Sport Pilot ticket vs Private Pilot License

I am a licensed Private Pilot but not a current medical. Do I have to get the Sport Pilot license to fly when I get my SS7 flying? Or is my PPL good enough? I don't believe that I would pass my medical if I tried.

As a PPL individual you hold that Ticket, You are required to have a Medical to exercise the privlidges of that Certificate, If you have no Medical, i.e. you didn't loose it you just let it expire they your PPL can be used or exercised within the confines of the Sport Pilot Privlidges, It automatically qualifies you just have to limit yourself to fly within the limits / regulations the same as a Sport Pilot. some of the most basic items that you will loose would be no night flight, no altitudes over 10k unless your are with in 2500 agl, No flying over solid overcast etc. just make sure your S7 in not listed over 1320 on the Gross Weight.

Thanks BigJohn, that is what I thought.

Look at 61.303 and 61.315.

There is an odd situation in 303 that I believe is an error. If you look at the chart for if you have a PP but no medical just a driver license, note that if you are flying IN category and class you are limited by all the rules in 315. If you are flying OUT OF category and class, you are exempt from 315 (c)(7) and (c)(14). These are the controlled airspace and a speed limit criteria, unless you meet training requirements. A PP would have had the training, so it seems like a mistake to me, if you are flying in category and class. Actually, for a PP flying under SP rules a few other limitations ought to be exempted too, but that is another whole discussion.

There is no error and it is really quite simple.


Category: Airplane, Helicopter, etc.
Class: Single Engine -land, Multi engine-sea, etc.



If you have a Private Pilot license you can fly LSA with a drivers license and no medical. Your flight operations are limited the same as any sport pilot.


Sport Pilots must have make and model endorsements. Private Pilots do not require make and model endorsements within the same category and class.


Example: Tom is a Sport Pilot. Dick is a Private Pilot with Airplane Single Engine ratings. Both have a drivers license and want to fly a Kitfox LSA with tri gear.
Tom must get a Kitfox endorsement before he can solo or carry a passenger.
Dick can jump in the Kitfox, do three take-offs and landings solo, then carry a passenger with no endorsement required.


Harry shows up to fly the Kitfox. He is a Private Pilot with Helicopter - multi engine - land rating. His medical has expired and he has a valid drivers license. Harry must get an endorsement to fly the Kitfox solo. He may not carry a passenger until he gets an additional Airplane single engine rating.

John, please list what regulation covers make and model endorsements for sport pilot. My understanding is this. As the sport pilot rules were first proposed, that would have been the case, but as it was adopted, it was only broken up into catagory and class. I have been a sport pilot since June 2005, (second one in Mn) and have three friends within 20 miles of me that are also SPs. None of us have specific make and model endorsements, but we all have sport pilot specific catagory and class endorsements that govern what type and speed of planes we can fly. Take care, Jim Chuk

I didn't have time this morning to post this with my other message, but here it is. These are the different sets of aircraft a sport pilot may be licensed to fly. This is from the FAA web site. Take care, Jim Chuk

Once again proving I should not make postings after 2200 having left out the nit-pick details.

In my original post I tried to make the regs simple, but as everyone knows, simple and FAA in the same sentence do not mix. I normally shy away from these discussions on regs and requirements because they almost always lead to lengthy chatter with little or no positive outcome. I can barely keep up with the mountain of paperwork with the FAA and no matter how thorough you try to be on the forums, someone will always pop up to point out the errors. So do the best you can guys and gals. When someone signs your logbook, make sure they refer to the AC to get it right.

And I’ll do my best to not post when It’s late.

The make and model endorsement applies to several of the sign offs required. If you already have a sport license in airplane single engine land/sea then you do not need a make and model endorsement for the Kitfox unless it is your first tailwheel aircraft. If the Kitfox is a nose plow version, disregard the tailwheel endorsement. You will still need 3 take offs and landings prior to carrying passengers.

The sport pilot endorsement for make and model applies to student pilots seeking a sport pilot license. Pre-solo and additional 90 day solo require make and model endorsements per 61.87 as does any student cross county endorsement per 61.93

In addition, a certificated sport pilot wishing to fly outside the category or class rating will required an endorsement with make and model prior to solo 61.31(d)(3)

So, if you hold a Sport License for powered parachutes and wish to fly a Kitfox you need an endorsement for pre-solo in make and model.

If you are taking a proficiency check and to add a category or class, the endorsement includes make and model. You won’t be restricted to make and model, but the FAA advisory circular AC61.65e says it has to be there. I don’t know why.

“Passing A Flight Proficiency Check for an Additional Category or Class of Aircraft: §61.321
I certify that (First name, MI, Last name) has met the training and endorsement requirements of §§ 61.309 and 61.311. I have determined him/her proficient to act as PIC of (category or class) (make and model aircraft) of light sport aircraft. /s/ [date] J. Jones 987654321 CFI [expiration date]”

By the way… if you are a sport pilot and received any additional category or class rating for your sport license you might go to the FAA website to see if your rating got recorded. If your name is not on the list, go back to the CFI or DPE that endorsed you to make sure the paperwork is submitted.

Regards,
John Pitkin