Sport Pilot News > News Archive
• 09/01/04 - IT’S HERE: SPORT PILOT/LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT FINAL RULE EFFECTIVE
• Somewhere in the United States on Wednesday morning September 1, a private pilot got into his or her cockpit, fired up the engine, taxied out onto a grass strip or paved runway and took off…and thus became the first official pilot to operate under new sport pilot/light-sport aircraft regulations. EAA will mark this important, long-awaited aviation milestone day with a staff celebration at its Oshkosh headquarters this afternoon.
Have you flown as a sport pilot? Let us know about it at editorial@eaa.org.
The sport pilot/light-sport aircraft final rule, effective today, September 1, 2004, authorizes current certificated private pilots to begin exercising sport pilot privileges in eligible certificated aircraft (standard category or experimental amatuer-built). That is, with a current pilot’s certificate and either an FAA airman medical certificate or a current and valid U.S. driver’s license serving as proof of medical fitness to fly, a person is qualified to pilot certificated aircraft as long as they comply with the LSA rules. (S-LSAs [Special Light-sport aircraft] and E-LSAs [experimental] will not be available until the ASTM LSA Committee completes and approves the ASTM International manufacturing standards.)
Non-current pilots must undergo a flight review and meet the currency requirements before becoming eligible to fly as a sport pilot. If an individual's most recent FAA medical certificate application has been denied, suspended, or revoked, that person may not use a driver's license as a medical certificate until the denial is cleared from his or her record.
Ultralight pilots who missed September 1 deadline:
For the past several weeks, EAA has been stressing that the FAA was giving credit to ultralight pilots who were registered with an FAA-recognized ultralight registration program such as EAA, the United States Ultralight Organization (USUA), or Aero Sports Connection (ASC) by September 1, 2004, for past flying experience when going for their sport pilot certificate in the future. Now that the September 1 deadline has passed, does that mean they are out of luck? Not quite, but the key is to document everything in your logbook during training.
Transitioning ultralight pilots who register on or after September 2, 2004 must:
Be at least 17 years old (16 for glider or balloon)
- Obtain a copy of your ultralight pilot records from the FAA-recognized organization with which you are registered
- Have a total of 20 hours of flight time
- Receive ground instruction from a flight instructor and receive a logbook endorsement certifying you have had ground instruction
- Successfully pass a FAA sport pilot knowledge test administered by an FAA testing facility
- Receive flight instruction from a flight instructor and receive a logbook endorsement certifying you are proficient and prepared to pass the practical test
- Successfully pass a FAA sport pilot practical test, which includes an oral and flight test administered by a sport pilot examiner (SPE)
Have you flown as a sport pilot? Let us know about it at editorial@eaa.org. |
