Sport Pilot Powered Parachute Training

All Florida Powered Parachute instructors are fully certified to teach and keep an active flying schedule to make sure instruction skills are kept to an optimum level.

Intro Flight

Extended Intro Flight

Sport Pilot Training (For New Pilot)

Sport Pilot Training (For Private Pilots)

Sport Pilot FAQ

Pre-flight check Laying the chute out Taking off
Flying a Powered Parachute Landing in a Powered Parachute    

Intro Flight - $185 (more details click here) This Intro Flight lasts one hour and includes an hour of air time with an instructor. You will be controlling the PPC from the back seat under your instructor's guidance.
In this course you will see how to:

  • Setup equipment and layout the chute
  • Inflate the chute and taxi the aircraft
  • Climb out and fly flight patterns
  • Maintain correct altitude in the circuit
  • Perform low passes
  • Setup final approaches
  • Land

Flight Training
Your PPC - $85 per hour (with instructor)
School PPC - $130 per hour (wet, with instructor)

Ground School
$35 per hour

Flight Review
Your PPC - $155
School PPC - $225

Travel Air offers Sport Pilot PPC Training!

What’s involved in the instruction & how long will it take to become a Powered Parachute Sport Pilot?

To receive a Sport Pilot license/certificate with a LSA category (Light Sport Aircraft) Powered Parachute rating the FAA has set standards and requirements. You must meet the following experience requirements with a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) to be able to obtain a Sport Pilot Powered Parachute rating:

New Pilots with no flying experience or ratings:

12 hours of flight time in a PPC including 10 hours of flight training and at least two hours of solo (See FAR/AIM manual 61.313)

Within those 12 hours:

  • 1 hour of Cross country training
  • 20 take off and landing’s in a PPC to a full stop each involving a flight in the traffic pattern at an airport.
  • 10 solo take off and landing’s in a PPC to a full stop each involving a flight in the traffic pattern at an airport.
  • 1 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 take off and landing locations.
  • 3 hours of flight training on those areas of operation specified in 61.311 preparing for the practical test within 60 days before the date of the test.
  • A knowledge test must be completed (see below)
  • A practical test must be completed (see below)

The Sport Pilot Powered Parachute initial flight training can be finished in as little as two weeks depending on weather and the pilot/student attendance.

Knowledge Test (new pilots with no ratings or experience)

During, before or after the flight training a Sport Pilot knowledge test must be completed. The test consists of forty multiple choice questions to do with aerodynamics, airspace, rules and regulations etc and 70% must be achieved to pass. This test must be complete before the practical test can be given.

In the knowledge test you may have a:

  • Flight computer
  • Plotter
  • Calculator
  • Pen and pencil

The test center will provide paper and a test supplement for the charts used in the test. It is a closed book test which means no reference material can be used.

You can take the test at an airport with Lazergrade or CATS facilities.

see: www.lasergrade.com/locate.shtml for locations to take the Sport Pilot Knowledge Test.

We fully recommend using the Test Prep Soft wear and completing the test before you come and train with us to save time. Call us today to order your softwear & Sport Pilot Training Kit.

Practical Test

The practical test with a DPE (Designated Pilot Examiner) consists of one hour oral questioning before a one hour flight test. This is for private pilots transitioning as well as new pilots with no rating or experience. Usually the private pilot check ride is quicker due to the knowledge most pilots already have.

Oral questioning will include:

  • cross country planning (you will have to complete one in the test)
  • traffic patterns & runway markings
  • airworthiness requirements
  • certificate and documents
  • radio communications
  • emergency procedures
  • engine and systems
  • medical factors
  • aerodynamics
  • airspace

The flight test will include:

Pre-flight procedures

  • Pre-flight inspection
  • Engine warm up
  • Chute layout
  • Taxing (canopy/wing/parachute inflated)
  • Before takeoff check

Take off’s, landings and go arounds

  • normal take off and climb
  • normal approach and landing
  • go around-rejected landing (the surprise you with this on landing with no warning)

Performance maneuver

  • constant altitude turn
  • Ground reference maneuver (only one)
  • Turn around a point
  • S-turn over a road (or easily identifiable marking)
  • Rectangular course

Navigation

  • Pilotage & dead reckoning (usually done in the oral with XC planning)
  • Diversion (if the flight can not be completed as planned; landing elsewhere)
  • Lost procedures (what to do if your lost)

Emergency procedures

  • Emergency approach and landing (simulation)
  • Systems & equipment malfunction (this is a “what if” ; not an actual task)
  • Emergency equipment and survival gear

Post flight procedures

  • After landing, parking and securing

(For more specific information on the sport pilot rule including knowledge, proficiency experience requirements see FAR’s 61.301-61.329. For standards and requirements see the Practical test standard as seen above (PTS)

I’m a private pilot, what do I need
to do to become a Sport Pilot?

If you’re a private pilot a proficiency check is all that is needed (see FAR 61.321).

This involves

  • learning the aeronautical knowledge of 61.309
  • learning the areas of operation in 61.311

All from a Sport Pilot Powered Parachute CFI. Then obtain a recommendation to see a second Sport Pilot Powered Parachute CFI and completing a proficiency check in those areas trained and listed in 61.321.

A knowledge test is not required if you are a private pilot.

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