How is EAA Actively promoting the Sport Pilot program

[DaleB]

purchasing a plane is not in the average mans budget, even if 4 guys went together, finding 4 people with at least 10,000 in cash to plop down would be almost very difficult.

Really? How do people buy boats and motorcycles and lake cabins and pay for vacations and weddings? You save up money, or finance, or sell something else, depending on your situation. I didn’t have $100K laying around in an old sock, and yet here I am owning half an airplane. Six months ago I owned the whole thing. Ten years ago I couldn’t have bought an RC airplane, let alone the real thing. If it’s important you will figure it out, even if “figuring it out” means figuring out how many years it will take you to get there.

PS... I didn’t mean for that to sound critical or snarky, but it probably did. I should know better than to try to type replies on this teeny little phone with an even teenier keyboard. Point is, buying an airplane is like any other non-essential, but is probably easier to find partners to share the cost since you’ll each likely only use it 40-50 hours per year anyway.

[Bill Berson]

Maybe if EAA had "Light Sport" chapters you (we) could avoid that snobbery.
Or, if separate chapters are impractical, perhaps designate every other (odd numbered) month to Light Sport/Ultralight.

[joen6171b]

Consider finding a glider club to itch your flying bug. Very cost effective.

[malexander]

Robert, Randy, Tench. I'm working on a solution for what you guys are going through.
I took a couple of high school girls for a ride in the 172 a few months ago. One of them fell in love with the airplane, she's called me several times to go flying since, and we have. She wants to get her PPL.

My daughter is a CFI, CFII, MEII, and wants hours. She wants to go to the airlines. We own a C150 and a 172.
I'm going to furnish the 150 and the fuel, up to solo time. Then the student will be responsible for the fuel from there, I'll continue to furnish the airplane. My daughter is doing all the instructing for the hours.

I know there are lots of 150s, Tomahawks, etc out there that need to be flown. If we, as pilots, want GA to continue, we'll have to make it affordable.

[CHICAGORANDY]

Kudos to ya' ! How uncommonly kind and generous. Folks in OK are fortunate to have you in town.

[Robert Dingus]

i agree, good to have someone give GA a boost. yes the 150 Cessna's are are all over the place, they only have one problem they don't qualify as Light Sport, if they did i would be done and have license in hand. Its great that those girls want PPL, it continues that part of the GA fleet.

what we really need is for those owners that have 2 seat Light Sport Qualified Aircraft to lend a hand to those of us that do not have ready access to one.
i have asked several of the owners of Qualified aircraft to assist me, i have the renters insurance to cover me, however i get the same response or similar responses, i don't do that, or my employer forbids my doing that etc. Granted the aircraft i am talking about are Cub and Champ owners etc, Classic aircraft not new 90 to 200 thousand dollar aircraft with glass panels, i keep asking and keep looking.

Robert

[malexander]

My hope is to "start something". If owners would be willing to help out, you could pursue the PPL for a fraction of the cost. I figure this girl will have ABOUT $1500.00 invested when she's finished. She is a senior in high school this year, she could have her PPL before she starts college.

I totally agree the 150 doesn't qualify for light sport. But if you could do your PPL for the same money, or less, why wouldn't you?

I also have to agree with the shobbery remark. Some pilots (a lot, actually) want people to think that they, pilots, are better than the average Joe, cause they can fly an airplane. So, they want to keep that expense way up there and outta reach.
I've always been a "giver". I like to see people succeed, achieve things they thought weren't possible. If I can give a little boost to help them do that, then I can feel I've done my part.

[Robert Dingus]

i have been trying to find out just how many people have a Light Sport License, the best i can find is about 5157, in 2015 in a report by Dan Johnson.
Does anyone have newer or fresher numbers.

this was just under 1 percent of the pilot population back then.
Big Money always wins when the people are given a poor proposition, we the people hoped for better.
if the bigotry towards Light Sport continues, then the USA is doomed, to loose another 30 percent of its currently aged pilots in the next 3 to 5 years.

Robert

[malexander]

I hope Kathryn will have soloed by OSH 2018. We've invited her, and her brother, to go with us. I'd like to try to talk with some EAA "officials" about my plan. I'm not expecting them to offer up any promo, but maybe to just "put-it-out-there" for people/owners to think about.

[joen6171b]

For you guys looking to get a sport pilot certificate, I highly recommend taking the written, then spend a two week vacation in Hartford Wisconsin. Do it in conjunction with Oshkosh.

Cub Air is a fantastic place to learn to fly.

http://www.cubair.net/