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11/18/04 - STUDENT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE FOR SPORT PILOTS, BUT…
Individuals wishing to obtain a student pilot certificate to begin sport pilot training may apply as of November 15. To do so, an applicant must complete form 8710-1, which is available on the FAA website. Once completed, submit the application to a local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) inspector or to a designated pilot examiner (DPE). After the FAA authorizes sport pilot examiners (SPEs), applications may be submitted to them as well. However, FAA has not yet completed the policy documents explaining the process to its inspectors and examiners.
As a stopgap measure until those policy documents become available, now expected in January, FAA is advising its aviation safety inspectors and designated pilot examiners to use the appropriate chapter in either FAA Order 8700.1 or FAA Order 8710.3 that deals with issuing a student pilot certificate (FAA Form 8710-1). The inspector or examiner should note the designation “Sport Pilot” on FAA Form 8710-1 in the “Other” box in Section I. The application will then be processed in accordance with the current guidance.
The inspector or examiner is then required to brief the student pilot applicant about the limitations of a sport pilot student as defined in 14 CFR 61.89(c). In addition, they should discuss the limitations with flight instructors who are providing training to sport pilot students.
If you encounter an inspector or examiner who is not familiar with this information, feel free to make them aware of it or ask that they contact FAA’s Light Sport Aviation Branch, e-mail afs610comments@faa.gov. |
