Is a Light Sport Pilot certificate for you? Flying to work!

[@pauljohnson2372]

Im a little jealous of your commute. I had 12 hours of instruction about 12 years ago, but life got busy. It slowed down enough now to pick it back up. Thanks for the video

[@jeffmorton9220]

Thanks for sharing the beauty of flight with me. The view from the cockpit alone is motivation to learn to fly. Light Sport offers a simplified entry to flying and you clearly explained the various licensing categories and their benefits and restrictions. Flying with you to work was a load of fun!

[@prodigalpilot]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@LongBinh70]

Thanks. Ancient Cessna pilot (177, 182, 205) that hasn't flown in decades, and a new neighbor is a Citation pilot and mentioned I should look into Sport Pilot. Now I know.

[@prodigalpilot]

Great! I thinks it’s a great option for some fun flying

[@Bravetowers]

I’m looking into a sport pilot certification because it’s cheaper. I am really happy about that.

[@Yonnas]

Awesome video, discussing the and informing the viewers in the topic while "flying to work" is a great content.

[@prodigalpilot]

Thanks! Life got busy along with winter and haven’t had a chance to record for a while, hoping to get more videos out soon.

[@jasongrinnell1986]

Agree 100%

[@dancinspace]

This was really motivational, thank you! I just recently started considering a Sport Pilot certification, and you made it seem like a great fit for my goals.

[@rickclayburn9111]

Great video. Thanks for the info.

[@jackryan152]

your camp is rock stable. Nice flight

[@groman2k]

Excellent! Thank you. Shalom!

[@charleshutchings9355]

Nice flying with you again. That was interesting information about the certificates. Thanks! New Subscriber!

[@gainestruk1]

I don't know how many times I've scared passengers on final rolling into a forward slip forgetting to tell them first, beautiful Champ and great landing !

[@prodigalpilot]

Sure feels weird to folks the first time. Even pilots without much antique time get apprehensive with an aggressive slip.

[@damienradford]

I got my sport pilot cert in 2018. Tailwheel endorsement, class B, C, D endorsements. I bought my Kitfox model IV in 2019. Flew it with a safety pilot from Minnesota to San Francisco. Have flown it solo to Oshkosh from California twice (4 day trip each way, over the sierras and wasatch) landing at the UL field, come see us at the red barn. I’m now building a series 7 supersport. It will have a 165hp 916is and MT CS prop. Once MOSAIC rules come out I’ll get my night endorsement and will probably build a Bearhawk 5. Also looking into RV-7 or VL3 for getting places. Do I care about not being instrument rated? No. I feel like the Sport Pilot cert fits more (actual, not imagined) missions than PPL. If you want to go commercial or have a family that you would like to fly a lot with PPL makes sense. I guess my long rambling comment is to say that SPL limitations are rarely limiting.

[@billyhaddock5540]

Some day in the future we all will be flying to get where we need to go.. just like the jettsons..

[@davidbontrager4223]

Received my TD endorsement in 76E from its then CFI owner at K34. some 40 years after my PPL. The most enjoyable flying ever, lunch flights to nearby airports, spins, wing overs, grass runways!

[@prodigalpilot]

Sounds like you had the pleasure of working with Micki!

[@davidsears5576]

Great video Bess looks like so much fun to flush smooth and repondsive

[@WX4CB]

i just passed my sport checkride a month or so ago, plenty of access to an LSA here in central florida. It only took me a year of "self funding" it with a full time job (only able to fly weekends) to pass the test. i'm already contemplating going up to the private just for the hell of it. all i really wanna do is tootle around with the missus.. hey.. wanna go here for lunch? for example

[@prodigalpilot]

Perfect! Thanks for commenting

[@Mobev1]

Where are some training options for sport? I have lots of time already but my mother got sick so I stopped.

[@WX4CB]

@@Mobev1 i fly out of KDED in deland FL, where aerosport south is... their main place is in WI at Galt Airport (10C), the planes they have down here are the bushcat and TL2000 Sting S4. I don't know what they have up there. wet rates are around 120 for the bushcat and 135 for the sting per hour, but they're going up 10 bucks in august which is tbh no big deal. CFI rates are 60/h and they do sport and private.

[@chrisedwards4552]

I'm in Lakeland. What school did you go to? The closest place I can find in Apopka

[@foesfly3047]

That was fun- thanks man!

[@prodigalpilot]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@privatepilot4064]

Really, the majority of my flying has always been Sport. It’s really not worth it for me to maintain my Private license.

[@robertparker3580]

living the great life!

[@tm-uz7md]

The problem is that many drop out of flight training due to the onerous training requirements to achieve certification. The solution is to require CFIs to allow never ending discovery flights. Ie, the CFI is there for safety purposes only and does not require incessant maneuvers, short field, stalls, etc training unless he is requested to do so. Right now most CFIs refuse to do so, for some reason that baffles me.

[@Zansaldo1]

Thanks for the info. What do you do for a living?

[@ChrisJohnson-hk6es]

I am hearing the requirements for LSA might loosen? 4 passenger, speed of 200 knots, and more.

[@garybrindle6715]

Do remember that LSA have a poor stabilty if windy and turbulent conditions. You need a strong stomach and great faith to put up with the near continual motions of LSA.

[@justincase1575]

Anyone who can’t handle crosswinds or some bouncing around should fly commercial. Don’t matter how big the plane you are going to be bounced around.

[@manifestgtr]

Not really…I fly an RV-12 and while, yes, it gets a little wacky in turbulence…so does the 150, etc. If there’s turbulence, a small airplane is always gonna be a bit of a rodeo, LSA or not.

[@joseruiz-Joecool]

Great conversation on Light Sport Pilot Rating. However it is hard to find a CFI or flight school that will have Light Sport Pilot training. My experience was a CFI that only wanted to fly one hour per week, and he was a two hour and 10 min drive away one way. Got to 9 hrs in a 1946 7ac champ before it got too much of driving. Working on putting together some money to fly a J3 Cub out of a north Houston airport called Hooks.

[@prodigalpilot]

Any CFI can teach light sport, trick is finding the airplane! good luck with the CFI search, find a good one, fly with multiple if possible.

[@brandonherzog8223]

Did you fly at hooks?

[@joseruiz-Joecool]

@@brandonherzog8223 yes I flew j-3 for 2 hrs so far.

[@joseruiz-Joecool]

@@brandonherzog8223 Yes I flew 2 hrs in a J-3 cub out of Hooks.

[@joedaviss9448]

Another excellent video!!!!! May I ask where your based out of?

[@elosogonzalez8739]

Shoulder Harnesses? What's your opinion? I know alot of airplanes weren't built with them, but adding them to any aircraft is an addition to safety that could save your life.

[@prodigalpilot]

Strongly in favor, on my short list to get done.

[@elosogonzalez8739]

@@prodigalpilot IMO... That's cheap insurance. It may help you decrease your premium as well. Get'r done.

[@greymarck]

Seems like the insurance discussion is often omitted. If you go to buy an LSA and it is Experimental, or a tailwheel aircraft, you certainly won't be finding insurance easily or at all unless you have a lot of hours and preferably some in type. This is a big barrier to entry.

[@prodigalpilot]

My most recent video discusses the costs of insurance for a legacy tailwheel like mine. My first year premium with 0 tailwheel time was $1200. This video was intended to focus more on the pilot side of things than aircraft. Thanks for watching!

[@greymarck]

@@prodigalpilot You were lucky, I think. I couldn't even find an insurer that was willing to insure a tricycle gear Experimental, let alone a tailwheel, and I had 80+ hours at the time and a completely clean record as a pilot.

[@prodigalpilot]

@@greymarck strange! I had quotes from all of the major underwriters. Insurance is weird.

[@Keith-j7h3v]

I just stumbled across your channel. That light sport pilots license is an interesting option . Question, can you get your light sport pilots license with 20 to 25 hours of flight time, then upgrade to a full blown pilots license with just an additional 20 hours of flight time , or would you need another 40 hours ? I'm USCG licensed captain / U. S. Merchant Marine Master. Do they make these light sport aircraft with floats / pontoons ? One of these would be a great additional tender for a small cruising yacht. Thank you for the info. Best regards

[@prodigalpilot]

Yes. Your flight time (solo and with instructor) count towards your additional certificates down the road.

[@sirjacobthe8]

Hello, I’m a teacher in the KC area. I’m teaching STEM classes and one is aviation based. I’m thinking about trying to get a light sport license because I think it would help me teach this course better. You mentioned there was one light sport aircraft for rental in KC. Could you let me know where that is?

[@prodigalpilot]

Sorry for the delay! Reach out to Empyrean Aero out of Johnson County Executive Airport.

[@bigmiami3763]

can i fly a light sport if i have my ppl

[@prodigalpilot]

Yes

[@Sniper_Man_Clips]

Can I fly a rv-14A Can I fly sport for a little then go to private

[@prodigalpilot]

Under current light sport rules, no.

[@Sniper_Man_Clips]

@@prodigalpilotso how do I do this? Where do I go to get a check to see if I will pass before taking it? I wanna fly a rv-14a or a cirrus sr22t. I mean fly sport then make a transition?

[@manifestgtr]

Just out of curiosity…is this considered “flying in furtherance of a business”? I know that’s one of those issues with sport pilot privileges

[@prodigalpilot]

@@manifestgtr no, commuting by airplane is not, in itself, a commercial operation.

[@jacquessmith8653]

Why does it say you don't need license to fly. Then here you have sport flight certificates?

[@prodigalpilot]

I don't follow your question. In the US, you need a pilot certificate (license is a bit of a misnomer) to fly anything but an ultralight.

[@bphifer]

Can you earn money in any way with a Sport License?

[@prodigalpilot]

Sport pilots cannot fly for hire. The only exception is a sport pilot can get CFI-S in order to give instruction in LSA.

[@edwardstrong1727]

thanks my friend i will do thanks want to fly for fun be safe i fly J3 MY FRIEND

[@mauriceevans6546]

Weight increase expected to be 1500 to 2000lbs Speed expected to be 150 to 180 knots Constant speed prop will be single lever

[@prodigalpilot]

Hoping a lot of this is true with Mosaic. Nothing confirmed or published yet: so I am reserving comment.

[@michaelspunich7273]

and increase payload to 4 persons total

[@Iflyagrasshopper]

Hoping for at least 1700 super cub

[@Cavalier-lp8tr]

Nice informative video, but you left out a huge segment of planes! Experimental aviation fills a lot of light sport gaps.

[@prodigalpilot]

Have more content in the works for experimental. Certainly many experimental aircraft meet the requirements of LSA. This video was meant to cover who a sport pilot certificate may be good for-moreso than LSA options. Thanks for watching!

[@JMZM7907]

MOSAIC certainly didn’t help this video age well. :))

[@prodigalpilot]

It’s not law yet!

[@JMZM7907]

@@prodigalpilot… I can’t wait! I’m holding off on my purchase to see how far the needle moves on those newer “Light Sport” ac such Bristell. I have read on their website that as soon as its law, they will move up from 1320 to 1600. That’s a game changes when its comes to useful load on those ac.

[@tomstrum6259]

That "Don't Take the Medical" advice sounds wrong for Everyone.....If you've got Significant medical issues you absolutely Shouldn't be flying Anything & the Earlier you're Grounded the Safer Everyone will be.....

[@prodigalpilot]

Thanks for the comment! You bring a good point and I should have been more clear that it is up to every pilot(medical or not) to self assess before every flight to confirm no undue risk to self or those on the surface. There are many “gotchas” on FAA medicals what can disqualify a pilot that a reasonable person would agree is not truly grounding under most circumstances. It appears the FAA agrees with this assessment as they do not require a medical for sport pilots.

[@chrisedwards4552]

You have to have a valid driver's license to get a sport certificate. If you are healthy enough to drive a 3000# car you can fly a 900# plane

[@TBone4983]

@@prodigalpilot I'm so glad you made this video. I just started reading the requirements for PPL after doing a discovery flight and was devastated to realize I wouldn't qualify for a 3rd class med due to being diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. I have a great driving record with a CDL, motorcycle endorsement, and even used to operate submarine nuclear reactors, I'm just bad at keeping my house organized and remembering appointments! So glad I learned about this option, this is exactly the type of flying I wanted to do anyways.