• This is not an easy question to answer as it can vary based on several variables. The minimum required hours set by the FAA to get a Sport Pilot Certificate is 20 hours. However, most students take anywhere from 40 to 60 hours to achieve this goal. For the minimum required hours cost it would be:

  • 15 hours dual = $240 per hour ($180 per hour for airplane rental (with fuel) + $60 per hour for flight instruction) = $3600

  • 5 hours solo = $180 per hour = $900

  • Sport Pilot Kit (for Knowledge Test endorsement) = $179

  • FAA Sport Pilot Knowledge Test = $150

  • FAA Practical Standard Test (the check ride) Examiner Fee = $850

  • Total Cost at 20 hours = $5679

  • More realistic cost at approximately 40 hours = $10179.00

• Again, not an easy question to answer. As mentioned above, the minimum required hours set by the FAA is 20 hours for a Sport Pilot Certificate (40 hours for a Private Pilot Certificate). However, most students achieving this goal take anywhere from 35 to 50 hours to get their certificate (consider for the Private Pilot this is also the case, i.e. 40 hours minimum but most take 55 to 90 hours). Variables that can affect the time:

  • Sickness

  • Airport closures

  • Commute

  • Life events

  • Your own schedule

  • Instructor schedule

  • Airplane schedule

    • Airplane maintenance

  • Weather

o Essentially a Sport Pilot (SP) Certificate is a subset of a Private Pilot (PPL) Certificate with limitations and some privileges. The primary limitations for an SP is:

• Can only fly a Light-Sport aircraft which is limited to carrying only one passenger

• Cannot fly at night

• Cannot go above 10,000 feet (except in certain situations)

• Cannot fly into controlled airspace (except with an endorsement)

• Cannot tow a glider

• Cannot fly internationally (unless permission is obtained by the country)

• Cannot fly for a business

• A privilege is that you do not need an FAA Medical but can use only a valid US Driver’s License

• Assuming that you can pass an FAA Medical given by an AME, you might want to get a PPL because you want to:

  • Fly at night

  • Fly with more than one passenger

  • Continue to get your Commercial and/or Instrument Rating and perhaps become an ATP

  • Fly high performance or retractable landing gear airplanes

• Sure. There is nothing wrong with that. Typically, students will usually find that by about the middle of the training if they have taken the knowledge test, this would be about the right time to get it done. There is nothing wrong with studying earlier and it can definitely help you with understanding certain aspects of the flying lessons. The only caveat is that the Knowledge Test expires after two years, so if you were not able to complete your certificate within that time frame, then you would have to take the test again. Not a big deal for sure since you have passed it once before, but it will require doing some more studying again.

• We recommend Gleim as the program to use. There are other study guide programs such as Sporty’s, ASA, Jeppesen and King Schools as well as new ones coming up however, we need to standardize for our students and so we selected Gleim as the study guide and program to use. For a Sport Pilot, you can get the Sport Pilot Kit here: https://www.gleimaviation.com/shop/spkitcd/

• Yes, however I do have a spare headset (Zulu Lightspeed) that you can borrow until you are ready to purchase one. If you are committed to getting your certificate, you should plan to buy a headset as soon as possible.

o You will want to buy the best headset you can afford. Unfortunately, they are not cheap. The three headsets that I recommend have noise-canceling built in. They are:

• Lightspeed Delta Zulu ANR, $1199.00 - https://www.lightspeedaviation.com/

• Bose A30, $1299.00 - https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/aviation_headsets.html

• Dave Clark Model DC PRO-X2, $745.00 - https://www.davidclarkcompany.com/aviation/fixed-wing-enc.php

• You will eventually need to get a kneeboard and an electronic E6B calculator. I recommend the Flyboys reversible kneeboard. And the Sporty’s Electronic E6B calculator.

Generally speaking someone who weighs less than 300 pounds could could sit in the airplane with an instructor. However one slight limitation is that the seats are not quite that comfortable so anyone weighing over 250 pounds will find themselves sort of squished into the seat. And anyone over 6'2" will find that they are somewhat pressed into the cockpit panel. So if you weigh over 250 pounds and are taller than 6'2", you unfortunately will just not be comfortable enough to fly in the airplane.

• Generally speaking, flying early in the morning or late in the afternoon/evening are the best time to fly. Colorado has a lot of days of sunshine, and we can fly all year round, but Spring and Summer time thunderstorms can make flying in the afternoons difficult. Winter can have less convective activity but usually has higher winds and weeks long storms.

• Yes. The Remos is heated but it does not put out a tremendous amount of heat in the cabin. During very cold days, temperatures in the 30’s for example, you would maybe want to wear some pants with some Long John type of underwear. Sweaters or layers are best for the upper body. Heavy coats will just get in the way. A warm cap is ok but if it is sunny, then you might not be able to have any sun blockage. And the headset must go around the cap.

Yes. There are three other flight schools with Light-Sport airplanes teaching in Colorado as well as a Weight-Shift Control (Trike) instructor.

- Songbird Aviation in Greeley teaches in a Rans Venterra S-19

- Odyssey Pilot Hours in Erie teaches in an Evektor

- Journey's Aviation in Boulder teaches in a Pipistrel Alpha Trainer

- Steve Moore with Moore Airtime teaches in a Weight-Shift Control Trike in Boulder

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