Private Pilot to Sport Pilot transition

[flyboycpa]

Hey guys,

I'm asking on behalf of my diabetic buddy....Assuming he allows his medical to lapse and thus go to Sport Pilot privileges, would he have to retake his Private Pilot checkride if some medical breakthrough comes about thus making him medically fit for a Third Class Medical??

thanks,
fb

 

[MauleSkinner]

No...he's not surrendering the pilot certificate, he's just using that same certificate to exercise the privileges of a "lower" certificate.

Fly safe!

David

 

[flyboycpa]

Thanks MauleSkinner,

It's funny you're a Maule-man, 'cause he is, too. He's buying a PA-11 to replace his M5-235C so he can go Sport Pilot.

thanks for the help!
fb

 

[Princedietrich]

Just to try to clarify a bit for you, it seems like you've got the general idea but this may help.

Your buddy's private pilot cert will always be a private pilot cert and will never expire. It will always grant the privelages of private pilot as well as sport pilot and recreational pilot (certificate grades that are lower than private). A private pilot can exercise sport pilot privelages with no hassle or paperwork whatsoever, other than learning how to pull-start the lawnmower engine that's strapped to your back.

As for the medical, a private pilot can exercise private pilot privelages so long as they hold a current third class medical. A private pilot (or a sport pilot) can exercise sport pilot privelages so long as they have NEVER BEEN DENIED a medical. That means you can have a medical that just slips into expiration or never apply for a medical in the first place.

So the final answer in your friend's situation would be: yes your friend can exercise sport pilot privelages by allowing the third class medical to just expire. To exercise private pilot privelages all your friend would have to do is pass the test for a third class medical, there would be no need to retake the checkride (unless he wants to).

The one and only caveat could be 61.23(c)(2)(iv) which states that a pilot must not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner. There are some who might argue that diabetes could fall into this category.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Thanks MauleSkinner,

It's funny you're a Maule-man, 'cause he is, too. He's buying a PA-11 to replace his M5-235C so he can go Sport Pilot.

thanks for the help!
fb

Make sure he double-checks the MGW on the PA-11 to ensure that it fits within the Light Sport limitations...

Fly safe!

David

 

[ultrarunner]

Make sure he double-checks the MGW on the PA-11 to ensure that it fits within the Light Sport limitations...

Fly safe!

David

Not that your friend is not getting good medical advice, but before I started buying and selling airplanes, I'd be getting a second opinion from an AME that is highly experienced in Special Issuances, that whatever is necessary to control their condition doesn't necessarily prohibit the issuance of a third class medical.

 

[ultrarunner]

duplicate

 

[aucfi]

My father recently let his medical lapse and now flies sport pilot only. Early last year he had some trouble with his vision and knew he wouldnt be able to pass his medical. He had corrective surgery and now sees fine but never bothered to get his medical renewed. He only flies a J3 Cub and nothing else. Sport pilot fits his style of flying perfectly.

 

[LearLove]

would this be the same for a guy with an SEL Comm and ATP - like a retiring airline pilot. So say at age 60 (65) he she can fly their last airline flight then buy a cub (or other lite sport) and fly off into retirement as a sport pilot never getting a medical again?

along the same line I have the standard airline guy sel comm and ATP - say at 35 years old I decided to quite being an airline pilot and be an engineer or bricklayer or whatever, can i just go out and get a j3 and fly it for the rest of my life without anymore medicals or checkrides? What about bfr's?