Even If They File After September 1 Deadline

The EAA reminds us that ultralight pilots that they can still obtain sport-pilot credit for their flying experience even though the initial registration deadline of Sept. 1, 2004, has passed.

Such credit allows ultralight pilots to more easily make the transition to the sport pilot certificate and fly light-sport aircraft. If an ultralight pilot is already registered with EAA, Aero Sports Connection (ASC) or the United States Ultralight Association (USUA), no further registration is necessary. The Federal Aviation Administration already recognizes ultralight registration programs from these three organizations.
 
If an ultralight pilot did not register by Sept. 1 but still wants flight-time credit toward a sport pilot certificate, the pilot must visit a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) immediately prior to taking the FAA sport-pilot written test, and receive endorsements that verify the pilot has the proper experience and knowledge for the sport-pilot written and flight tests. The FAA projects sport pilot written tests to be available in January 2005.

More than 600 ultralight pilots and instructors took advantage of EAA's pre-Sept. 1 registration campaign and received credit for their flying experience. Receiving this credit is still valuable, as ultralight pilots who make the transition to sport pilot with this credit will avoid the requirement for 20 additional hours of flight training to earn their sport pilot certificates.

FMI: www.sportpilot.org, www.eaa.org