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Western Sport Pilot News April 2015
While it may seem early in the year to get started with flight training or to think about events, the Sport Pilot flying season will be here soon. Actually we have had such a mild winter there has been a lot of "winter" flying. As many of you know, or will discover as you learn more about the sport, qualified instructors are few and far between. This is an ongoing challenge for us to continue to recruit new instructors. And it becomes a challenge to those of you trying to get started in the sport. We encourage you to connect with us as early as possible to that we can get you in the queue for anything from a Discovery Flight, through the full Sport Pilot or Instructor Courses. When the season hits and the good weather is here our very few instructors usually have full schedules for weeks out.
EAA UL 127's Memorial Day Rally has become the traditional opening fly in in the Pacific Northwest. Read about that event in this article.
Want to fly as simply, safely and inexpensively as possible? Read about Six Chuter Powered Parachutes new P3 Lite model, priced at $10,495 including a $500 credit towards your training.
EAA UL 127 Memorial Day Rally May 21st-24th, Eltopia Washington
This year's event will be back at Basin Sod farm in Eltopia, Washington. This location was the venue for this event three or four times previously and has always provided a great place to fly. The territory is wide open and therefore safe to fly and has many interesting locations to fly to and see. And there is nothing better than flying off a field that is like a groomed golf course!
Here is the message from Paul Beam, President of EAA UL Chapter 127 about the upcoming Memorial Day Rally
For multiple reasons, the rally will be held at Eltopia, and not Prosser airport after all. We apologize if this change affects anyone negatively. The rally will happen Thursday-Sunday, May 21st-24th. Figure that you can check in as early as Thursday afternoon, and that we'll probably all be gone by Sunday afternoon (though that may be flexible).
Here is the location information:
The entrance to Basin Sod, where we'll be flying out of, is Elm Road & Highway 395, Eltopia, WA. Here is a link to that intersection: https://www.google.com/maps/place/US-395+%26+E+Elm+Rd,+Eltopia,+WA+99330/@46.431157,-119.0251383,750m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x54988e9292b11531:0xa8354f7a17818a1d
If you look southwest of that intersection, you'll see the grass circles of the farm. Note that the circle we would use is well into the Basin Sod property, right next to 3 very large buildings. Coordinates: 46.413682, -119.021250 Here is a link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/46%C2%B024%2749.6%22N+119%C2%B001'17.2%22W/@46.413771,-119.021433,447m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
When you arrive, you will need to check in with me (Paul Beam), or Lydia Stout (if she's able to make it). Any legally-flying non-club members are welcome to attend, but will also need to check in, as well as sign some waivers. I don't know at this point if we'll need to charge a small camping fee for everyone.
As usual at this event, it will be required that all pilots attend a preflight briefing before flying.
On Friday afternoon we'll have some kind of talk or educational session that you're all invited to. If you have any suggestion for what should be talked about at that session then please post a reply here, or contact Bill Nelson (bnelson79 -at- charter.net). On Saturday we'll have a potluck dinner, followed by a brief presentation by the FAA guys that will be at our event, with a Q&A session following.
For the dinner, the club will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, the fixin's, and soft drinks. Please plan on bringing a side dish, or chips, or dessert to help out.
We could use some volunteers. If you'd like to help out in some way, please post a reply here, or contact Bill Nelson.
If you have Sport Pilot needs that require a CFI or DPE, e.g. a Biennial Flight Review, then please contact Mark Martin (sportpilot -at- msn.com), who will coordinate and/or do that type of activity.
It is possible that we will have one or more media types around on Friday or Saturday, as well as some "general public". Let's do our usual good job of giving a good impression.
I hope to see everyone there. I will send out a reminder and any additional details as we get closer.
If you are potentially interested in light sport aviation, particularly powered parachutes or weight shift, this is THE event to attend. You will meet the pilots, and instructors and families. And there will be instructors on site to conduct Discovery Flights. For more information about EAA UL Chapter 127, contact Paul Beam Paul Beam ()
For information on the Memorial Day event you can contact Paul, or the club's flight lead Bill Nelson Bill Nelson () https://www.skystriders.com/
Looking for a Few Good Instructors Doug Maas, President WSPA
The biggest challenge to continued growth of Sport Pilot Aviation, in my opinion, is the lack of active, qualified FAA Certified Flight Instructors. Therefore we are on the constant hunt for pilots who not only love to fly, but also would love to train others to fly. This is not an easy task in light sport aviation, especially powered parachutes and weight shift. Gaining your instructor certificate is only half the challenge. Owning and operating a Special Light Sport trainer, having places to fly, managing the schedule, forming a business and a host of other tasks face our potential instructor candidates. But the rewards can greatly outweigh the work required to be successful. And Western Sport Pilot Association can offer you assistance in not only your training, but also the development of your business. The following is basic information from our catalogue about the instructor course. If you are interested or have other questions just email us at
Instructor Training Course
The times have changed and no longer does someone have to become an instructor in order to fly a two seat powered parachute. If you want to buy a machine and just take up friends and family, the sport pilot license is for you. However, if you want to be able to train others for fun or profit, you do need to become a flight instructor in order for your student's time to count towards a rating.
If You Are Already an FAA CFI for Aircraft Other Than Powered Parachutes or Weight Shift:
If you are already a CFI and want to get the privilege to train in powered parachutes or weight shift, you first need to be endorsed for the Sport Pilot privilege to fly the category you want to instruct in. Next, you need to visit an existing Sport Pilot CFI qualified in that category and class, get trained up to standards, and then visit another Sport Pilot CFI qualified in category and class to get your proficiency check to add category and class. A proficiency check is almost identical to a full DPE/SPIE check ride, but can be accomplished by a CFI.
If You Are Getting Started From Scratch:
If you are getting started flying now or are at the point where you want to become a CFI, remember that the very first step is to get the privilege for the type of aircraft you want to instruct in. That means becoming a Sport Pilot (or the endorsement if you are already a pilot). If you haven't done that yet, pay special attention to your instruction received since your plan is to be an instructor yourself one day. You will be in a unique position to learn what works and what doesn't work from a student's point of view. As you work towards your own instructor rating, those observations should make you a better instructor.
Once you have your pilot license and want to take that next step to CFI, here are the things you need to do:
Step 1. Know what the FAA wants.
The FAA is interested in making sure that anyone wanting to become an instructor has three things. Those are:
· Flying knowledge.
· Flying experience.
· Proficiency in flying an aircraft.
Those wanting to become licensed in other aircraft have to spend more time gaining flying experience and have to do more to demonstrate proficiency in their respective aircraft than you will as a powered parachute CFI applicant. However, the standards are higher much higher than someone simply wanting to learn to fly for themselves. After all, you need to know more than your students!
Step 2. Gain the necessary knowledge.
You will need to complete two knowledge tests in order to become a Sport Pilot CFI. They are:
· Flight Instructor Sport Powered Parachute, weight shift or airplane
· Fundamentals of Instruction
Both of the tests are taken by computer at testing centers. Neither test is simple and both require a significant amount of study and preparation.
There are a couple of ways to get the knowledge needed to pass those tests. If you are the home study kind of guy or gal, WSPA offers a couple of great products to prepare you for the knowledge tests. What you are looking for is either the Certified Flight Instructor Test Prep Book or the Certified Flight Instructor Test Prep ware for your computer.
Step 3. Get your flying experience and prepare for your check ride.
In order to become a sport pilot (assuming you don't already hold an FAA rating already) you will have to gain a certain amount of aeronautical experience working with a flight instructor. In the Federal Aviation Regulations, §61.411(g), the FAA requires that in order for you to be able to apply for a sport pilot license in powered parachutes you must:
· Log at least 100 hours of flight time as a pilot
· Including at least 75 hours of flight time as the Pilot in Command in a powered aircraft.
· Including at least 50 hours of flight time in a powered parachute.
· Including at least 15 hours of cross-country time
· Including at least 5 hours of cross-country time in a powered parachute.
· Including at least 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a powered parachute this is a light-sport aircraft.
Step 4. Take your check ride and get your license.
Your instructor should know when you are ready to take your check ride. When you are, he will make the proper endorsements in your log book and help you fill out your FAA Form 8710-11. At that point you will be ready and able to take your practical test and get your license for sport pilot. For more information on preparing for and passing your flight test, visit Preparing for a Powered Parachute Practical Exam. The procedures for a Pilot and CFI exam are very similar. The big difference is that there is a higher standard asked of CFI for the same kind of knowledge. Also, there is the extra CFI check ride material that has to be completed. Expect a CFI check ride to take twice as long as a normal Sport Pilot check ride.
WSPA offers a specific course that prepares you to pass the sport pilot instructor practical test.
CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TRAINING COURSE
General Description: This course is designed to earn the student their Flight Instructor Certificate for Sport Pilot. Because the experience levels of our instructor candidates very so widely we customize our ground and flight training to the specific needs of the student. The student is encouraged to use software based learning material to study for and pass the instructor written and the fundamentals of instruction tests. The assigned instructor will spend ground time with the candidate to the extent the student and instructor determines that need. The lesson plans provided in this syllabus then focus entirely on the practical aspects of flight instruction.
Outline:
Lesson Plan 1 Teaching the Introductory Flight (Sport Pilot Lesson Plan #1)
Lesson Plan 2 Teaching Ground Handling & Canopy Kiting (Sport Pilot Lesson Plans #2 and #3)
Lesson Plan 3 Soloing Students (Sport Pilot Lesson Plans 4-7)
Lesson Plan 4 Teaching the Maneuvers (Sport Pilot Lesson Plan 8)
Lesson Plan 5 Teaching Cross Country (Sport Pilot Lesson Plan 10 & 11)
Lesson Plan 6 Conducting the Mock Test or a Proficiency Test (Sport Pilot Lesson Plans 12 & 13)
Lesson Plan 7 CFI Mock Practical Test
Six Chuter International Powered Parachutes Announces Production of All New Ultralight, P3 Lite Model
Six Chuter International LLC announced the release of production units of their all new ultralight powered parachute model called the “P3 Lite”. The P3 Lite is a single seat powered parachute that meets the strict requirements of FAA rule “Part 103” for ultralight aircraft. The FAA ultralight rule allows for flying with no license, no medical and in fact no age limit or even training requirements.
The model is equipped with a Kawasaki 440A engine package, Ultra-prop, simple instrumentation, and the Performance Designs Barnstormer 360 canopy. The model is being offered for $10,495 in kit form, and the company includes a $500 coupon for training at that price.