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AES256

AES256

Pre-Flight
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
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78
Location
Arkansas
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Display name:
Aaron D
Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Aaron and I have always dreamed of flying so I am now joining forums and learning the jargon and information. Im looking to get my Sport certificate If I can find a "affordable" wet rate for an aircraft in my area.

I'm located in Bryant, AR and my home airport is KSUZ.
 
Oh, My interests include Amateur radio and computers. KJ5ZP. I enjoy tinkering with electronics and have a business degree and a degree in IT management.
 
Welcome Aaron, start at your local airport, don't count out the little airports.
 
I've checked at my local airport, KSUZ. I see a lot of local websites for sport pilots certificates but alas, the businesses are closed.
Im still looking. I found a nice looking one in North central Arkansas, its just a three hour drive though. Beautiful area.
 
Welcome to PoA.
 
3 hours is going to kill you on training, you could train and get your private then fly sport, is there anything else pointing you toward sport, like concern getting a medical?
 
Welcome! I got my Sport cert in a Tecnam a few years ago, then did my Private last year. Keep us posted on your progress.

And 73 from AJ4CM!
 
Hi Aaron. Welcome to the forum.

I am not familiar with the area around Bryant. You may want to call up the Manager at Conway airport and see if anyone there works on the Sport Pilot certificate. There should be somewhere closer than north Arkansas.
 
somorris said:
Hi Aaron. Welcome to the forum.

I am not familiar with the area around Bryant. You may want to call up the Manager at Conway airport and see if anyone there works on the Sport Pilot certificate. There should be somewhere closer than north Arkansas.
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Yes sir. I do see some options in Conway. The price varies considerably in different areas. Looking on a database I only found one Designated examiner in Arkansas. ?? There has to be more.
 
Half Fast said:
Welcome! I got my Sport cert in a Tecnam a few years ago, then did my Private last year. Keep us posted on your progress.

And 73 from AJ4CM!
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Was there a lot to do other than airspace work, night flying and I guess longer distance cross country?
 
PaulS said:
3 hours is going to kill you on training, you could train and get your private then fly sport, is there anything else pointing you toward sport, like concern getting a medical?
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I have been thinking about that. Im 48 and have sleep apnea and a few things that seems like a pain in the butt to even deal with on a 3rd class medical.
 
AES256 said:
Was there a lot to do other than airspace work, night flying and I guess longer distance cross country?
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I didn't need more airspace work, as I did my towered airport endorsement on my Sport ticket. I think I had to do 3 solo landings at a towered airport to satisfy the PP req't. I'd also done lots of solo flying as a SP, so those hours were covered.

As a SP I flew plenty of cross countries that were long enough, but they didn't have two stops so I had to do one fresh solo XC. Also, SP requires fewer hours of XC with an instructor than PP, so I had to fly a short out & back with my CFI to check that box. Then I had to do night work, and some more time on instruments (I think a couple of hours). All told, I had about another 10 or 12 hours of instruction - roughly 2 hours instrument, 4 hours at night, 2 hours dual XC, then a few hours brushing up on landings and maneuvers and emergencies for a new check ride.

The instruction was pretty simple; mostly just flying with an instructor as a passenger to rack up enough hours. I did PP in the same LSA I used for SP and had been renting, so I was very familiar with the plane. The checkride was straightforward and only took about an hour.
 
AES256 said:
I have been thinking about that. Im 48 and have sleep apnea and a few things that seems like a pain in the butt to even deal with on a 3rd class medical.
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Sleep apnea with a CPAP shouldn't be an issue, the few other things, can't say.
 
Half Fast said:
I didn't need more airspace work, as I did my towered airport endorsement on my Sport ticket. I think I had to do 3 solo landings at a towered airport to satisfy the PP req't. I'd also done lots of solo flying as a SP, so those hours were covered.

As a SP I flew plenty of cross countries that were long enough, but they didn't have two stops so I had to do one fresh solo XC. Also, SP requires fewer hours of XC with an instructor than PP, so I had to fly a short out & back with my CFI to check that box. Then I had to do night work, and some more time on instruments (I think a couple of hours). All told, I had about another 10 or 12 hours of instruction - roughly 2 hours instrument, 4 hours at night, 2 hours dual XC, then a few hours brushing up on landings and maneuvers and emergencies for a new check ride.

The instruction was pretty simple; mostly just flying with an instructor as a passenger to rack up enough hours. I did PP in the same LSA I used for SP and had been renting, so I was very familiar with the plane. The checkride was straightforward and only took about an hour.
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What airplane did you fly and do your check ride in?
 
Hey Aaron - welcome to POA! Search for Sleep Apnea, OSA or CPAP on here and you'll find a few discussion threads with some good info on that.
Greg
 
AES256 said:
Congratulations. Nice looking aircraft. Its amazing how young some instructors are. :)
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He's a year younger than my youngest kid. I felt like I should be teaching him to drive, rather than him teaching me to fly. But he's good instructor and did a fine job.
 
Don't let the age scare you off. I was 49 when I passed my PP check ride and 59 when I passed the instrument ride. You're never too old.

As others have pointed out, using a CPAP isn't a show stopper by any means.

BTW,

73

N6TPT
 
Ghery said:
Don't let the age scare you off. I was 49 when I passed my PP check ride and 59 when I passed the instrument ride. You're never too old.

As others have pointed out, using a CPAP isn't a show stopper by any means.

BTW,

73

N6TPT
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Thank you N6TPT. Hopefully have my certs my 49. :). I appreciate the response.
 
AES256 said:
Yes sir... Seems to be an addition to expensive hobbies. :)
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Ham radio is cheap. Aviation will adjust your perspective. There's a reason that the base currency is the AMU ("Aviation Monetary Unit" = $1000). No point in measuring smaller values.
 
Half Fast said:
Ham radio is cheap. Aviation will adjust your perspective. There's a reason that the base currency is the AMU ("Aviation Monetary Unit" = $1000). No point in measuring smaller values.
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Yeah, wife wants to talk me out of it bad. lol
 
One additional thing I would add is not to give up on the SP track. While you can probably jump through some (maybe a lot) of hoops with the FAA to get a 3rd class medical, most of the expense will probably be on you, depending on your health insurance. Once you get the SP cert, you can always upgrade if you find it too constricting. Please keep us updated on your search for SP instruction. There is a DPE who works out of West Memphis. He stays pretty busy, but as far as I know he is still doing check rides. There is also a DPE at Downtown Aviation in Memphis, just across the river. I believe you can use a DPE from another state due to recent changes to FAA regs. Check, though. I could be wrong.
 
Aaron, check out the Tecnam and Flight Design CT light sport airplanes. They are both really nice aircraft, and a blast to fly. You would look good in the left seat!

I hope you explore this idea further and get involved in flying.

The CT Series:

http://flightdesignusa.com/aircraft/ctls/

The Tecnam:

https://www.tecnam.com/us/aircraft/

There are many other light sport plane manufacturers, and their products are all attractive and fun to fly.
 
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