Why a Sport Pilot or Recreational Pilot is not the Best Idea
By: Felipe Santiago
I receive multiple emails and calls from people requesting more information regarding the training for a Sport Pilot or Recreation Pilot Certificate. While yes we can help people get them at our school, I always try to steer people away from it. Here is why.
There are a few benefits to the rating, don’t get me wrong but I don’t recommend anyone getting them if you can meet the requirements for a Private Pilot Certificate. There are so many limitations to both ratings, whereas if you just fly a bit more which you will do anyways (more on that later) you can get a license with the same privileges of a Commercial Pilot Certificate (except carriage of passengers for hire).
Limitations of a Sport Pilot (FAR Part 61.315):
You can only carry one passenger.
Can fly in furtherance of a business.
Can’t fly at night.
Can’t fly in B, C, or D airspace unless you get the endorsement and additional training.
Can’t fly outside the US.
Can’t fly higher than 2,000’.
Always have to see the ground.
“A Cessna 152 at our school is $99/hr with a 20hr block while a Skycatcher on the field runs at $115/hr per 10hr block”
The biggest issue for everyone is money, occasionally its time but for the majority its money. So if flying is a dream then these license can make it seem possible at a big discount (almost 50%). A Recreational Pilot Certificate only requires a minimum of 30hrs of aeronautical knowledge (FAR Part 61.99) and a Sport Pilot Certificate requires 20 hrs (FAR Part 61.313). The idea is that you can start with the Sport then Upgrade to Recreational followed by Private. This is all great but the issue is that in 20 hrs of which 15 hrs will be with an instructor, that instructor is going to not only get you ready to fly an airplane by yourself but also ready to take a checkride. If that doesn’t seem crazy to anyone who has a certificate then please prove me wrong. What will end up happening is that you will begin training, find out that you will need closer to 30-40 hours and then end up with a Sport Pilot Certificate instead of a Private spending the same if not more money. Let’s compare a Light Sport airplane vs a Normal category airplane.
They both have wings, an engine, radios, navigation equipment, you get the point. They are basically the same with the exception of the weight. Now what do you think is easier, to land a light plane in a 5 knot crosswind or a heavier plane. Obviously the heavier airplane is easier. The point I’m trying to get across here is that those numbers are really far from reality and if any training provider is telling you its normally possible, I would say they are being dishonest.
Let’s talk about what you are going to do once you finish your training. If your plan is to rent a Light Sport airplane, make sure there is one close to you or that the flight training provider rents it to you after getting your certificate. It’s really hard to find Light Sports for rent, and even when you do there are so many different types that some differences training with a Flight Instructor will be required. Now if you have a Private then you can go to any airport in the country and I bet you you will find a Cessna 172 or Cessna 152 for rent.
Like I said at the beginning, there are some people these certificates are good enough but for an airplane like a Cessna Skycatcher then a Private Pilot Certificate will allow to enjoy the airplane at a different level. I hope this clears up the misconceptions around both certificates and bring some awareness to those pilot who probably didn’t even know about the Recreational Pilot Certificate. If your dream is to fly for fun, save a little more money and just get your Private Pilot, you will end up spending the same if not more chasing the other certificates.
