Use the following table to determine the aeronautical experience you must have to apply for a sport pilot certificate: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which must include
If you are applying for a sport Then you must log at least . . .
(a) Airplane category and single- (1) 20 hours of (i) 2 hours of
(1) 20 hours of (i) 2 hours of
engine land or sea class flight time, cross-country
privileges, including at flight training,
least 15 hours of (ii) 10 takeoffs
flight training and landings to a
from an full stop (with
authorized each landing
instructor in a involving a
single-engine flight in the
airplane and at traffic pattern)
least 5 hours of at an airport,
solo flight (iii) One solo
training in the cross-country
areas of flight of at
operation listed least 75 nautical
in Sec. 61.311, miles total
distance, with a
full-stop landing
at a minimum of
two points and
one segment of
the flight
consisting of a
straight-line
distance of at
least 25 nautical
miles between the
takeoff and
landing
locations, and
(iv) 2 hours of
flight training
with an
authorized
instructor on
those areas of
operation
specified in Sec.
61.311 in
preparation for
the practical
test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
(1) 10 hours of (i) Five solo
and you have not logged at flight time in a launches and
least 20 hours of flight time glider, including landings, and
in a heavier-than-air aircraft, 10 flights in a (ii) at least 3
glider receiving training flights
flight training with an
from an authorized
authorized instructor on
instructor and at those areas of
least 2 hours of operation
solo flight specified in Sec.
training in the 61.311 in
areas of preparation for
operation listed the practical
in Sec. 61.311, test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
(1) 3 hours of (i) Three solo
and you have logged 20 hours flight time in a launches and
flight time in a heavier-than- glider, including landings, and
air aircraft, five flights in a (ii) at least 3
glider while training flights
receiving flight with an
training from an authorized
authorized instructor on
instructor and at those areas of
least 1 hour of operation
solo flight specified in Sec.
training in the 61.311 in
areas of preparation for
operation listed the practical
in Sec. 61.311, test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
the test.
(d) Rotorcraft category and (1) 20 hours of (i) 2 hours of
gyroplane class privileges, flight time, cross-country
including 15 flight training,
hours of flight (ii) 10 takeoffs
training from an and landings to a
authorized full stop (with
instructor in a each landing
gyroplane and at involving a
least 5 hours of flight in the
solo flight traffic pattern)
training in the at an airport,
areas of (iii) One solo
operation listed cross-country
in Sec. 61.311, flight of at
least 50 nautical
miles total
distance, with a
full-stop landing
at a minimum of
two points, and
one segment of
the flight
consisting of a
straight-line
distance of at
least 25 nautical
miles between the
takeoff and
landing
locations, and
(iv) 2 hours of
flight training
with an
authorized
instructor on
those areas of
operation
specified in Sec.
61.311 in
preparation for
the practical
test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
the test.(e) Lighter-than-air category (1) 20 hours of (i) 2 hours of
and airship class privileges, flight time, cross-country
including 15 flight training,
hours of flight (ii) Three
training from an takeoffs and
authorized landings to a
instructor in an full stop (with
airship and at each landing
least 3 hours involving a
performing the flight in the
duties of pilot traffic pattern)
in command in an at an airport,
airship with an (iii) One cross-
authorized country flight of
instructor in the at least 25
areas of nautical miles
operation listed between the
in Sec. 61.311, takeoff and
landing
locations, and
(iv) 2 hours of
flight training
with an
authorized
instructor on
those areas of
operation
specified in Sec.
61.311 in
preparation for
the practical
test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
the test.(f) Lighter-than-air category (1) 7 hours of (i) 2 hours of
and balloon class privileges, flight time in a cross-country
balloon, flight training,
including three and (ii) 1 hours
flights with an of flight
authorized training with an
instructor and authorized
one flight instructor on
performing the those areas of
duties of pilot operation
in command in a specified in Sec.
balloon with an 61.311 in
authorized preparation for
instructor in the the practical
areas of test within the
operation listed preceding 2
in Sec. 61.311, calendar months
from the month of
the test.(g) Powered parachute category (1) 12 hours of (i) 1 hour of
land or sea class privileges, flight time in a cross-country
powered flight training,
parachute, (ii) 20 takeoffs
including 10 and landings to a
hours of flight full stop in a
training from an powered parachute
authorized with each landing
instructor in a involving flight
powered in the traffic
parachute, and at pattern at an
least 2 hours of airport; (iii) 10
solo flight solo takeoffs and
training in the landings to a
areas of full stop (with
operation listed each landing
in Sec. 61.311 involving a
flight in the
traffic pattern)
at an airport,
(iv) One solo
flight with a
landing at a
different airport
and one segment
of the flight
consisting of a
straight-line
distance of at
least 10 nautical
miles between
takeoff and
landing
locations, and
(v) 1 hours of
flight training
with an
authorized
instructor on
those areas of
operation
specified in Sec.
61.311 in
preparation for
the practical
test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
the test.
(h) Weight-shift-control (1) 20 hours of (i) 2 hours of
aircraft category land or sea light time, cross-country
class privileges, including 15 flight training,
hours of flight (ii) 10 takeoffs
training from an and landings to a
authorized full stop (with
instructor in a each landing
weight-shift- involving a
control aircraft flight in the
and at least 5 traffic pattern)
hours of solo at an airport,
flight training (iii) One solo
in the areas of cross-country
operation listed flight of at
in Sec. 61.311, least 50 nautical
miles total
distance, with a
full-stop landing
at a minimum of
two points, and
one segment of
the flight
consisting of a
straight-line
distance of at
least 25 nautical
miles between
takeoff and
landing
locations, and
(iv) 2 hours of
flight training
with an
authorized
instructor on
those areas of
operation
specified in Sec.
61.311 in
preparation for
the practical
test within the
preceding 2
calendar months
from the month of
the test.------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Doc. No. FAA-2001-11133, 69 FR 44869, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 61-124A, 74 FR 53647, Oct. 20, 2009; Amdt. 61-125, 75 FR 5221, Feb. 1, 2010]