for a 3rd class medical. And if that happens I may never get a LSA license. I'm on no Meds at this time and have not had pain Meds in 6 months. But she didn't feel I would qualify for PPL.

So if my dream to fly is going to happen it will have to be LSA. If I have to go to afew different schools to get this done I will. Not a problem. But this whole thing has motivated me to drop some weight. I will definitely contact the schools you guys recommend. I'm just wanting to fly around the house and maybe up and down the Ohio River where I live. I will more than likely never see a airport. Just use my home strip. I have never been told I could not do something because of my size. This makes me want it that much more..lol. I raced motorcycles, been a firefighter and many other things. Being a big guy just means I had to try harder to be successful. This will be know different. I really like this forum, I have learned a lot from reading the post here.

Thanks,
Littlejoe.

You might also want to consider an ultralight of some sort. You could take some lessons in a Cessna 172, then jump in an ultralight and off you go.

Do you have room to increase the length of your runway? 1320 feet is pretty short, too short for most LSA, I believe.

To follow up on Tim's sage counsel, this ultralight has a useable load with a full tank of over 300#

https://www.uflyit.com/aerolite_103_specifications.htm

It's simply the first one I found doing a quick Google. And...per their specs it can take off and land TWICE in your length runway - lol

I didn't check to see where Johnstown, OH even is, but these guys sound interesting:

https://heavenboundaviation.com/

Yes I have more room if needed. Just need to take out a section of fence and extend my grass strip. Not sure I should tell this, but 20yrs ago I heard a guy built a Gyrocopter on our farm. He played with it till he learned to fly around the pasture. Then life got in the way and he sold it. That may just be one of those urban legends..lol. But I heard he was a big guy...

Thanks for all your great advice

Littlejoe.

Since you are willing to travel (and maybe have a great adventure), you can give Paul Hamilton a call in Carson City NV. http://sportaviationcenter.com/
I've heard his operation has some excellent trainers and aircraft, including a fantastic Sling 2. Not a tail dragger, but you can get that endorsement afterwards. Good Luck!

The reason I mentioned BushCat planes is because it seems to me what you want to do is exactly who this guy is doing ...

https://youtu.be/b7JOshq9Szc

He is retired cop, a big guy , probably around 300 lbs , flying a taildragger BushCat off of his private , make shift grass strip close to his house.

OMG, that is a BIG guy. I saw the BushCat in Sebring and Deland. It's a pretty cool plane for a taildragger. Very affordable and offer up 3 engine choices. With a 472 foot take off roll I'd say your runway is plenty long.

I'm 270 and he is a bigger man than I am. I know a guy in Tennessee that's 315 and flys a KitFox. So I know it can be done. I'm going to make this happen, but I may have to get creative. I just got a call from my local flight school that has the J3 Cub. If I drop 20lb he will take me.. It may take me a month but I will drop the weight. He said we will just run 1/2 tank of fuel. Only problem is he don't have a CFI. For the final exam. Hope I'm understanding that right. So I'm going to buy a online ground school course and learn everything I can while I'm getting down to my fighting weight..lol.

So it looks like I will be able to get my training 25 minutes from home. Then after I'm confident in the cub, done my solo cross country and have the required hours I will have to travel somewhere and find a smaller examiner that can do my final.. Am I understanding this right??

I really appreciate all you guys help. This is all new to a dumb country boy. Looks like I may get to foe fill my dream of owning a Bush Plane and flying it legal. Not like that guy did with his Gyrocopter 20yrs ago...lol

Most of us can shed a few pounds. If you need to do that in a hurry look into a personal trainer. They really keep you honest. Also most of us are less likely to let them down becausea good one is really motivating. Good luck.

If you are eating the standard American diet any of the low carb religions will cut 20lbs in a month easy. Did I say religions? I meant diets.