Sport Pilot and Glider Questions

"BTIZ" wrote in message
news:ICBKf.40$Uc2.37@fed1read04...
If I recall correctly.. there is no Glider Rating at the Sport Pilot
level.
If you complete a Sport Pilot Rating in "airplane", then you still need to
complete a Glider Rating at the Private Pilot Level. Complete with Glider
Private Pilot written exam and check ride.

Yes you can get a Sport Pilot - Glider; however, the standards are so close
to the Private Pilot - Glider that I hardly see why it would be worth while.

I seem to remember that the basic requirements are something like the
following:
1 . Must be 16 years old
2. Total of 20 hours in a heavier-then-air aircraft with: 10 hours of flight
time in a glider, including 10 flights in a glider receiving flight training
from an authorized Instructor and at least 2 hours of solo flight.
3. Five solo launches and landings, and 3 hours of flight training on those
areas of operation specified in §61.311.
4. Have passed the written examination; and
5. Have passed the flight exam with an Examiner

http://www.aopa.org/sportpilot/pts_sport_airplane.pdf Chapter 3 covers the
practical test standards for Sport Pilot glider privileges.

Flying sailplanes as a Sport Pilot would limit you to flights less than
10,000 feet MSL (major problem where I fly) and a sailplane that has a Vne
of less than 120 kts.

I really don't know where the Virus falls. It meets the Sport Aircraft -
airplane; however, I am sure that its' Vne is over 120 kts; therefore, fails
to meet the Sport Aircraft - glider requirements.

I believe the Private Pilot - Glider (self-launch) is the best route to
flying a Virus.

The bottom like is that you must have a pilot certificate that matches the
aircraft's airworthiness certificate. If the FAA calls it a glider, it is a
glider. Otherwise it is a single engine airplane. (If you review the FAA
records you will see some WindRose homebuilts registered as gliders and some
registered as single-engine airplanes.)

Wayne
HP-14 N990 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/

"Flying sailplanes as a Sport Pilot would limit you to flights less than
10,000 feet MSL (major problem where I fly) and a sailplane that has a Vne
of less than 120 kts."

Not quite true. There is an exception to flying over 10,000 feet. I recall
it is a maximum clearance. Also, the maximum speed is based upon level
flight operation and is not Vne. It is Vh.

Colin

"COLIN LAMB" wrote in message
ink.net...
Not quite true. There is an exception to flying over 10,000 feet. I
recall
it is a maximum clearance. Also, the maximum speed is based upon level
flight operation and is not Vne. It is Vh.


Colin.

Here are a couple quotes:

Source: http://www.sportpilot.org/nprm/sectional_analysis.html

An unpowered light-sport aircraft (e.g. glider) would have a maximum
never-exceed speed (VNE) of 115 knots, as VH is not applicable. This speed
limitation also limits the commanded kinetic energy of an aircraft flown by
a pilot holding a sport pilot certificate. For a VNE equal to 80% of the
aircraft's structural design limit speed, a 115-knot VNE limit for aircraft
would mean that structural design limits would preclude gliders with a speed
capability in excess of 144 knots from being approved as light-sport
aircraft (144 X .80=115).A light-sport aircraft would have a maximum stall
speed in the landing configuration (VS0) of 39 knots. This value for a
maximum stall speed is a characteristic of low-performance aircraft and
would assist in ensuring that light-sport aircraft possess handling
characteristics commensurate with the training and experience of sport
pilots. It is also consistent with foreign airworthiness standards for
similar performance aircraft.

Source: http://www.sportpilot.org/becoming/

Restrictions on a sport pilot certificate: ....... no flights above
10,000' MSL ......

Am I missing something here?

Respectfully,

Wayne

do you have a source for the exception for over 10,000ft MSL in gliders
under the LSA category?
BT

"COLIN LAMB" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Flying sailplanes as a Sport Pilot would limit you to flights less than
10,000 feet MSL (major problem where I fly) and a sailplane that has a Vne
of less than 120 kts."

Not quite true. There is an exception to flying over 10,000 feet. I
recall it is a maximum clearance. Also, the maximum speed is based upon
level flight operation and is not Vne. It is Vh.

Colin