Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: New Sport Pilot Questions

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    3

    New Sport Pilot Questions

    Greetings all...New to the forum but not new to flying. I am 51 yrs old and and am looking to get my Light Sport License. Lil about myself. Not a pilot yet but have rode in and flown a 61 Piper Colt, 2013 Cessna 172 and a 79 Piper Archer II. I Feel like I have the basics down so do not consider myself a total newbie. Here are my questions. There is 1 flight school in Peoria, IL that SP trains in a 46 Champ. Their rates are reasonable and they are about 30 min drive. My next options will be to drive 2 hrs to Chicago area where I found 3 LSA Pilot schools. 1 school trains in Cessna Skycatcher, the other two train in Evektor Sportstar

    Option 1 Stay local and fly in 46 Champ (taildragger)

    Option 2 drive 2 hrs and fly modern LSA (tri-gear)

    Looking for advice on which platform would be better to learn on. (Old Champ) vs (Modern LSA)

    Lastly the owner of one of the Chicago schools tried to telling me it would take 60 hrs to get my SP license even though the FAA min is 20??? I told him I knew 20 was on the low number but his estimate of 60 was high. Can you experienced pilots enlighten me on how many hours would be reasonable to obtain SP?

    Thanks All!!

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Clarklake, MI
    Posts
    2,461
    What's the best trainer depends on what you plan to do once you are a Sport Pilot. If you will mostly be flying one the new egg shaped LSA's, I would recommend training in them. If you plan on flying the old LSA eligible taildraggers, train in those. Without regard to type, I favor the closest one.

    The guesses as to how long it will take are just that. The school owner is basing his number on his experience, that may or may not be representative of your ability. From my experience, no, you will not pick up the skills as fast as a 18 y/o kid, who can probably finish in 20 hrs. with no problem. If someone tells you 60 and you finish if 40, you'll be happy, no? Perhaps a good strategy is not to set a hard number goal. Just plan for the worst and enjoy the ride.

  3. #3
    Jim Heffelfinger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Sacramento, California, United States
    Posts
    416
    I want to wade in here with a confirmation on flight time. As a very adult learner I have had many "extra" hours added to my training time with development of new muscle memories. Our brain development highly plastic initially become more structured in the mid 20s and continues to be less plastic with time. That said new skills can be learned just a bit longer and "harder". The biggest factor on training time (IMHO) is the frequency of lessons. Stretched out over many months it might head toward 60 hours. As has been said on this topic before - find an instructor who you feel comfortable with ( shop around) and then fully commit to the new challenge with time (naturally $$) and focus.
    jim

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    1,609
    How long it takes...Such a personal question. What takes one person a few hrs might take someone else a lot more. I soloed in 10 hrs. But not everyone can do that. To some flying is easy to others its hard, like math.
    This is me but I like starting with the low and slow crowd and then go up. You learn how to feel the airplane. Its much harder for me anyway to get this feeling in say a 172. Then once you learn these slower crafts then you move up to something faster.
    Just me again but I believe this is the safest and most cost effective way to approach aviation. You take it in bites so to speak. When you feel you have a mouth full you stop. I read and hear so many stories of folks trying it the other way and getting frustrated and dropping out all together.
    Just my way of thinking or my 2 cents.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    2,575
    The Champ is a fun and simple and cheap way to learn to fly.
    If someone tells you it will take 60 hours, it seems to me one of 3 things:
    1 The person has little confidence in their ability as an instructor.
    2 He is try to discourage you since you are a basic student and don't represent as much return.
    3. He wants to drag you out for the maximum revenue for him.

  6. #6
    Jim Hann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Ballwin, Missouri, United States
    Posts
    425

    New Sport Pilot Questions

    .
    Last edited by Jim Hann; 10-25-2013 at 01:48 AM.
    Jim Hann
    EAA 276294 Lifetime
    Vintage 722607
    1957 Piper PA-22/20 "Super Pacer"
    Chapter 32 member www.eaa32.org
    www.mykitlog.com/LinerDrivr
    Fly Baby/Hevle Classic Tandem


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    1,609
    I do not believe this poster once mentioned PP certificate. Why does everyone push the PP certificate. Why not start low and slow and work your way up. I do not get it people.

  8. #8
    I don't see anyone "pushing" the PP. At least not in THIS thread. So far. What I see is a comparison or two, but that is all.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    1,609
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Bockelman View Post
    I don't see anyone "pushing" the PP. At least not in THIS thread. So far. What I see is a comparison or two, but that is all.
    Doing this is a diserves to the SP Certificate. PP and SP are so different you really can not compare the two. You need so much more training for PP then you do for SP. Sport Pilot can cover such simple things as a single seat MXL quicksilver. Telling this person that x amount of hrs was need for one person to be a PP is a waste of time. Lets compare the hrs from another SP flying something faster not from a PP. flying instruments or doing IFR or under the hood training.

  10. #10
    FlyingRon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    NC26 (Catawba, NC)
    Posts
    2,627
    The problem with it (just as with the immensely popular recreational certificate), is the time consuming/expensive part is already included by necessity in the SP training. While a few pilots might be inherently gifted and learn landings in the regulatory minimums, most will spend a bit more time getting that down. The omitted parts (mostly crosscountry navigation) are a breeze comparatively.

    The second problem as maligned here, is that finding a SP rental (even with instruction) is immensely difficult. Once a commercial operation needs to insure a SP aircraft for instruction, you'll find the insurance is GOING TO BE HIGHER than much of the conventional training fleet. The reason: it's petty proportional to hull value. Your $100K 162 is going to be 3x the price to insure as your $30K 152. Believe me, I was paying $3600 or so a year for the latter when I was handling leasebacks for a flying club.

    SP certification currently makes sense for only those who either: are disinclined to get a medical *OR* who already have access to a LSA aircraft. Otherwise, it's not really getting you anything. I'm not PUSHING anything, I'm just telling you why it's not being immensely popular.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •