Private Pilot flying an LSA?

First of all, I'm new to the forum. Looking forward to participating. :-) Also, no certificate of any sort yet, although I'd love to start as soon as I can find a job and put some money away.

What kind of restrictions does a private pilot face while flying an LSA? The way I read things, a private pilot flying an LSA can operate as normal (night, IFR (if endorsed) etc.), assuming the LSA is properly equipped (lights, transponders, etc.) Is this correct?

It seems to me it would be highly advantageous to have a private pilot certificate (less restricted than the sport certificate) and fly an LSA because of the cheaper cost of flying. I realize it depends on the mission though. Let's assume I just want to get up in the air, not really take anyone or anything with me.

Thoughts?

If you're a PP with a current medical, then you can do anything a PP can do in any other aircraft. If you're a PP without a current medical, then (as I understand it) you're bound by the SP limitations (max altitude, day VFR only, etc.). But you don't need the endorsements that SP's need to expand their privileges (faster/slower aircraft, flight into class D/C/B, cross country, etc.)

To fly at night you need the night time as part of your flight training. To fly ifr, you need to take the full instrument training, ground and flying and pass both the written and flight test which are both fairly hard. Just an endorsment does not give you ifr rights.

So if you get a full private license, you can fly at night, fly into tower airports and class B (tca) and carry a number of passengers, and you will have a bit of instrument training, not much..
If you have the time, money, and get a 3rd class medical cert, then by all means get your private pilot license. Then you can do it all, except fly ifr or com ( for money). If the LSA is equipped for night flight you could do that, and you can also fly above 14,000 feet if it would go that high.
I have private pilot cert, and com, and I fly a Bonanza , at night and high and IFR if needed, and I carry passengers, as many as 3. I also fly a Cub, no lights and no ifr, but I have been above 14,000. The Cub is one of the planes that meets both normal and LSA status and regs.

The sport pilot cert shortens your training, in theory perhaps 20 %, by omitting night, control towers,and ifr training and does not use a medical cert, rather a drivers license. No real problem, and it is better than not flying at all, but it is a bit like going to culinary school and learning how to prepare then main course, but no deserts. Or learning to play golf, but never hitting a wedge or learning to ski, but no black runs. And some LSAs seem a bit harder to learn in and to land, with very sensitive pitch controls. I have seen people start out in a LSA to just get sport cert and take 40 or 50 hours, so not saving any time over good private cert training.

For some people, they really don't use much more of a plane than an LSA. Had a guy leave Boulder in his J3 Cub on Fri going to Osh and 2 days later he was there, same as me in my Bonanza in 5 hours. And some of the higher end LSAs are pretty competent especially compared to a C150 or 172. Trouble is they are also about $140,000 new.

just go on and log any kind of stick time you can afford .
its all progressive ..i dont think logged time really expires , at least i hope not. , i'm sure not current though.

J3 cub

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_J-3_Cub

i wish i had one in my hanger
i wish i had a hanger
here is the little flyer i am looking at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Wing_B-10

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrbarry

Here is the little flyer i am looking at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Wing_B-10

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I have one for you. PM me.

jhart [op] said .+ no cert. yet+
i read in this link
https://www.eaa.org/~/media/Files/EA...g_training.pdf
and
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR...nt-detail.html
that IF one registers as a student UL flyer at
https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-...t-registration
one can log ultralight time
eaa ul fixed wing training guidelines suggests 10 hours logged trained to sport pilot standards for an EAA UL pilot registration
sport cert wants 20 hours logged
rec wants 30 hours logged
40 hours for a PP
250 logged for a commercial ..
all the training regimes cover the same areas more or less, just to increasingly strict standards.all the time logged adds up , in type. i read that ul time logged can go towards a PP in weight shift , there are some pretty fancy weight shift , i saw one with an enclosed cockpit and retractable gear
i want a commercial , my current dream is to be a sky writer

Attachment 4123

EAA's Airventure 2008.

I wish i could go rent one of these right now.

Factory at the local field .. they say they will give demonstration rides but i wonder if they will rent .
looks like it flys along very nicely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...;v=Fn6lzNxXV3A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YIgV2DreJyU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BmBvXkHXkqw




http://www.worldaircraftco.com/