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Thread: Sport Pilot Academy

  1. #1
    Jim Heffelfinger's Avatar
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    Sport Pilot Academy

    http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/eaa-news-a...prclt-h8f2KAr3

    I read with great interest the Oshkosh based SPL program. I, like many out there, have been dabbling at their ticket way too long with long gaps between flights, difficulties with time and money coinciding, juggling disposable income with family needs and finding instructors willing to take on the SPL program. A concentrated program is ideal in so many ways. I scrolled down through the requirements..... looks good. And then the bottom line hit me. $10K.
    Hummm. I get the OSH experience - I was at leadership a few years back - it was transformative - and the reason I have doubled-down on my service hours for the chapter. It still seems a bit high. Since I know it takes about $4K for the instructor/plane does the rest cover the room/board?
    Just asking.
    Jim

  2. #2
    TedK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Heffelfinger View Post
    http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/eaa-news-a...prclt-h8f2KAr3

    I read with great interest the Oshkosh based SPL program. I, like many out there, have been dabbling at their ticket way too long with long gaps between flights, difficulties with time and money coinciding, juggling disposable income with family needs and finding instructors willing to take on the SPL program. A concentrated program is ideal in so many ways. I scrolled down through the requirements..... looks good. And then the bottom line hit me. $10K.
    Hummm. I get the OSH experience - I was at leadership a few years back - it was transformative - and the reason I have doubled-down on my service hours for the chapter. It still seems a bit high. Since I know it takes about $4K for the instructor/plane does the rest cover the room/board?
    Just asking.
    Jim
    The registration fee includes all instruction, materials, meals and lodging in the EAA Air Academy Staff Lodge, located at Pioneer Airport on the grounds of the EAA AirVenture Museum at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Participants will have their own room and private bathroom. High standards of safety, appearance, and cleanliness are an EAA tradition.

    When you figure in the three weeks of room and board, it doesn't seem too over the top.

    ted

  3. #3

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    I'm not knocking the program on its merits, but what happens when there's crap weather for two of the three weeks?

    As a Sport Pilot, there were many times in my training where winds scrubbed a day's flying.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  4. #4
    TedK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    I'm not knocking the program on its merits, but what happens when there's crap weather for two of the three weeks?

    As a Sport Pilot, there were many times in my training where winds scrubbed a day's flying.
    There are other places offering two weeks to SP ticket. This would seem to place a 50% pad on that. I don't see any reason that you couldn't get the 20ish hours required in this immersive environment.

  5. #5

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    I'm 58 and a recently retired Firefighter wanting to build a homebuilt LSA and get a Sport Pilot License.

    Scouring the Internet for information about Sport Pilot Training I came across this thread, and I like it. I'm a long time EAA Member and have been to AirVenture many times. One of the best things about AirVenture is the like mindness and fellowship of everyone with the same love of Aviation and the EAA grounds just feel like home to me.

    Unlike the slightly put off look I have often got when asking about anything Sport Pilot at my local airports, Im relieved to see there's now available a positive and welcoming Sport a Pilot atmosphere that I'm sure that an EAA Academy will offer and at my favorite place to be.

    I was a student pilot 25 years ago. Even though I soloed early on, because jiving mine and my instructors schedules was such a PITA, sometimes I only flew once a month and my training stretched out for over a year which became so discouraging I quit instead of getting another instructor like I should have. The idea of living and breathing aviation trying with fellow like minded enthusiasts for several weeks on the hallowed AirVenture grounds sounds too good to be true.

    Count me in.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike A View Post
    I'm 58 and a recently retired Firefighter wanting to build a homebuilt LSA and get a Sport Pilot License.

    Scouring the Internet for information about Sport Pilot Training I came across this thread, and I like it. I'm a long time EAA Member and have been to AirVenture many times. One of the best things about AirVenture is the like mindness and fellowship of everyone with the same love of Aviation and the EAA grounds just feel like home to me.

    Unlike the slightly put off look I have often got when asking about anything Sport Pilot at my local airports, Im relieved to see there's now available a positive and welcoming Sport a Pilot atmosphere that I'm sure that an EAA Academy will offer and at my favorite place to be.

    I was a student pilot 25 years ago. Even though I soloed early on, because jiving mine and my instructors schedules was such a PITA, sometimes I only flew once a month and my training stretched out for over a year which became so discouraging I quit instead of getting another instructor like I should have. The idea of living and breathing aviation trying with fellow like minded enthusiasts for several weeks on the hallowed AirVenture grounds sounds too good to be true.

    Count me in.
    Hey Mike,

    By 'count me in', do you mean this is something you want to pursue this year, or sometime in the future?

    Thanks!
    Eric
    Eric Cernjar, EAA # 1133654

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Cernjar View Post
    Hey Mike,

    By 'count me in', do you mean this is something you want to pursue this year, or sometime in the future?

    Thanks!
    Eric
    Hi Eric, yes!

    I just got an email reply from Preston Goetz answering an inquiry I made about the Academy future dates. He said, as of now, there are no future Academy's planned until they see how this first plays out. I'm seriously crossing my fingers everything goes well.

    Along those lines, does anyone even know about the availability of this Academy? I'm a little worried this first one won't even have a full attendance just because no one knows about it. I was just lucky enough to be searching these forums for information about Sport Pilot and saw this thread, otherwise the only Academy I would be aware of is Young Eagles. Hopefully this years AirVenture spread the word.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike A View Post
    Hi Eric, yes!

    I just got an email reply from Preston Goetz answering an inquiry I made about the Academy future dates. He said, as of now, there are no future Academy's planned until they see how this first plays out. I'm seriously crossing my fingers everything goes well.

    Along those lines, does anyone even know about the availability of this Academy? I'm a little worried this first one won't even have a full attendance just because no one knows about it. I was just lucky enough to be searching these forums for information about Sport Pilot and saw this thread, otherwise the only Academy I would be aware of is Young Eagles. Hopefully this years AirVenture spread the word.
    Hey Mike,

    Can you shoot me an email at ecernjar@eaa.org and we can continue this?

    Thanks!
    Eric Cernjar, EAA # 1133654

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Cernjar View Post
    Hey Mike,

    Can you shoot me an email at ecernjar@eaa.org and we can continue this?

    Thanks!
    Sure.

  10. #10

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    Had a great talk about the Academy with Eric (thanks!), I'm a bit too late for this inaugural class but I told him to put me on the list for a following Academy.

    After doing an Internet search I see news of this new Academy has been out there, including the announcement at this past AirVenture so it's me that's been out of the loop and late to the show. I hope news of the Academy keeps getting spread as awareness should generate interest.

    I still think if a Sport Pilots License is what your after this EAA, all encompassing experience, with its location and resources will be hard to beat. Of coarse cost and travel expense are two major factors. For me, I found a flight school close to me that offers Sport Pilot lessons in non-LSA aircraft that would save me thousands of dollars but I would still opt for the EAA experience.

    It will be interesting to see how this first Academy does as far as attendance numbers and feedback from both students and instructors.

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