USUA is pleased to announce an agreement with Brian and Carol Carpenter, owners of Rainbow Aviation Services, a full service Sport Pilot Training facility located in Corning CA that provides a significant discount for USUA members wishing to achieve the Sport Pilot Repairman Inspection rating. Along with this 16 hour course, additional Sport Pilot services are offered by the Carpenters, and all are offered to USUA members at a $50 per service discount.

With the FAA's acceptance of their 16-hour fix-wing repairman course, Carol and Brian Carpenter, owners of Rainbow Aviation and co-authors of a recently released light-sport aircraft book, Sport Pilot Airplane: A Complete Guide, are in the distinctive position to offer any service a fixed-wing sport pilot might need, including the written exam, flight training, aircraft inspection, the practical exam, as well as the 16-hour repairman course. "We recommend the 16 hour course as a first step in the process of transitioning to Light Sport. There is a wealth of information in the course on regarding the Sport Pilot Rule and certificating your aircraft. We attempt to take the confusion out of the rule."

The Carpenters have held two courses for fixed wing and are planning a third October 22-23, 2005. (For an up-to-date schedule visit Rainbow Aviation) "With the FAA restriction of 16 students, these first classes are filling quickly," says Carol. Additional courses will be held at the Corning Airport in Corning, California on the second weekend of every month. They also offer to travel with the course by special appointment. After successfully completing the course, a sport pilot repairman will be able to perform the annual condition inspection on any ELSA aircraft he or she owns.

As of date, the repairman course is one of only two in the country. With Carol's background as a classroom teacher and Brian's aviation expertise the course promises to be an excellent blend of information in a well-organized format. "We have submitted the repairman course for weight-shift and are excepting approval any day. We are planning to start work on the power parachute course next," says Carol who has also taken on the enormous task of writing the 120-hour maintenance course for fix-wing and weight-shift.

The couple began reorganizing their business to include the new FAA Sport Pilot regulations shortly after the rule was finalized in September 2004. Long time flight instructor and aircraft designer, Brian Carpenter was selected as one of the first eight candidates to attend the first FAA Sport Pilot Examiner seminar last January. He has a long and illustrious background with certified aircraft. He is an A/P mechanic with an inspection authorization, a commercial pilot, and certificated flight instructor with an instrument rating, as well as a sport pilot instructor examiner. What's more, Brian is also a DAR (designated airworthiness representative) with function codes 46 and 47. (Function code 46 is for amateur-built, while 47 is for light sport).

With Carol preparing as a sport pilot instructor, Rainbow Aviation will be in a position take a new student pilot and offer all stages of instruction through to the practical check ride and certification. Carol holds a FAA Ground Instructor certification with an advanced rating. She is also a private pilot and an ultralight instructor. This is quite unique since, according to the FAA Statistics only six percent of licensed pilots are women. In the ultralight community, less than one percent are women.

The Carpenters are also involved in the aviation community. Says Carol, "One of the things we want to do as a company, and as individuals, is give back to the community. We teach private pilot ground school at Shasta College each spring semester. And, we do a lot of speaking at aviation gatherings on the Sport Pilot rule. We do a lot to contribute to the aviation community."

For more information or to register for the 16-hour course call (530) 824-0644, email carol@rainbowaviation.com, or visit Rainbow Aviation, and don't forget to mention that you are a USUA member to receive your discount on services (USUA membership card required for verification).