Sport Pilot

FLYING Staff

Monday, March 05, 2007 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Private pilots do not need a separate Sport Pilot certificate; their existing certificate automatically qualifies them for Sport Pilot operations, provided they meet the specific medical requirements (valid driver's license and no past FAA medical denials/suspensions).
At the time of the article, the FAA and EAA were developing a comprehensive list of aircraft designator codes for Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA), which was expected to be available in early-to-mid 2007.
Pilots needing an aircraft code for ATC were directed to FAA Order 7340.1 (Contractions) for existing aircraft types, though LSA-specific codes were not yet universally published.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Each month, Flying answers questions about the new Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft Rule with assistance from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the authority on the opportunities available within the category commonly known as “Sport Pilot”:

Q: I am a private pilot with an instrument rating, single-engine land. I would also like to have the paper certificate for Sport Pilot. Is that possible and if so, how?