But seriously - new engine

In article ,
says...


"sleepy6" wrote

The claim about time needed to get SP up and running is debateable.
Many existing certificated planes have been available for training f
rom
the first day.

Really? At FBO's in the rental fleets? I don't agree, at least aroun
d
here.

There was about a 2 year period to get ramped up for
this

You are kidding, right? Until the rule was published, no one knew for
sure
what the specifics were going to be. Surely not enough to go out and
buy an
airplane, and then have it not qualify.

and another year since it went into effect.

The list of planes that are approved has grown, but slowly. Still, th
e
planes are expensive, and until the FBO's see the need, they won't buy
. It
is a catch 22.

As far as a newbie just entering the sport, there just isn't enough
difference involved to get the SP ticket instead of the PP ticket.

Except for those who know they can not pass a medical, and have never
tried
to get a medical. I believe those numbers are significant. Still, th
ey are
stuck in the catch 22, waiting for a way to get the training, and a pl
ane to
fly.
--
Jim in NC

Lots of certificated planes qualify Jim. Look at the list the EAA puts
out. It was well known way before the final version came out but even
if it wasn't, it's been a year since then. Any FBO could have set up a
program with an old L3 or L4 anytime.

The time excuse has worn pretty thin. There are people out there today
who had absolutely no FAA experience or certs prior to SP that are now
legally instructing pilots and teaching the maintaince classes. The
existing FBOs and instructors would have had it easier than they did.

The real bottom line is that SP is too close to PP for the average
student to accept it.

Until that changes, there will not be a large number of SP students.