Sport Pilot License

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

I hope I am correct here because I have been flying under the new license for years now. I originally held a 3rd class medical since 1979 then just before the new license was offered I had problems with kidney stones, this put up red flags to the FAA They never denied me a medical but wanted me review yearly rather than every two years.

As soon as the new certificate was offered I let my current medical expire and self certified as a Sport Pilot. As far as I can determine this was the correct way to do this, I understand that if you are denied a medical then you cannot get the Sport Pilot License? I was never denied!

Thanks

widgeon13 · 04-18-2008, 11:38 AM

You probably should check the FAR's as there have been some recent changes.

Dantilla · 04-18-2008, 03:32 PM

You are correct. If you haver never been denied a medical, you can fly under Sport Pilot rules with a valid driver's license.

slodave · slodave's Garage

I agree with Dantilla.

widgeon13 · 04-18-2008, 04:55 PM

AOPA is petitioning the FAA to change the rule so that driver's license medical would work for sport pilots even if you have lost your medical in the past. If the doctor allows you to drive a car this would qualify you to fly. Unfortunately, it has not been approved to date.

Joeaksa · 04-18-2008, 06:46 PM

As long as your medical has not been denied or revoked, you are legal for the SP catagory from what I have heard.

That said, you might want to go here and ask just in case.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sport_Pilot_Instructors/?yguid=332179891

This is a yahoo group of Sport Pilot instructors and they can tell you 100% if you are legal or not.

t6dpilot · t6dpilot's Garage

I know for a fact that if you have a valid pilot's license and medical (but lapsed), you are legal for Sport Pilot. You cannot get approval for SP if you have been denied a medical in the past. I know this because my father recently went through this mental masturbation about whether to let his medical lapse or reapply. He has been dealing with glaucoma for years and just now saw some degredation in his field of vision. He did not want to take a chance with the FAA until he knew exactly what his chances were (long story that I won't bore you all with).

Bottom line is that he let it lapse, flew under SP for a while, then reapplied and got his medical back. Hope this helps.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

My dad isn't yet flying again, but he will go under the SP program.