No worries, Bill!

On acro - I view it as the ultimate in precision flying training, and with Greg Koontz just up the road I'd be nutso not to take advantage of the opportunity. I don't plan on competing or using any of it in practice (my plane is going to be very much utility), but anything that hones stick and rudder skills has got to be good.

And there's nothing in the regs that would bar an SPL from acrobatics or even competition, so long as his plane is LSA compliant.

I'm also a bit nuts in other areas of flight training; I made sure that I got spin training, figuring the first spin I encountered should be at 3K AGL with a competent CFI behind me to walk me through it. I dislike training under duress.

I'll agree that any prospective pilot has to look long and hard at what they want to do in the air in deciding which ticket to go for.

I also think that while the current medical is overkill, if one isn't healthy enough to fly a C172 they shouldn't be in a Champ. I'm sad to see some flight schools advertise SPL as a Doctor Dodge; it shouldn't be.

As an anti-social misfit who jealously takes the joy of low and slow flight for himself, I don't want to carry people around. Heck, my Nieuport is single seat!

I got my ticket in 26 hours total, for a cost of around 6K (soup to peanuts). I put another eight hours on top of that for tailwheel and transition training from a CTLS to a Champ (along with some spin training). Now I'm just over 40 hours total time. What's left is controlled airspace sign-off, which I purposely saved for after I was finished.

How's this for crazy - as a student on must be signed off for each type of airspace seperately; if you're endorsed for Class C airports you're not allowed into Class D. If you already have your license, endorsement for one type of controlled airspace clears one for all of them.

Daytime VFR below 10K with the ground visible at all times. One passenger only in simple, light aircraft. Unlimited cross country.

At any rate, put yourself down for One Beer Coupon if we ever meet.