What is this sports pilot license about?

Hi Again,

I was noticing their have been a lot of posts on the usenet about this
sports pilot license that doesn't even require a physical.

What is the point of this? I think it is crazy from what I have read. It
makes it sound like you all you need to do is show a drivers license and you
can fly a lighweight?

My dad was a pilot and owned a C172. About 12 years ago, I had gotten all
my hours in except for the solo. My father sold the plane after it received
hail damage.

I finally have decided to go back and get my private pilots license.
However, I am starting from scratch because even though something like a
C172 is easy to fly, it is extremely important to go through all the
training and learn how to fly properly.

My personal goal is to get my Private Pilot's License and then go and get my
instrument rating.

However, it worries me that there may be people that are just waiting for
the sports pilot certifcation in order to get their pilot by learning at
home or however.

I want a no fly zone declared over my house if that is the point of the
sports pilot license.

FF

"Frequent_Flyer" wrote in message
.com...
I was noticing their have been a lot of posts on the usenet about this
sports pilot license that doesn't even require a physical.

What is the point of this? I think it is crazy from what I have read. It
makes it sound like you all you need to do is show a drivers license and
you
can fly a lighweight?

You obviously haven't read anything factual regarding the Sport Pilot
certificate. Except maybe the part about not requiring a physical (and
that's not even a sure thing).

In fact, the Sport Pilot certificate will result in MORE pilots being
required to obtain formal training and FAA certification than they do now.

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Frequent_Flyer" wrote in message
.com...
I was noticing their have been a lot of posts on the usenet about this
sports pilot license that doesn't even require a physical.

What is the point of this? I think it is crazy from what I have read.
It
makes it sound like you all you need to do is show a drivers license and
you
can fly a lighweight?

You obviously haven't read anything factual regarding the Sport Pilot
certificate. Except maybe the part about not requiring a physical (and
that's not even a sure thing).

In fact, the Sport Pilot certificate will result in MORE pilots being
required to obtain formal training and FAA certification than they do now.

Pete

There has been more ink spilled (figuratively speaking) over SP than over
practically any other aspect of aviation regulation in history

Good place to start on the Internet is

http://www.sportpilot.org/

Then, get hold of a copy of the NPRM and give it a read. It's quite a mess -
if you can make it all the way through you've done damn good . Finally, if
you can get hold of a copy of the comments sent in during the comment period
(there were thousands, I sent in 3 myself) you'll get a pretty good
understanding of the pros and cons as seen by the UL/light aircraft
community.

Beyond that, there are newsgroups and Yahoo mailing lists galore with all
kinds of stuff going on about SP. I can't even begin to name them all...

Have fun,

LS
AC fun racer 503.

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Frequent_Flyer" wrote in message
.com...
I was noticing their have been a lot of posts on the usenet about this
sports pilot license that doesn't even require a physical.

What is the point of this? I think it is crazy from what I have read.
It
makes it sound like you all you need to do is show a drivers license and
you
can fly a lighweight?

You obviously haven't read anything factual regarding the Sport Pilot
certificate. Except maybe the part about not requiring a physical (and
that's not even a sure thing).

In fact, the Sport Pilot certificate will result in MORE pilots being
required to obtain formal training and FAA certification than they do now.

Pete


Thank goodness. I admit I only read previous post through google groups and
there was a lot of disparate information. I was just hoping their was bad
information out there. I am sure a lot of information is very old also.

FF

here is some info on it

Major Step Forward for Sport Pilot
July 31, 2003 - The new sport pilot and light-sport aircraft (SP/LSA)
categories passed a major milestone Thursday when FAA Administrator Marion
Blakey announced at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2003 that the FAA had completed
work on the final rule. The rulemaking package has now been forwarded to the
Department of Transportation (DOT) for review.

"This is a momentous step in the road to seeing sport pilot and light-sport
aircraft become a reality," said EAA President Tom Poberezny. "We expect the
rule will prove to be a major safety enhancement, establishing a safety
framework for an existing, unregulated segment of aviation.



"Likewise, we felt there was no better place than EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to
announce this major step. As the aviation world gathers for this centennial
of flight celebration, EAA is proud to have been deeply committed to this
effort, which will open up personal flight to more people as it enters its
second century."

After approval by the DOT, the SP/LSA rule will become official upon
publication in the Federal Register. The effective date of the rule will be
announced at that time.

FAA Administrator Blakey said, "This will serve the needs of aviation
enthusiasts for many years to come. It's expected to greatly reduce the
barriers for becoming a pilot, and for becoming an aircraft owner. I can
assure you I'm going to work very hard with DOT as the rule continues to
move forward."

She also credited EAA for its contribution: "You have a tremendous champion
in Tom Poberezny. He has worked long and hard on this. In fact, the first
time I heard "sport pilot" was from Tom Poberezny. Thank you, EAA, for
everything you've done."

FAA Sport Pilot Team Manager Sue Gardner celebrated the Administrator's
announcement, saying, "I'm exhilarated that the rule is through FAA. The
Administrator's approval represents a major step in the rulemaking process.
I know the community is disappointed that the rule isn't final already, but
as we've said before, the rulemaking process is complex...and in the end
that's good for users. We have a rule that FAA believes will be the best for
the entire aviation community.

Meanwhile, EAA continues to work closely with the FAA to ensure that all
training and aircraft inspection infrastructure are in place to allow
members to fully realize the benefits of this landmark rule once it becomes
official. EAA has worked closely with aviation industry representatives,
through the ASTM International standards-setting process, to establish
light-sport aircraft manufacturing standards.

The light-sport aircraft rules, which are being developed in conjunction
with the pilot certification regulations created under sport pilot, are
designed to ensure that all manufacturers uphold the consensus standards
established by an industry/community/government committee administered by
ASTM, an independent group renowned for establishing stringent standards for
many industries.

These important provisions ensure that each new light-sport airplane will be
constructed within accepted design and quality assurance standards.

Much of the ASTM standards effort is expected to be completed when FAA
issues the final SP/LSA rule. After the final light-sport aircraft rules are
published, the consensus standards can be adjusted, if necessary, to meet
the specifications in the rules.

--
Have a good day and stay out of the trees!
See ya on Sport Aircraft group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sport_Aircraft/

Private Pilot License in 10 days
http://www.perfectplanes.com/10day.html

What is the point of this? I think it is crazy from what I have read. It
makes it sound like you all you need to do is show a drivers license and you
can fly a lighweight?

As it stands at present, you don't even have to show a license to fly
an ultralight, so the sport license would be a step up in that
respect.

Landing at Plum Island one time, I was cut off by an ultralight, or so
it seemed to us--actually, he landed on the grass beside the runway.
My instructor went ballistic: "I wish they'd give them licenses, so
they could take them away!" That's essentially what's being proposed.

There is a provision that you can fly a plane up to 12xx pounds under
the proposed sport license. This would be a radcial change for the
drivers of Cubs and lesser aircraft of 1940s vintage, since most of
these (J-3s, PA-11s, T-craft, Champs) would qualify.

It's not merely "show a license" and go. You also self-certify that
you are physically able to do the flying--which of course is what you
do every time you use your private pilot certificate. There are times
when I don't fly, when I have a cold, and once when I ground-looped on
takeoff and so scared myself that I didn't think I was safe. These
self-limitations over-rode the fact that I had a 3rd class medical,
and they would continue to do so if I went the sport-pilot route and
had no medical.



all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
Vietnam | Flying Tigers | Pacific War | Brewster Buffalo | Piper Cub

estimation, most of the participation in the new rule will be persons like
myself who can't pass the class III medical (or couldn't unless they lied
like crazy on the form) but are perfectly able to safely pilot a light
aircraft. There are a LOT of us flying around out there, some with
fictitious medicals and the rest with, well, simply none at all .

That's what I meant about self-certification. I didn't mean that you
fill out a form before every flight, or even once a year, only that
you assess your condition every time you fly, just as you assess the
weather.

On the other points, thanks for the clarification.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com