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Thread: Sport Flight Instructors

  1. #1

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    Sport Flight Instructors

    I rejoined EAA hoping to get some real answers about sport pilot instructors, but these forums seems to be getting minimal usage considering EAA boasts over 100,000 members.

    Who here is knowledgeable concerning Private or Commercial pilots (without instrument rating) pursuing the sport pilot flight instructor rating??

    Thanks
    JB

  2. #2

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    What is the question? Once you hold a PPL you do not need to do anything to fly under SP. If you believe you will not pass a medical you just let it lapse for you do not need a medical for SP. Simple enough.

    As to this forum not being used much. That is not a shocker. All you have to do is look at who posts. You have a hand full who do this on a regular bases. I have seen more then once under new posts nothing comes up. But don't try and post something to get things moving for you open yourself up to these people. Reminds me of sharks swimming off the shore just waiting for someone to be stupid enough to jump in.

    But its not just this forum this is happening with, people have come to the point now that they treat everyone like a piece of crap. If you are standing face to face speaking with someone 99.9% of the people who do this would not have the balls to say it to ones face. A broken nose hurts. Typing away at home on your whatever, no one is going to break your nose. I just wish we all had to wear our screen names on our shirts. People would not be acting like they do on this thing we call the web if they thought just maybe I will see this person today or tomorrow or next month.

    Tony

  3. #3

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    Tony,

    I think they were asking what it would take to get a SP INSTRUCTOR rating. Just saying one should ensure they read carefully as well.

  4. #4

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    Pretty simple. You'll need to:


    • Pass FOI Knowledge Test
    • Pass CFI-Sport Knowledge Test
    • Obtain Spin Training Endorsement
    • Pass CFI-Sport Check Ride

  5. #5

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    A certificated Sport Pilot can get a CFI added, no need for Private.
    I suspect the lack of Sport instructors is the lack of suitable LSA airplanes. Most flight schools are geared to training future commercial pilots in Cessna 172’s.
    I suppose the reasoning is that a school based at a larger airport near a population center needs to have solid fully functional four seat aircraft for both tours and instruction. The students would need about 40 hours in this case, so Sport Pilot is not even considered.
    A low cost LSA with no electric can't really function well in a big airport.

  6. #6
    Dana's Avatar
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    I have a PPL and have considered getting my CFI-SP as well. The local FBO has a J-3 and they offer SP training as well as tailwheel endorsements, etc., but their only CFI with a tailwheel endorsement has limited availability... my friend who was pursuing a SP certificate gave up and decided to go for his PPL in a 152. Not that I'd be much different if I worked for them, I have a day job, wouldn't want to commit to the time to train a beginner student but wouldn't mind getting paid for the occasional tailwheel checkout or BFR. One issue with this is that if you don't pass a certain number of new SP students per year, you have to repeat the checkride on a regular basis, more hassle.

    I had also thought of offering ultralilght instruction in a 2 seat Quicksilver now that they've said they will issue LODAs for primary instruction in ELSAs... but the requirements to get the LODA (detailed lesson plans, etc.) are fairly onerous. Now that the BFI program is dead, it would be great if one of the organizations that formerly had a BFI program, EAA, USUA, etc., offered a lesson plan program for SP CFIs so that they wouldn't have to create it from scratch. Unfortunately, EAA seems to have abandoned ultralights (and almost abandoned GA), and USUA does nothing but sell insurance policies.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    One issue with this is that if you don't pass a certain number of new SP students per year, you have to repeat the checkride on a regular basis, more hassle.
    Actually, you only need a checkride if you let your CFI expire. You can take a flight instructor renewal course before the 24 month expiry. Plenty of weekend and online courses that qualify. And recurrent training every two years isn't a bad thing.

  8. #8
    lnuss's Avatar
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    One issue with this is that if you don't pass a certain number of new SP students per year, you have to repeat the checkride on a regular basis, more hassle.
    Essentially the same as a regular CFI -- renewal is due every two years, either checkride or renewal course or x number of student passes on first try.

    Larry N.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dana View Post
    ........I had also thought of offering ultralilght instruction in a 2 seat Quicksilver now that they've said they will issue LODAs for primary instruction in ELSAs... but the requirements to get the LODA (detailed lesson plans, etc.) are fairly onerous. Now that the BFI program is dead, it would be great if one of the organizations that formerly had a BFI program, EAA, USUA, etc., offered a lesson plan program for SP CFIs so that they wouldn't have to create it from scratch. Unfortunately, EAA seems to have abandoned ultralights (and almost abandoned GA), and USUA does nothing but sell insurance policies.
    Did you look into exactly how onerous it is to get a LODA to use an ELSA for ultralight (or ANY) training?

    As far as I know in the entire west coast there are only two FBOs with LODAs to use for training.
    Both use Challengers. One is in Prosser Washington, one in or near Sacramento. About three(?) months ago EAA had an article in which they reported asking FAA to make LODAs easier to get, for the obvious reason that with BFIs and UL trainers aircraft gone, there is essentially no reasonable path into UL flying for a newbie. So maybe that's become easier since that EAA request. Currently, with the exception, maybe, of the rare UL training operation with a LODA for an ELSA the newbie UL student essentially has the choice of finding a CFI with a UL-like two-seater, willing to train a UL newbie, and paying traditional CFI rates, or as in the very early UL days, strapping in taking off, and hoping they learn faster than they get in trouble.
    (FWIW: That DIY instruction is the way I learned hang gliding many years ago)
    Both of the two places I know of with LODAs for ELSA trainerscharge by the time the student pays CFI and aircraft rental about $125 per hour for instruction. They AFAIK more geared to training Sport Pilots than UL pilots.
    Cheap compared to getting flight training in a 172, but about 4-5 times as much as BFIs were charging before they were thrown under the bus during the development of the Sport Pilot LSA inititive.

    By the way: I am one of the very few pilots who have come into aviation directly by getting a Sport Pilot certification.
    The idea that Sport Pilot/LSA would create a significant increase into aviation has, now a decade after, proven to be a non-starter. The main beneficaries of the Sport Pilot/LSA initiative IMO have been (a) the unknown but presumably large number of older private pilots reluctant to take that next aeromedical exam and are flying with sport pilot privilages, and (b) the approximately 2000 experienced UL pilots who got grandfathered into Sport Pilot licenses without having to do the full 20+ hours of expensive CFI hours and got their non-numbered two-seaters certified as ELSAs before the door slammed on that.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by 67jwbruce View Post
    I rejoined EAA hoping to get some real answers about sport pilot instructors, but these forums seems to be getting minimal usage considering EAA boasts over 100,000 members.

    Who here is knowledgeable concerning Private or Commercial pilots (without instrument rating) pursuing the sport pilot flight instructor rating??

    Thanks
    JB
    Hi JB,
    I am a SP flight instructor. I have had a private pilot ASEL for about 21 years, before I got the instructor rating. I have just recently started instructing at a local flying club that has an SLSA X-air. I currently have 2 students. I think that there are 2 major problems for a sport pilot instructor-1. Finding an SLSA aircraft to instruct in, and 2. Any student that wants to go further(i.e. Private), the solo hours will count, but the dual hours will not apply for a private ticket. John Weber

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