Get Sport Pilot Certificate now or wait for MOSAIC?

Don’t wait. Who knows for sure when the changes will take effect? Start flying now, and when you can upgrade to Private, do it then, if you need to.

Long trips can be done in an LSA. Just do not count on keeping to a schedule. Plenty of folks have flown long distances - like across the country - in planes that are slower and less well-equipped than today’s LSAs and they did just fine. Low and slow is a ball.
 
ateamer said:
Long trips can be done in an LSA. Just do not count on keeping to a schedule. Plenty of folks have flown long distances - like across the country - in planes that are slower and less well-equipped than today’s LSAs and they did just fine. Low and slow is a ball.
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Long trips in an LSA? Yup, a former owner of my Ercoupe few it from Ohio to Alaska and back a few years ago. It still has a "destination" sticker on the side near the cockpit.
 
I've flown all over N. America single engine - mostly VFR - occasionally delayed a day by weather but for the most part able to make my trips when planned. If you have to be somewhere on a particular day, even flying single engine IFR is no guarantee you're going to get there. Thunderstorms, icing, etc., etc., are to be avoided regardless. If you must be there, fly commercial. I also agree that you need not wait to start flying. With a Sport Pilot license, moving to a different aircraft requires training and a sign-off regardless. Good luck and have fun!
 
MauleSkinner said:
Stearmans encourage precision navigation…if you fly directly over your checkpoint, the only way to see it is to roll the airplane over. ;)
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Plus, assuming MOSAIC goes through as proposed, it appears that it can be flown with a sport pilot ticket (or private without a medical)
 
MauleSkinner said:
My experience is the pilots who pretty much ALWAYS file IFR are poor judges of what a competent VFR pilot can accomplish.
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Heard this forever if you don’t have a twin with boots hot prop and hot plate you shouldn’t fly IFR. Mainly old airline pilots.
 
Remember, if you want to "step up" to a Commercial certificate, all of your flying including your X Country is all VFR.
 
CFI here - Sport Pilot Instructors are limited to instructing Sport Pilots but regular CFI's may instruct for any certificate that they're qualified for in the category and class of aircraft for which they are qualified. The bigger problem is finding instructors willing to do Sport Pilot instruction and aircraft to do it in.
 
Thank you for all of the helpful replies. I should have clarified that all of my flying will be for leisure without any particular time pressure. Since the speed gap between LSAs and popular single-engines isn't as big as I thought, an LSA might actually be what I'm looking for. Most of my flying will be within 100 miles of Houston (Houston-Galveston, Houston-Navasota, Houston-Brenham), and I'd like to occasionally fly to visit family in Tennessee when weather permits.

It looks like starting my training locally is the thing to do. If I were to buy a plane to do all of my training in, would the insurance costs be absurd since I'd have 0 flight hours and no license? And would I be able to get a realistic sense of what I liked if I took discovery flights in various LSAs or does it take more time in a plane to get a feel for it (I'm 6'2", so I'd need some room to feel comfortable on a long flight to Tennessee)?
 
I would start your Sport training in a regular Skyhawk to see if you like flying at all. If you do, then worry about finding an LSA to see if you fit. And then what LSA might work best ( RV12, etc. )
 
Aircraft ownership has its own steep learning curve and takes a good bit of time. I'd suggest not buying a plane before you learn to fly. After you fly a bit, you'll have a better understanding of what you will want to buy.
 
Training from a "sport pilot instructor"

If you get your sport pilot ticket, then the training from a sport pilot instructor counts towards a private. If you "switch" before you get the actual ticket, it does not.

61.109 (l)
Permitted credit for flight training received from a flight instructor with a sport pilot rating. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may credit flight training received from a flight instructor with a sport pilot rating toward the aeronautical experience requirements of this section if the following conditions are met:

(1) The flight training was accomplished in the same category and class of aircraft for which the rating is sought;

(2) The flight instructor with a sport pilot rating was authorized to provide the flight training; and

(3) The flight training included either—

(i) Training on areas of operation that are required for both a sport pilot certificate and a private pilot certificate; or
(ii) For airplanes with a VH greater than 87 knots CAS, training on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to the flight instruments, including straight and level flight, turns, descents, climbs, use of radio aids, and ATC directives, provided the training was received from a flight instructor with a sport pilot rating who holds an endorsement required by § 61.412(c).
 
True. I think you’ll be using a “regular” CFI instead of a Sport Pilot CFI anyway, so should be good. So many regular CFIs vs Sport CFIs.
 
WDD said:
Remember, if you want to "step up" to a Commercial certificate, all of your flying including your X Country is all VFR.
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:confused2: You’re obviously going to do the commercial maneuvers visually, but is there a VFR requirement in 61.129 other than the 5 hours of night solo and night landings at a towered airport that I’m missing?
 
midlifeflyer said:
:confused2: You’re obviously going to do the commercial maneuvers visually, but is there a VFR requirement in 61.129 other than the 5 hours of night solo and night landings at a towered airport that I’m missing?
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Yes, you are correct. You have to fly VFR X Country as part of the requirements for a Commercial. Thus my point that not only can you fly X Country VFR safely, but it is a skill required to be a Commercial Pilot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(3) 20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in § 61.127(b)(1) of this part that includes at least—
(i) Ten hours of instrument training using a view-limiting device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and intercepting and tracking navigational systems. Five hours of the 10 hours required on instrument training must be in a single engine airplane;
(ii) 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane (TAA) that meets the requirements of paragraph (j) of this section, or any combination thereof. The airplane must be appropriate to land or sea for the rating sought;
(iii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure;

(iv) One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in nighttime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and

(v) Three hours in a single-engine airplane with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test.
(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (a)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under § 61.127(b)(1) that include—

(i) One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point. However, if this requirement is being met in Hawaii, the longest segment need only have a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles; and

(ii) 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.
 
The only reason to fly between the Houston area and Galveston is to avoid the traffic on the highway.
 
htx said:
It looks like starting my training locally is the thing to do. If I were to buy a plane to do all of my training in, would the insurance costs be absurd since I'd have 0 flight hours and no license?
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When I added a pre-solo student pilot as a named pilot on my policy, they charged $100 one-time fee to add him and no extra premium. I had less than 150 hours at the time. We did it again a couple years later, same deal. We use Arthur J Gallagher for insurance, I forget who’s underwriting it this year.

Half Fast said:
Aircraft ownership has its own steep learning curve and takes a good bit of time. I'd suggest not buying a plane before you learn to fly. After you fly a bit, you'll have a better understanding of what you will want to buy.
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I’d say it depends. IF you have someone who knows what they’re doing to help you out, it can work out well. As a no- or low-time pilot, you really don’t know what you’re looking at or for. Having an experienced pilot/owner, especially if they’re an A&P or a builder, can change the whole picture for you if you’re lucky enough to have one.

Otherwise, rent or look for a flying club that will allow primary instruction in one of their planes. Those can be a really good deal.
 
WDD said:
You have to fly VFR X Country as part of the requirements for a Commercial.
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No you don't. That's why I asked. I thought maybe there was something I hadn't seen.

You say there is one and then quote the language where the only VFR requirement is the night solo part.

There is no VFR cross country requirement for the commercial airplane. I don't think there was ever one for the long solo and the VFR requirement for the two dual cross countries disappeared in 2009.
 
midlifeflyer said:
No you don't. That's why I asked. I thought maybe there was something I hadn't seen.

You say there is one and then quote the language where the only VFR requirement is the night solo part.

There is no VFR cross country requirement for the commercial airplane. I don't think there was ever one for the long solo and the VFR requirement for the two dual cross countries disappeared in 2009.
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Interesting interpretation. All of our CFI's and DPE's that our club use interpret Daytime conditions and Nighttime conditions to mean VFR for the 2 hour day and 2 hour night requirements. You've got my curiosity up. I'll mention this to our chief instructor and a few other of our CFI's to get their additional thinking.
 
WDD said:
Interesting interpretation. All of our CFI's and DPE's that our club use interpret Daytime conditions and Nighttime conditions to mean VFR for the 2 hour day and 2 hour night requirements. You've got my curiosity up. I'll mention this to our chief instructor and a few other of our CFI's to get their additional thinking.
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To me, the more interesting interpretation is, "when it doesn't say VFR, it means VFR" and removing "VFR" from the words of a regulation means the words are still there :D

FWIW, here's the FAA's "interesting interpretation." It's from the 1999 Final Rule. There was a lot of discussion when it was done.

1737571010966.png
 
midlifeflyer said:
To me, the more interesting interpretation is, "when it doesn't say VFR, it means VFR" and removing "VFR" from the words of a regulation means the words are still there :D

FWIW, here's the FAA's "interesting interpretation." It's from the 1999 Final Rule. There was a lot of discussion when it was done.

View attachment 137432
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Appreciate it - thank you
 
htx said:
It looks like starting my training locally is the thing to do. If I were to buy a plane to do all of my training in, would the insurance costs be absurd since I'd have 0 flight hours and no license? And would I be able to get a realistic sense of what I liked if I took discovery flights in various LSAs or does it take more time in a plane to get a feel for it (I'm 6'2", so I'd need some room to feel comfortable on a long flight to Tennessee)?
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Unless you have a stack of cash and plan to use brokers for any aircraft purchases and sales I wouldn't recommend purchasing an aircraft for training. In general, I wouldn't recommend aircraft ownership for any low time pilot because you don't know what you don't know. Of course if there are no other options, then yes, discovery flights will be helpful to determine an LSA that fits your needs. I don't believe you mentioned your age, but I have found the older I get (57 now) "long flights" are something I don't look forward to. You may find that any aircraft is uncomfortable after a few hours...

Good Luck and Blue Skies!
 
William Pete Hodges said:
I have never flown a light sport or ultralight. But an instructor I respect once told me that because these airplanes are so light, light winds toss them around easier than heavier airplanes. This can make them more difficult to control and land unless the wind is very light. So once you have learned to fly them, especially in some wind, transition to other aircraft is a piece of cake!

Get your sport pilot now. Don't wait.
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Uh, not really, I fly a wide body jet for work and my champ which qualifies for LSA, for fun, the champ is easier to fly than a non LSA qualifying 170 or Maule in my opinion.


I don’t go up in lots of turbulence because it’s just not fun, but I’ll go play in the pattern with 20kt cross winds, it’s fun like dating a Latina, also a great mountain plane if you can read lift with its 34’ wing


As for the training, I have trained a few sport guys, I make it clear I am going to also provide them night and some instrument training, more or less PPL level training.

Murphys law doesn’t care about the FARs and I would rather they experience and learn bad weather and dark with me before one flight life decides to be the efficiently fast teacher she can be


Rolling a sport into a higher certificate is no big deal, and having blown big money on the FAA circus act in my career, having nothing scientifically, legally or medically wrong with me, I fully understand wanting to distance oneself from the FAA medical clown show as much as possible


As far as putting off flying or ownership, tomorrow is not promised, the only caveat would be to fly a few different types before you pull the trigger on your own ship, I love ownership, from getting my hands dirty on her oil changes and annuals, 24/7 access, and full operational control.
 
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