Todd,

Thanks so much for posting this info.
As far as it goes, since there aren't really any
CFIG-SP instructors yet in the world (they are all
just full CFIGs at this point), I haven't been too
concerned about this, since I plan to just solo students
as a regular ol' part 61 anyway.

Beyond that, I see your point about the Student Pilot cert
and then no medical for solo in a Champ. A very good
point.

I suppose the biggest hurdle now really isn't the
FSDO or FAA, who have done what I think is a remarkable job.
The biggest, and most important hurdle, is getting the approval
of the insurance company to allow these SPs to take
passengers and to allow the CFIG-SPs to train students
in the gliders.

The 2-33 I would expect to see the insurers
accept readily for this. The SZD 50-3 may take a bit
more convincing or a small premium increase to allow
SPs.

Todd Pattist wrote:
(Mark James Boyd) wrote:

On the other hand, solo of brand new sport pilots (not transition)
has not yet been fully supported. More on this later...

I spoke to the FAA Sport Pilot hotline in OK City last week
about solo for brand new ab-initio SP applicants. They
initially advised me that solo was not yet possible, but
they weren't really sure. I pointed out that anyone can get
a student pilot certificate from their FSDO without the
medical (as they currently do for gliders) and that under
the Sept rule change they would then be legal to solo in an
airplane (Champ) LSA or glider LSA with an instructor's
signoff. I wasn't challenging them, just trying to find the
applicable rules. After some more checking with the higher
ups and a return call, they changed their reply and agreed
with me - you can solo an SP applicant now. He needs to
meet the requirements, get a student cert, get the training
and get the CFI signoffs.

Prior calls to AOPA and FSDO got these responses:

FSDO - OK to solo now with a student cert. We won't ask why
they want it, but we've only had a 3 hour intro to Sport
Pilot stuff, so we're just feeling our way along.

AOPA - Can't solo until November 15, and we just learned
can't solo until January 15. We agree there is no rule
against it if you have a student cert, but the FAA says they
are going to have a special SP student certificate and they
aren't ready yet.

YMMV

Todd Pattist - "WH" Ventus C
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)


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Mark J. Boyd