THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

The idea behind Sport Pilot is flying solely for the enjoyment of flight itself. While there can be practical reasons for flying, the reality is that most do it for fun. Think of it this way: most people take dancing lessons, learn to play the piano, or take up hobbies such as motorcycle riding, not for any particular long range goal other than having fun and enjoying life! Why not approach flying that way? I think you’ll find it a much more enjoyable experience if you do.

To this end, I advocate 3 essential ingredients for flight training: Safety, Responsibility, Fun. The need to learn to fly safely is obvious and is closely related to being a responsible pilot. But at the end of the day, if it's not enjoyable, why bother? Bottom line ; as your instructor, I will make your experience of becoming a safe and responsible pilot as enjoyable as possible.

TIME AND EFFORT

While 20 hours is the FAA minimum, I've found that 30 is more realistic. How you spread out your thirty hours depends greatly on you, as well as student scheduling and weather, but I recommend at least one lesson per week to keep your skills up. Finishing up within 3 months is realistic, depending on your particular situation. Many students spread it out longer.

In addition to the hours, there are 2 other key requirements: (1)You must study for and pass a FAA written test, for which ground instruction is available, both from myself and from study guides. How you study and how often depends greatly on the individual. The resources available are better than ever. (2) You must pass a final Practical Test, or “checkride”, with a FAA designated pilot examiner (DPE.)

Required documentation: Birth Certificate, US drivers license (in lieu of FAA medical certificate), Student Pilot Certificate (provided by a DPE), required endorsements and applications (provided by myself during training), and written test score documentation.

MONEY

30 hours of flight time in the Evektor Sportstar runs $4500, which includes flight instruction and fuel. Add to that the student certificate ($25), study materials and written test fee (approximately $400), and the final checkride ($500). So now we're at an estimated total of just under $5500. The real unknown is how much ground instruction you will need. The good news is that you can start studying immediately, as many online resources are available. Also, the study materials I provide allow for an online study course that I've found to be very effective. Go to www.Gleim.com for more information. The more independent study you can do, the more you can save. I would suggest budgeting at least an additional $500 for ground instruction (20 hours at $25/hour).

Please keep in mind that the total cost of learning to fly can depend greatly on the individual, for various reasons. Everyone has their own strength and weaknesses. Some will come in under 30 hours, some more. It simply takes as long as it takes. Please factor that possibility into your budget before starting.

EVEKTOR SPORTSTAR
SPECIFICATIONS

Certification: Special Light Sport (ASTM and FAA certified.)
Seating: two side-by side.
Average cruise: About 100 mph.
Range: About 6 hours, or 600 miles. The fuel
will out-distance your bladder!
Fun Factor: UNLIMTED

Don't hesitate to call with any questions.

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.aopa.org , www.gleim.com , www.eaa.org