What are the advantages to the SPL over a traditional Private Pilot License?
Sport Pilots are limited to daytime, recreational flying in good weather and away from congested, controlled airspace (unless you seek extra training and endorsements). Therefore, the additional transportation training normally associated with a Private Pilot License (i.e., night flying and controlled-airspace flying) can be safely omitted. The SPL allows new pilots to be safely flying within a recreational environment in half the time and for half the cost of the transportation-focused Private Pilot training. Once a Sport Pilot begins flying, all of the flight time can be applied to follow on ratings like the Private Pilot as experience increases. An SPL can be achieved in as little as ten days and for less than $4000 – approximately the same amount of time required for a scuba license.
