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FAA Approves Sport Pilot License

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the flying-buggies-at-any-rate dept.

steveha writes "The FAA has just approved regulations creating a new class of pilot's license. (FAA press release here). The Sport Pilot license allows you to fly Light-Sport planes. It is much, much easier to get than a normal pilot's license; for example, you don't need to get a medical exam, and the training requirements are minimal." Read this overview, as well as some more details below.

"Light-Sport airplanes will be limited in size and power: maximum weight 1,320 pounds, maximum two seats, maximum airspeed 120 knots, single non-turbine engine, fixed landing gear. If it's a Light-Sport, it should be one of the easiest planes to fly."

This has the potential to dramatically increase the number of people owning and flying planes. Not only is it easier for a person to become a Sport Pilot, it is easier and cheaper for a company to sell a Light-Sport airplane. (For years, people have been building "kit" airplanes just so they will fall under the looser "homebuilt" rules. Now, there will be no need to build a plane unless you actually want to do so.) Several airplane companies have promised to produce Light-Sport planes that will cost no more than a luxury car."

10 of 520 comments (clear)

  1. This being slashdot by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    How long before we see F22 Raptor mods for the garage built kit plane ? (I say F22 because the first Enterprise or X-Wing/TIE mod attempts will likely see a Darwin award winner)

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
    1. Re:This being slashdot by pete-classic · · Score: 3, Funny

      And as a bonus you can help defend London next time the Germans decide to bomb it out of existence!

      -Peter

  2. Great for Terrorists... by fuzzybunny · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...now we'll have wave upon wave of ultralights smearing themselves ineffectively across the sides of NYC skyscrapers.

    Who knows, this may cause thousands of dollars of damages to our nation's economy through skyrocketing window cleaning costs.

    As for fears that small planes might be used to carry weapons of mass destruction, I can't imagine any hostile states currently having the technology to produce a nuke weighing under a ton. I have a mental image of a fanatic-piloted sport plane hopping along a runway, frantically trying to get airborne despite the huge black ovoid labelled "ACME BOMB" in bright red letters, before plummeting dramatically off the side of a cliff. "Allah Ackbar, take off you piece of s***!" *Boom*

    Wile E. Coyote, eat your little heart out.

    --
    Cole's Law: Thinly sliced cabbage
    1. Re:Great for Terrorists... by CritterNYC · · Score: 3, Funny

      I have a mental image of a fanatic-piloted sport plane hopping along a runway, frantically trying to get airborne despite the huge black ovoid labelled "ACME BOMB" in bright red letters, before plummeting dramatically off the side of a cliff.

      Or Sideshow Bob slooooowwwwwly flying towards the Emergency Broadcast Station in the Wright Brother's plane as a pair of Harriers make chase...

      "Prepare to engage enemy." Zoooooooommmmm... "Bogey's airspeed not sufficient for intercept. Suggest we get out and walk."

      --
      Portable versions of Firefox, GIMP, LibreOffice, etc
  3. Flying 101 by InsaneCreator · · Score: 4, Funny

    The training goes sometning like this:
    If you push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull the stick back they get smaller. If you keep pulling the stick for too long, they get bigger really fast!

  4. Re:Reminds me of a joke by RPI+Geek · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...And in an apparent act of copycat terrorism, the Polish Terrorist Organization has hijacked the Goodyear blimp. They have been bouncing off buildings in downtown Manhatten for the past 2 hours.

    --

    - "Nobody came out that night, not one was ever seen. But Old Man Stauf is waiting there, crazy sick and mean!"
  5. Re:Reminds me of a joke by AftanGustur · · Score: 3, Funny


    ...And in an apparent act of copycat terrorism, the Polish Terrorist Organization has hijacked the Goodyear blimp. They have been bouncing off buildings in downtown Manhatten for the past 2 hours.

    Newsflash!
    The Belgian Terrorist Organization just attacked the French Eiffel Tower on a ultraglide.

    One person is reported to be seriously injured.

    --
    echo '[q]sa[ln0=aln80~Psnlbx]16isb572CCB9AE9DB03273snlbxq' |dc
  6. That is until..... by StressGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...the eventual build-up of static electricity caused them to helplessly cling to one of them until they could be rescued by noticably giggling members of the NY fire department.

    --
    A goal is a dream with a deadline
  7. Re:Reminds me of a joke by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > > ...And in an apparent act of copycat terrorism, the Polish Terrorist Organization has hijacked the Goodyear blimp. They have been bouncing off buildings in downtown Manhatten for the past 2 hours.
    >
    >Newsflash!
    >The Belgian Terrorist Organization just attacked the French Eiffel Tower on a ultraglide.
    > One person is reported to be seriously injured.

    ...but President Chirac is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow, having waved a white flag so furiously he broke his right arm in three places. *rimshot*

  8. In related news... by mabu · · Score: 3, Funny

    The government announced a series of additional "sport" licenses with more lenient prerequisites:

    * Sport Coroner
    * Sport Patent Attorney
    * Sport CPA
    * Sport CIA Operative
    * Sport Journalist
    * Sport Software Engineer
    * Sport President