minnesota - Midwest Flyer
minnesota - Midwest Flyer
minnesota - Midwest Flyer
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
aircraft rental in your existing business, you won’t have<br />
any problem. When they went in with their plan, it was<br />
thoroughly reviewed and then fully approved. Peter says<br />
that in talking with other FBOs regarding the coverage<br />
they obtained at Plane Guys Aviation, LLC, many of these<br />
operators expressed surprise at how reasonable the rates<br />
are, especially considering that the Andersens are carrying<br />
full hull and high liability limits. Peter is even more convinced<br />
that the insurance concern is more myth than fact<br />
when he receives solicitations in the mail from other insurers<br />
looking for Light Sport Aircraft premium dollars,<br />
which, he says, was unheard of a few years ago.<br />
• The Sport Pilot Practical Test Standards Are Not Adequate<br />
Watching their students prepare and advance through<br />
their training under the Sport Pilot Practical Test Standards<br />
(PTS), and observing the extreme willingness to learn and<br />
the professionalism these students display as they grow in<br />
experience, has convinced Peter that the FAA regulations<br />
and PTS governing the Sport Pilot Certificate are adequate<br />
to produce safe, competent pilots. “If we remember back,”<br />
he says, “we all felt competent to operate an aircraft shortly<br />
after we soloed. But we had yet to fulfill our night flying<br />
or basic instrument training requirements.” Since Sport<br />
Pilot has low-and-slow and severe-clear limits, Peter does<br />
A<br />
not feel that additional training time is required to produce<br />
quality VFR, daytime-only pilots. Thus, he is convinced<br />
that it is a myth that Sport Pilots do not have to be trained<br />
like Private Pilots since the Sport Pilot student will go<br />
through every step of instruction, and answer the same<br />
questions, that a Private Pilot student would, except for<br />
areas that will not be accessible to him/her as a Sport Pilot.<br />
• The Unavailability of Rental Aircraft, Flight Training & CFIs<br />
This, Peter Andersen sees as “the Catch-22 of all<br />
times.” He says that people contact Plane Guys Aviation<br />
almost daily looking for Sport Pilot training. “It’s hard to<br />
keep count of the number of people who cannot make the<br />
long commute to our location to meet their training needs,”<br />
he says, “and it’s surprising the number that do.” He is<br />
convinced that a strong demand exists<br />
for Sport Pilot training and for access<br />
to Light Sport Aircraft, and does not<br />
think it requires a “leap of faith” on<br />
the part of an FBO or CFI to become<br />
involved in meeting this demand.<br />
“We feel that the call has been<br />
made loud and clear by the public,”<br />
says this obvious SP-LSA enthusiast.<br />
“They want Light Sport Aircraft and<br />
people who never thought they would<br />
be able to fly, will,” he asserts. More<br />
aircraft are needed at more locations,<br />
and FBOs and CFIs need to realize<br />
that insurance is available, and that<br />
Paul Peckham – 608-383-3055<br />
paul.peckham@aerolab.it<br />
great S-LSA aircraft are available to fill training needs for<br />
both Sport and Private Pilot students which offer low<br />
maintenance, comparable insurance rates, and a break-even<br />
point that is not at all unattainable. What is required, he<br />
believes, are FBOs and CFIs who are willing to “start the<br />
circle” in their areas. “For those who hear the call and act<br />
on it,” Peter concludes, “they may see some exciting times,<br />
and who knows, they might even make someone's dreams<br />
come true.”<br />
Peter Andersen’s take on these issues seems to be largely<br />
confirmed by two recent Sport Pilot students, one who<br />
has his certificate, and another who is still working towards<br />
it.<br />
Ronald Anderson is a recently retired CEO of a software<br />
company who describes his business background as<br />
scientific instrumentation and marketing. He spent eight<br />
years in the Canadian Air Force as a young man, but inadequate<br />
eyesight prevented him qualifying as a military pilot.<br />
While waiting for the Sport Pilot Certificate to be finalized<br />
and implemented, he took extensive glider training. This<br />
was of obvious value to him when he experienced an<br />
engine failure and was forced to make an off-airport landing<br />
shortly after getting his certificate.<br />
The relative lack of available Sport Pilot training was<br />
an issue for Ron. He checked into programs as far away as<br />
St. Charles, Missouri, but ended up taking training at East<br />
Troy and Superior, Wisconsin. He winters in Florida and<br />
was surprised to find that Sport Pilot training was very difficult<br />
to find even there, a state with extensive flight train-<br />
Plane Guys Aviation LLC<br />
Your Home For Light Sport Aircraft<br />
For All Of Wisconsin, Minnesota & Michigan<br />
Featuring Fantasy Air’s Allegro 2007<br />
& Interplane’s Mystique & Skyboy<br />
Visit us at<br />
www.planeguysaviation.com<br />
planeguysaviationllc@hotmail.com<br />
Golden Age Aeroworks, LLC<br />
715-460-0760<br />
NOTICE: Independent Sales<br />
Representatives<br />
Wanted In Minnesota & Michigan<br />
Aerolab Sport Camp – Light Sport Aircraft<br />
For Lovers of Old Fashioned Aircraft - www.aerolab.it<br />
Ed Leineweber – 608-604-6515<br />
ed.leineweber@aerolab.it<br />
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 55
Change language