Dale Hooper and I took a stroll while attending Sun 'n Fun and the EAA AirVenture fly in. We were looking not AT but FOR ultralight vehicles in the "Ultralight" area. The SNF fly in was, of course, BS time. (BS Stands for "Before Sport Pilot". so, from hence, if you see "BS" you know what I mean.) Dale and I decided to count the real ultralight vehicles in the "ultralight" area. Well, a one handed count would have sufficed. We saw a couple of weight shift (trikes) and PPC's and that was about it! During this time of BS, we understood the mindset was: "Transition to Sport Pilot" from ultralights. Hey, a noble thought indeed! Yeah, who in his/her right mind would want to build, fly, and maintain an unlicensed but heavily restricted aircraft that would only fly slowly and in good weather? Boy, fold, take off, or take down the wing, and stow the thing in the garage? How dumb does this sound? Jack McAsterisk (a feature writer for Ultralight Flying! Magazine) can stow an entire ultralight in a Carter's Little Liver Pill box! Try that with your SP airplane!

Well, in this time of BS with flight salvation just over the artificial horizon, it does seem kinda archaic to want to stay low and slow. So, transition to Sport Pilot MUST be the answer. After all, we ARE Americans! We must have faster, heavier, gaudier, nosier, and, lets not forget, more costly air toys than anyone else! By gosh, it’s our right! Dale and I finished recording brands and counts on our postage stamp and continued looking at the "transition aircraft" on display. Hey, before they were blessed by the Church of the Sport Pilot (remember this is BS), they were just "fat" Quicksilvers, Kolbs, Challengers, and the like. Now, they are a platform, a springboard, to the lofty realm of the Sport Pilot. (Again, this is BS.)

The AirVenture waltz through was a little different. We did see, not only on the ground, but in the air, ultralight vehicles that were awe inspiring to the onlookers. Folks with obviously newly purchased Lancair tee shirts were amazed that a Kasperwing and a Pterodactyl could actually fly with less that 840 horsepower, fuel injected, nitrous boosted, engines. One person put down his Avian water long enough to get his digital camera and take a picture of this weird class of flying thing. This too, was BS! Hey, no it wasn't! This air show came after the BS era. Now we are fully into the Heavy Aircraft, Happy Aviator era of flying. (Hey for simplicity, lets call it the HA HA time.) Dale and I visited with several vendors who shared with us the desire to be Sport Pilot aircraft providers. They proudly add AND ultralight vehicle manufacturers, as well! Ha Ha is here and well. This is being well without, of course, losing our wellness certificate! (See SP rule for new Driver License Medical info.) It is HaHa time for sure!

My question, relative to the topic and our trek through BS and HA HA land, is this: "WHY?" Why do we have to transition to Sport Pilots? Why can't we just stay low and slow and happy? We can! Fortunately, through the non-wavering efforts of USUA and other entities, FAR Part 103 is still intact and we can exercise the privileges, NOT rights, but privileges, of ultralight vehicle aviation! In this time of BS and HA HA, we truly have another option. Change? Why? Heck, you don' even have to change a Pampers rated for 6-10 pounds till it weighs over 10 pounds! USUA has, is, and will be here for those of us who think low and slow is the way to go, thank you very much!

For those who do want to license their aircraft and themselves, let's call this process License and Enhance through Gross Acceptance of the new Law, Sport Pilot is for you. (Sorry too wordy, lets call it being LEGAL.) USUA has already begun to develop programs and presentations for our Clubs as well as individual members to use and follow. Our up-to-date, effective, and professional web site (thanks to Bob Comperini) offers a peek in real time as to what your USUA can offer; whether SP or UL. USUA accomplished a major plus for the Sport Pilot-minded individual when representatives of your Organization, while at AirVenture, led a discussion about and subsequent submission of SP verbiage that FAA accepted and after changing only one word, printed the rest as SOP for their users. Yep, one word, and FAA used the rest.

So in conclusion, BS, HA HA, LEGAL Sport Pilot, or USUA, we are there for you. But, no matter how you stack the letters U S U A they still mean U Are US and US Are U!Safe flying and God bless!

USUA EVP Dale Hooper and Director Jim Sweeney, just concluded 4 days of meetings with FAA and industry leaders in Oklahoma City. Discussed were the Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rule implementation procedures. This resulted in clarification of key points and it provided insight that will be helpful to USUA members desiring to transition into this new realm of aviation. On hand with USUA, were representatives of industry heavy-weights such as King Schools, Jeppeson, and Adventure Productions, as well as organization representatives from AOPA, ASC, EAA, NAFI, and manufacturers' representatives from Powrachute, Air Creation and others. The interaction between these groups provided FAA the industry perspective needed to begin the finalization process of program administration. There was an overwhelming sense of cooperation from all involved (including FAA), indicating the commitment of each entity to lay aside individual differences and create an appropriate and adequate program.

Key issues discussed and worked on included elements of the Sport Pilot Knowledge and Practical tests. Industry involvement at this level, proved to be critical, and provided much needed guidance to FAA in creating the appropriate questions and tasks used in testing pilots of these less complicated and lower performance aircraft. From a pool of Sport Pilot Knowledge test questions, USUA and other industry representatives were able to eliminate many questions deemed inconsistent with the piloting skills required for the the safe operation of Light Sport Aircraft. These questions and tasks were replaced with knowledge and safety questions approved by general consensus as appropriate.

The details of the Sport Pilot instructor and examiner programs were also discussed, and clarification given to some of the finer points that have been the object of some recent concern. USUA will be publishing detailed guides for members who wish to participate in the DAR and DPE programs.

As you know, September 1, 2004 was the date that the Sport Pilot "switch" was turned on. Unlike the light switch on your wall, don’t expect an instant beam of light to glow from above. This date simply means that the game is just beginning. There are many elements of this new program, which will become active over the next few months. Some of the most critical and the dates they will become effective are:

September 1, 2004: Effective date of the Sport Pilot rule. Deadline for an ultralight pilot or instructor to register with a national ultralight organization in order to take full advantage of the special provisions FAA is offering transitioning ultralight airmen.

October 2004: SP Practical Test Standards & Knowledge Test Release

October 2004: Aircraft Registrations For LSA Accepted

October 2004: DPE Applications Accepted

November 2004: First DAR Class

January 2005: First DPE Class

January 2005: Sport Pilot Applications Accepted

January 31, 2007: Deadline for an ultralight pilot to take the Sport Pilot practical test if the pilot wants previous ultralight flight time to count toward the required Sport Pilot flight experience

August 31, 2007: Fat ultralights and ultralight trainers need to be registered as LSA

January 31, 2008: Deadline for an ultralight instructor to take the practical test for Sport Pilot instructor and still receive credit for previous ultralight instructing experience

January 31, 2008: The FAA-issued ultralight training exemptions which allow BFIs to use 2-seat vehicles for training expires

January 2010: End of transition period, where existing ELSA trainers can be used for compensation, or for hire

Does this mean that you cannot, or should not, continue to train and register as an ultralight pilot or BFI after September 1st, 2004? ABSOLUTELY NOT! You may - and are encouraged to - train and register as an ultralight pilot or instructor under the existing exemption. Those airmen registered after the September 1st deadline will also be able to take advantage of some provisions offered by FAA. It will allow you, as an applicant transitioning from ultralight pilot to Sport Pilot, to receive credit for your logged ultralight flight time toward Sport Pilot registration. However, unlike the Sport Pilot applicant with ultralight registrations before September 1st, you will have to meet all other requirements as listed in the rule (visit our Sport Pilot page for details). It is also very important to note, that accurate logbook entries will be required.

Should you wish to remain an ultralight pilot, our existing training program will provide you with the skills and safety that are more than adequate to fly under the provisions of FAA FAR Part 103.

In the coming months, USUA - through Ultralight Flying! Magazine and the USUA website - will continue to provide valuable insights and information designed to give you clear direction toward your personal dreams of flight. Whether you choose to fly Ultralights or Light Sport Aircraft, we understand your passion and are committed to your freedom to FLY FOR FUN.

The USUA has several Sport Pilot training resources available for purchase in our Online Store.

Pilot's Handbook Of Aeronautical Knowledge FAA-H-8083-25 - This handbook introduces pilots to the broad spectrum of knowledge that will be needed as they progress in their pilot training. This handbook is useful to beginning pilots, as well as those pursuing more advanced pilot certificates. Soft cover.

Airplane Flying Handbook - The official FAA source for learning to fly, this book has been required reading for more than 30 years. Includes aeronautical decision-making guidelines and information for transition to multi-engine, sea, tail-wheel and ski-equipped airplanes. The source of many FAA Knowledge Exam questions. 210 pages, soft cover, illustrated and indexed.

FAR/AIM - Pilots, flight crew, and aviation maintenance technicians are required to keep current with the latest civil aviation directives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This series presents the pertinent information gathered from the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and the full Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), Flight Crew (FC), or Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMT). All regulations that have changed since the last release are marked and indexed to provide a clear listing of subject matter and includes reference to pilots and staff to the correct paragraph or regulation number. The FAR sections are reproduced in reset type for easier reading, and the AIM features detailed, full-color graphics. In addition, a suggested study list of regulations and AIM paragraphs is provided, along with a helpful list of FAA, National Transportation Safety Board, National Ocean Service, and Flight Standards District Office addresses and telephone numbers. Soft cover.

Visualized Flight Maneuvers Handbook (high wing or low wing) - Traditionally known as the "blue maneuvers book" (high wing) and "red maneuvers book" (low wing), these handbooks comply with current practical test standards and regulations. Excellent learning and teaching aids for instructors and students, covering all maneuvers for Private, Commercial, and Flight Instructor Certificates. Each maneuver is depicted in detail according to type of aircraft (high- or low-wing) in which the lesson will take place; each states the objective of the task and lists the practical test standards required. Foldout pages with each maneuver complete on a one-page spread so the reader can absorb all the visual/text information at the same time.

Say Again, Please - Providing a clear, conversational approach to radio communications, this sourcebook for pilots and aviation specialists features examples of typical transmissions in order to explain how the air traffic control system works and presents simulated flights to demonstrate the correct procedures. Topics cover every aspect of radio communication, including basic system and procedural comprehension, etiquette and rules, visual flight rules, instrument flight rules, emergency procedures, ATC facilities and their functions, and a review of airspace definitions. Beginners and professionals alike will find this a valuable resource for communicating by radio. Soft cover.

View our selection of Sport Pilot materials, in the Sport Pilot section of our Online Store.

Recently, some suspicious characters showed up at the St. Louis Downtown Airport. It all started when a man telephoned an FBO not far from the Gateway Arch and asked about chartering a helicopter. About an hour later, two men walked into the FBO, pulled out cash to pay for the flight, and presented driver's licenses from two different states as ID. Office staff noticed their car was registered in a third state and called the FBI and local police. FBO workers stalled the two suspects until the authorities arrived. After a little time behind bars, the two "terrorists" confessed that they were NBC employees from New York. Their assignment: A story on how "easy" it is to get information and directions to a helicopter and then hijack it. St. Louis was their first attempt; the network reportedly planned similar tries to penetrate security at airports around the country.