One of the questions I ammost asked is "What do I have to do to become a Sport Pilot in trikes?”

The answer depends on whether or not you have any qualifications or experience right now. My students tend to fall into three categories:

• Those who are already certified pilots in another category of aircraft
•  Those who were ultralight pilots and have been members in good standing with one of the ultralight organizations
• Those who are brand new, without any certifications of any kind.

In this article I’ll address each category. Let’s start with certificated pilots.

CERTIFICATED PILOTS

This group includes all pilots with a valid pilot certificate (Sport Pilot through ATP) for an aircraft other than weight-shift. For you to become a Sport Pilot with Weight-Shift (trike) privileges you must accomplish the following:

• Receive training from a weight-shift certified flight instructor (CFI) and his endorsement stating you are ready for your proficiency flight
• Take your proficiency flight from another weight-shift CFI and pass it. The proficiency flight is identical to the weight-shift practical test. The second CFI will endorse your logbook adding weight-shift sport pilot privileges.

That’s it. There is no written test and no minimum number of flight hours. You don’t even have to have any solo time. Be advised that the two CFI rule will probably change to one CFI and a weight-shift Examiner when the latest change to the Sport Pilot rule takes effect later this year (2009).

NEW STUDENTS

Your requirements are as follows:

• Must take and pass the Sport Pilot written test for weight-shift aircraft
• Flying Experience (the following are minimums)
• 2 hours must be cross country instruction
• 15 hours dual instruction from a Sport Pilot weight-shift CFI of which
• 3 hours must be within 60 days of your flight exam
• 5 hours of supervised solo
• Practical exam (oral and flight test) with a Weight-Shift Examiner

The hardest part of this process is finding an instructor whose schedule matches your own and is close enough to make it work. There are full time instructors that can give you concentrated instruction allowing you to accomplish in days what normally may take weeks or months. Precision Windsports provides concentrated instruction. The other complication is the solo flight -you will need to have your own aircraft to do your solo work as weight-shift aircraft are not currently available for rent.

ULTRALIGHT PILOTS

If you are an ultralight pilot registered with one of the ultralight organizations (USUA, ASC, or EAA) then you can count all your ultralight hours starting with the date you registered as a pilot (student pilot registration counts). You’ll need to get a training letter from your respective organization to prove you are in fact registered as an ultralight pilot and the effective date.

Like the student just starting you need to meet the same flight and testing requirements. The only break you’re getting, and it is a big break, is credit for all the dual and solo time you’ve flown in ultralights -- provided you have maintained your membership in one of the ultralight organizations.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on becoming a Sport Pilot go to http://www.precisionwindsports.com/ become_a_sport_pilot.htm. Another good source is EAA’s “Reach for the Sky” at http:// www.sportpilot.org/learn/ reachforthesky.pdf. To find an instructor check out our article in Aviator’s Hotline Light Aviation Edition by this very title. If you haven’t seen it, go to http://zmags.lightaviation.com/ showmag.php?mid=wppwww#/ page19/ to learn how to fi nd an instructor that can best meet your training goals.

Good luck and fly safe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terri Sipantzi is the Owner/Operator of Precision Windsports, Inc. based in Lynchburg, VA. Precision Windsports is a full service (sales, training, and maintenance) weight-shift light sport aircraft dealer specializing in AirBorne Trikes. Terri’s qualifications include Commercial/Instrument SEL, Sport Pilot CFI WSC, FAA Designated Pilot and Instructor Examiner WSC, Light Sport Repairman with Maintenance rating (airplane, WSC, and PPC), and FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (WSC). He is a frequent contributor to magazines such as “EAA Light Sport” and “Ultraflight Magazine.” You can reach Terri at: www.PrecisionWindsports.com.

April 2009 Light Aviation Edition

To view this article in original digital format, click the link below:

http://zmags.lightaviation.com/showmag.php?mid=wdrrdq#/page26/

how_to_become_a_weight_shift_sport_pilot.pdf