Sport Pilot

Recently I've had to study up on the regulations for helping students achieve the sport pilot certificate. Actually, I've never worked at a place with a light sport aircraft before. This week I have started with one new student that wants to get this, and this weekend I will fly for the first time with a woman whose instructor quit this week. It only requires 20 hours verses the 40 for a private pilot certificate. It seems like just a small number. I was just wondering if anyone out there has received their sport pilot near the minimum time required. How was it?

Sport Pilot



To qualify for the Sport pilot certificate, an applicant must:[8]

Be at least 17 years of age
Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
Log at least 20 hours of flight time of which at least
15 hours must be dual instruction with a qualified flight instructor
2 hours must be cross-country dual instruction
5 hours must be solo flight
Fly one solo cross-country flight over a total distance of 75 or more nautical miles to two different destinations to a full-stop landing. At least one leg of this cross-country must be over a total distance of at least 25 nautical miles (46 km).
Have received 2 hours of dual instruction in the preceding 60 days, in preparation for the Practical Test
Pass a Knowledge (written) test
Pass a Practical (oral and flight) test
Have a valid US State drivers license AND not been rejected for your last Airman Medical Certificate
...or have a current 3rd class or higher Airman Medical Certificate


restrictions

No more than one passenger
Daytime flight only (civil twilight is used to define day/night)
Maximum Takeoff Weight of 1320 lbs,[9] compared to 12,500 lb (5,700 kg) of the Private Pilot Certificate or the Recreational Pilot Certificate.
No flight above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) MSL or 2,000 feet (610 m) AGL, whichever is higher (this automatically excludes flight in Class A airspace)
No flight in any of the airspace classes that require radio communication (B, C, or D) without first obtaining additional instruction and instructor endorsement

The Sport pilot certificate is also ineligible for additional ratings (such as an Instrument rating), although time in light-sport aircraft can be used towards the experience requirement of other ratings on higher certificate types.javascript:void(0)