April 15th NPRM To Bring Sport Pilot "In Line" With Other Certificates

The FAA has proposed amended rules for sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating, in an NPRM entitled, "Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light Sport Aircraft; Modifications to Rules for Sport Pilots and Flight Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating."

According to the FAA, they believe "these changes are necessary to address airman certification issues that have arisen since regulations for the operation of light-sport aircraft were implemented. These changes would align the certification requirements for sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating with those requirements currently applicable to other airmen certificates."

Specific modifications to current Rule-Making include:

1. Replace sport pilot privileges with aircraft category and class ratings on all pilot certificates.
2. Replace sport pilot flight instructor privileges with aircraft category ratings on all flight instructor certificates.
3. Remove current provisions for the conduct of proficiency checks by flight instructors and include provisions for the issuance of category and class ratings by designated pilot examiners. 
4. Place all requirements for flight instructors under a single subpart (subpart H) of part 61.
5. Require 1 hour of flight training on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments for student pilots seeking a sport pilot certificate to operate an airplane with a maximum airspeed in level flight with maximum continuous power (VH) greater than 87 knots calibrated airspeed (CAS) and sport pilots operating airplanes with a VH greater than 87 knots CAS. 
6. Remove the requirement for persons exercising sport pilot privileges and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to carry their logbooks while in flight.
7. Remove the requirement that persons exercising sport pilot privileges have an aircraft make-and-model endorsement to operate a specific set of aircraft while adding provisions for endorsements for the operation of powered parachutes with elliptical wings and aircraft with a VH less than or equal to 87 knots CAS.

   

8. Remove the requirement for all flight instructors to log at least 5 hours of flight time in a make and model of light-sport aircraft before providing training in any aircraft from the same set of aircraft in which that training is given.
9. Permit persons exercising sport pilot privileges and the privileges of a student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate to fly up to an altitude of not more than 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) or 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL), whichever is higher.  
10. Permit private pilots to receive compensation for production flight testing of powered parachutes and weight-shift-control aircraft intended for certification in the light-sport category under §21.190.
11. Revise student sport pilot solo cross-country navigation and communication flight training requirements.
12. Clarify cross-country distance requirements for private pilots seeking to operate weight-shift-control aircraft.
13. Revise aeronautical experience requirements at towered airports for persons seeking to operate a powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft as a private pilot.
14. Remove the requirement for pilots with only a powered parachute or a weight-shift-control aircraft rating to take a knowledge test for an additional rating at the same certificate level.

    

15. Revise the amount of hours of flight training an applicant for a sport pilot certificate must log within 60 days prior to taking the practical test.
16. Remove expired ultralight transition provisions and limit the use of aeronautical experience obtained in ultralight vehicles.
17. Add a requirement for student pilots to obtain endorsements identical to those proposed for sport pilots in §§61.324 and 61.327. 
18. Clarify that an authorized instructor must be in a  powered parachute when providing flight instruction to a student pilot.
19. Remove the requirement for aircraft certificated as experimental aircraft in the light-sport category to comply with the applicable maintenance and preventive maintenance requirements of part 43 when those aircraft have been previously issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category.
20. Require aircraft owners or operators to retain a record of the current status of applicable safety directives for special light-sport aircraft.

    

21. Provide for the use of aircraft with a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category in training courses approved under part 141.
22. Revise the minimum safe-altitude requirements for powered parachutes and weight-shift-control aircraft.

A 120 day comment period has been specified for the NPRM which is scheduled for publication, April 15th, 2008.

FMI: www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/media/29015.DOC