FAA proposes 22 changes to sport pilot rule
By AOPA ePublishing staff
In the almost four years since the sport pilot rule was implemented, the pilot community and the FAA have gained a lot of practical experience. Now the FAA has used that experience to develop 22 proposed changes to the rule that would affect aircraft, pilots, and procedures.
Some of the proposed changes, which were published April 15, already are drawing pilot comment. Among them is the plan to alter altitude limitations—now set at a maximum of 10,000 feet msl—to include an agl limitation. This would increase the operating window for pilots who live in mountainous terrain. Another change to the rule would allow the use of light sport aircraft (LSAs) in Part 141 flight training programs.
Other changes would replace proficiency checks currently done by flight instructors with checks done by pilot examiners, retroactively require sport pilots to receive one hour of flight training on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments, and replace category and class logbook endorsements with ratings on the pilot’s certificate, eliminating the need for pilots to carry their logbooks when they fly.
The FAA is allowing 120 days to file comments, and AOPA is carefully reviewing the proposed changes and their possible effects on members. You can review the full notice of proposed rulemaking online.
April 16, 2008
AOPA ePublishing staff
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