You do need a license. It has less training hours, and a few more
restrictions. Day visual flight rules only, and to go to another towered
airport, you must have a briefing from an instructor.

If this is correct, the sport pilot license is less restrictive than
my recreational pilot cert. For each towered airport, I need an
endorsement from my instructor.

That restriction is the only thing I've ever regretted about not
getting a PPL. I'd assumed in training that like the XC restriction it
could be lifted by additional training and a one-time endorsement, but
not so.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com