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How to Acquire Sport Pilot Privileges

These are the steps to take to acquire the signoffs and endorsements for Sport Pilot privileges.

NOTE: If an FAA medical has been revoked, denied, withdrawn, or suspended, this requires a special issuance to clear the medical, before the driver’s license may be used as medical eligibility to fly light sport aircraft as a Sport Pilot. Any limitation on the driver’s license or FAA medical must be followed.

FAA Personnel and Civilian Designates

Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI)- FAA personnel who can administer all practical and proficiency tests. Can issue Student, Sport Pilot and Instructor licenses/certificates. (The FAA is also using the DPE’s to accomplish this task.)

Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE)– Civilian representative for the FAA who can issue Pilot Licenses/Certificates. Each DPE reports to FAA personnel who is a Principle Operations Inspector (POI).

• Sport Pilot Examiner (SPE)– A DPE who can issue certificates to Students and perform checkrides for Sport Pilots.
• Sport Pilot Instructor Examiner (SPIE)– A DPE who can perform Instructor checkrides and issue Sport Pilot Instructor (CFI-S) certificates.

Certified Flight Instructor with Sport Pilot rating (CFIS)- Instructors can instruct, endorse, and provide proficiency checks for Sport Pilots and Sport Pilot CFI’s. They can not issue Student or Sport Pilot Licenses/Certificates.

A Private Pilot Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) or higher is considered a Sport Pilot Instructor (CFIS) for the category/class listed on their CFI certificate. For example, a Private Pilot CFI instructing in Single Engine Land can provide Sport Pilot instruction in a Single Engine Land aircraft.

A Sport Pilot PPC or weight-shift control CFI with a private pilot license in any catagory can instruct and recommend PPC and weight-shift control private pilots.

Sport Pilot– A pilot who holds an FAA License/Certificate and exercises Sport Pilot privileges. They can fly any Light Sport Aircraft Make/Model/Set endorsed with logbook signoff. Existing pilots with a Recreational/Private, or higher can fly as a Sport Pilot using the drivers license as proof of medical eligibility.

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How to Acquire Sport Pilot Privileges

New Pilot candidate who does not have any FAA pilot certificate

• Start ground and flight training from a CFI to be a Sport Pilot.
• Obtain student pilot certificate to Solo from a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), your local FAA FSDO office, or an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) while getting a 3rd class medical.
• Have CFI endorse Student Pilot certificate for make/model and provide appropriate logbook limitations to solo.
• Receive endorsement to take knowledge test. (This can be through home study or from a CFI.)
• Pass FAA knowledge text (computer based). (Typically known as "written" test.)
• Meet the knowledge and flight proficiency requirements in 61.309 thru 61.313 from a Sport Pilot CFI. All training logged must be in an N numbered aircraft.
• Receive and log 3 hours training 60 days before your checkride (practical test) and obtain endorsements for practical test from Sport Pilot CFI on form 8710-11.
• Pass practical test with DPE/SPE. Click here to find a DPE. (Chose from the "Examiner Listing" at bottom of page.)
• Receive Sport Pilot Certificate and log book endorsement for type of aircraft used for practical test.

Ultralight pilot or using ultralight experience who does not have any FAA pilot certificate

• Use a driver’s license or third class medical certificate to meet medical requirements.
• Receive endorsement to take FAA knowledge test. (This can be through home study or from a CFI.)
• Pass FAA knowledge test (computer based and typically known as "written" test.)
• Meet the knowledge and flight proficiency requirements in 61.309 thru 61.313.
• Logged flight time in a non N-numbered aircraft (while a member of an Ultralight orgranization) can be used per 61.52 and 61.329 guidelines until January 31, 2008. This logged time is good even after January 31, 2008 when the Ultralight exemptions expire.
• Recieve 3 hours training 60 days prior to Practical Test and obtain endorsement for Practical from Sport Pilot CFI in logbook and Recommendation on form 8710-11.
• Pass practical test with DPE/SPE. Click here to find a DPE. (Chose from the "Examiner Listing" at bottom of page.)
• Receive Sport Pilot Certificate and logbook endorsement for type of aircraft used for practical.

Pilot who has an FAA pilot certificate (Recreational or higher) with or without a medical

A. Recreational/Private pilot or higher wanting to exercise Sport pilot privileges with same category and class of LSA. Example: Airplane single engine land category/class wants to fly Light-Sport Airplane land tricycle gear (if you want to fly different category/class go to next B. step.)

• Meet medical requirements: Can use drivers license or FAA medical to meet medical eligibility.
• Have current biannual flight review in any civil aircraft. (Same as Private Pilot currency.)
• Must have three takeoffs and landings within 90 days in the category/class/make/model/set Light Sport aircraft logged if you want to carry a passenger in that LSA category/class/make/model/set. (Same as Private Pilot currency.)
• Driver’s license medical limitations.
  • Operate only LSA category/class/make/model/set same as airplane category/class, or logbook endorsement for additional LSA category/class/make/model/set.
  • Operate LSA with sport pilot limitations per 61.315 (10,000 feet MSL, 3 miles visibility, no night, etc.), but NOT required to have the airspeed or airspace B, C,& D endorsements.
• FAA minimum 3rd class medical privileges.
  Operate only LSA category/class/make/model/set same as airplane category/class, or logbook endorsement for additional LSA category/class/make/model/set. Do NOT have to comply with any Sport Pilot limitations per 61.315. (You're using your Private Pilot certificate to fly LSA.)

B. Recreational/Private pilot or higher wanting to exercise Sport pilot privileges with new category/class. Example: Hold Single Engine Land private but want to fly Weight shift control or Airplane Sea LSA.

• Meet medical requirements: Can use drivers license or FAA medical to meet medical eligibility.
• Receive logbook endorsement for areas trained for knowledge per 61.309 and skill per 61.311 with CFI. Get recommendation, from this CFI, on form 8710-11 for new category and class sought.
• Successfully complete proficiency check per PTS with another CFI (other than the CFI who originally trained and gave the recommendation) and submit 8710-11 form to FAA for new category and class added.
• Be current or get a current biannual flight review in any civil aircraft. (A proficiency check does not count as a flight review.)
• Must have three takeoffs and landings within 90 days in the category/class/make/model/set Light Sport aircraft logged if you want to carry a passenger in that LSA category/class/make/model/set.
• Driver's license medical limitations.
  Operate only LSA category/class/make/model/set same as airplane category/class, or log book endorsement for additional LSA category/class/make/model/set. Operate LSA with sport pilot limitations per 61.315 (10,000 feet MSL, 3 miles visibility, no night, etc.) but NOT required to have the airspeed or airspace B, C,& D endorsements.
• FAA minimum 3rd class medical privileges.
  Operate only LSA category/class/make/model/set same as airplane category/class, or log book endorsement for additional LSA category/class/make/model/set. If proficiency check was for Sport Pilot with a CFI, must comply with Sport Pilot limitations same as when using drivers license for medical eligibility. If checkride was with a DPE for Private Pilot privileges, you do NOT have to comply with any Sport Pilot limitations per 61.315.

Next: Hamilton Pilot Training System for Sport Pilot Applicants

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Article by Paul Hamilton, CFI, DPE, SPE SPIE, one of the first persons to receive Sport Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificates in weight-shift control, land category, as well as, Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for Sport Pilots. Owner of Adventure Productions, Paul Hamilton produces entertainment, educational, and training resources for Ultralight and Sport Pilots that you can purchase at AP-Store.com.