Hidden Sport Pilot Limitations you Need to Know
TLDR
A Sport Pilot certificate is easier to obtain than a private pilot certificate is as it does not require a medical certificate. However, there are several limitations to a sport pilot certificate such as only flying in Light Sport Aircraft, only flying with 1 passenger and only flying during day VFR flight conditions. There are more limitations and this article lists them all from the Federal Aviation Regulations for Sport Pilot (14 CFR § 61.315 – What Are the Privileges and Limits of My Sport Pilot Certificate?, 2025).
Sport Pilot certificates are easier to obtain than a Private Pilot certificate because they do not require you to obtain a medical certificate or complete as many minimum hours. However, the major differences between a Sport Pilot and a Private Pilot license is that there are more limitations for Sport Pilots. We will discuss all those sport pilot limitations from the Federal Aviation Regulations in detail on this page (14 CFR § 61.315 – What Are the Privileges and Limits of My Sport Pilot Certificate?, 2025).
You can either read below or watch the video on this topic which adds some visual aids.
Sport Pilot Limitations
These limitations are found under FAR 61.315 and they are as follows:
- Sport Pilots are limited to “light sport aircraft” or LSAs where an LSA is defined as:
- An aircraft (not intended for water use) with a 1320 lb max certified gross weight; and…
- An aircraft with a maximum of 2 seats
- An aircraft without retractable landing gear
- Examples include restricted category aircraft, experimental aircraft or weight-shift-control aircraft
- Sport Pilots may share the operating expenses of a flight with a passenger, provided the expenses involve only fuel, oil, airport expenses, or aircraft rental fees. A Sport Pilot must pay at least half the operating expenses of the flight.
- Sport Pilots may NOT act as pilot in command of an LSA…
- That is carrying a passenger or property for compensation or hire
- For compensation or hire
- in furtherance of a business
- While carrying more than one passenger
- At night
- Where night is defined as the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight, not sunset.
- in Class A airspace
- In Class B, C, and D airspace, at an airport located in Class B, C, or D airspace, and to, from, through, or at an airport having an operational control tower unless you have met the requirements specified in 61.325
- FAR 61.325 describes the training and experience required to be logged in order to receive an endorsement to be able to fly in the above areas as a Sport Pilot. So in other words, you can operate in the above areas as long as you received training and an endorsement in those areas from a certified instructor.
- Outside the U.S., unless you have prior authorization from the country in which you seek to operate. Your Sport Pilot certificate carries the limit “Holder does not meet ICAO requirements.”
- Fly over densely populated areas if the aircraft is a restricted category or experimental
- To demonstrate the aircraft in flight to a prospective buyer if you are an aircraft salesperson
- In a passenger-carrying airlift sponsored by a charitable organization
- At an altitude of more than 10,000 ft. MSL or 2000 ft. AGL, whichever is higher
- For example: If you are flying over a mountain that is 5,000 feet above sea level, then your “2,000 ft AGL” would be at a height of 7,000 feet MSL, meaning the 10,000 ft MSL limit would be the higher altitude in this case.
- When the flight or surface visibility is less than 3 statute miles (SM)
- Without visual reference to the surface
- Above 120 knots airspeed
- If the aircraft:
- Has a Vh greater than 87 knots Calibrated Airspeed (CAS), unless the pilot has met the requirements of 61.327(b)
- Has a Vh of less than or equal to 87 knots CAS, unless you have met the requirements of 61.327(a) or have logged flight time as pilot in command of an airplane with a Vh less than or equal to 87 knots CAS before April 2, 2010
- Vh is the maximum speed in level flight with maximum continuous power for your aircraft
- FAR 61.327(a) and 61.327(b) describe the training and experience required to receive an endorsement to fly in an LSA below or above a Vh of 87 knots CAS
- Contrary to any operating limitation placed on the airworthiness certificate of the aircraft being flown
- Contrary to any limit on your pilot certificate or airman medical certificate, or any other limit or endorsement from an authorized instructor
- Contrary to any restriction or limitation on your U.S. Driver’s License or any restriction or limitation imposed by judicial or administrative order when using your driver’s license to satisfy a requirement of this part
- While towing any object
- As a pilot flight crewmember on any aircraft for which more than one pilot is required by the type certificate of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight is conducted
The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money
And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material
5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s
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- Mentoring students from start to finish
- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding
How does Part Time Pilot compare to other Online Ground Schools?
I went to the website of each of the Top10 Online Ground Schools and gathered ALL the relevant info a student pilot like you needs to make an informed decision.
Things like cost, student ratings, lifetime access or not, types of lessons, bonuses included, scholarships included, support available and more.
Then, I lined them all up and compared them all in a single table so that student pilots could make the best, most informed decision on their training.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training.
Can Sport Pilot's make money flying?
No, a Sport Pilot cannot legally make money or fly an aircraft for compensation or hire.
In order to make money flying, a pilot needs to have obtained a Private Pilot and Commercial Pilot certificate.
With that said, Sport Pilots can share the cost of flight operations with passengers as long as they do not pay more than their fair share and a Sport Pilot can earn money when they become a Sport Pilot Flight Instructor.
What type of Aircraft can Sport Pilots fly?
Sport pilots are limited to flying light sport aircraft or LSAs.
What is a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)?
A “light sport aircraft” or LSA is defined as:
- An aircraft (not intended for water use) with a 1320 lb max certified gross weight; and…
- An aircraft with a maximum of 2 seats
- An aircraft without retractable landing gear
- Examples include restricted category aircraft, experimental aircraft or weight-shift-control aircraft
Sport Pilots are limited to flying only light sport aircraft (LSA).
What Limitations do Sport Pilots have?
Sport Pilots have more limitations than Private Pilots but can be a popular choice because of the lack of medical exam requirements. For a complete list of Sport Pilot limitations you can read this article here, but in general Sport Pilots are limited to:
- Sport Pilots are limited to “light sport aircraft” or LSAs
- Sport Pilots may NOT act as pilot in command of an LSA…
- That is carrying a passenger or property for compensation or hire
- For compensation or hire
- in furtherance of a business
- While carrying more than one passenger
- At night
- At an altitude of more than 10,000 ft. MSL or 2000 ft. AGL, whichever is higher
- When the flight or surface visibility is less than 3 statute miles (SM)
- Without visual reference to the surface
- Above 120 knots airspeed
- While towing any object
Do you have to pass a Medical Exam to be a Sport Pilot?
No. Instead of a medical certificate, a Sport Pilot only needs to meet the medical standards of holding a US Driver’s License.
However, if an aviation medical exam is denied or deferred by an applicant, that applicant cannot become a Sport Pilot. In other words, if you think that you may have a medical condition that would cause you to fail an FAA medical exam, it is best to not take and fail the exam if you still desire to become a Sport Pilot.
Can you save money by Buying your Own Airplane?
Yes, buying your own airplane and using it for flight training can end up saving you money on flight training costs, but it depends on several factors such as your long term goals, costs of the aircraft and whether or not you can rent it out when you aren’t using it. Here is a break down of things to think about before buying an aircraft for your training:
- Upfront Costs
- Aircraft cost a good amount. Older, lower horsepower options like a Cessna 152 can be found for as low as $50,000 but come with added risk and maintenance. Newer, higher horse power Cessna 172s, Sling TSIs, Cirrus SRs or Diamond DA40s can cost $150,000, $250,000 or even more.
- Fixed Costs
- These are ongoing costs after you make the purchase that don’t change regardless on how you use the aircraft. Things like Hangar rentals, insurance, registration and required inspections are all costs to consider that can add up to $4000 to $16,000 or more depending on how you do it and where your aircraft is located
- Variable Costs
- These are things that depend or vary based off how you use or how often you use your aircraft. Things like fuel, oil, maintenance, and instructor fees when training.
- Usage & Long-term Goals
- The more you plan to use an aircraft you purchase, the more of a potential savings it becomes. For example, if you only plan to get a Sport Pilot certificate and fly every few months it will take a long time to recoup the costs of buying the aircraft we just talked about. But, if you plan to use the aircraft to train for Private and IFR and then fly it every week, it will start saving you money much quicker because of the rental costs you are saving each time you fly.
- Maintenance
- Aircraft are required to meet ongoing maintenance standards. This adds an additional cost and time commitment to an aircraft owner who is responsible for the aircraft being in a safe and airworthy condition. So if you want to buy an aircraft, you need to be willing to add an extra time commitment or pay someone you trust to make sure the aircraft stays safe and legal.
- Rental Opportunities
- Another way to recoup your money faster by buying an aircraft is to rent it out when you aren’t using it. Eventually, this can even start making you some money. However, depending on where your aircraft is located the rental opportunities may not be available. So you need to do the research prior to purchasing an aircraft with the desire of renting it out to get your money back faster.
How much does it cost to Rent Light Sport Aircraft?
The following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate:
- Van’s RV12
- $130 to $180 per hour
- Vashon Ranger R7
- $140 to $190 per hour
- Flight Design CTLS
- $135 to $180 per hour
For a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between $40 to $90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance.
Is it worth it to get a Sport Pilot License?
Yes! But this depends heavily on your goals. If you want to fly as a career then you are going to need a Private Pilot certificate and not a Sport Pilot certificate. But if your aviation goals align with flying smaller light sport aircraft and the ability to take a maximum of 1 passenger than a Sport Pilot certificate is worth it.
A Sport Pilot might also be a great choice if you believe you are unable to pass an FAA medical exam since Sport Pilots are only required to hold a US Driver’s License to meet their medical requirements.
What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?
The cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called “How to Become a Pilot and Save Money” and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are:
- Doing Ground School before Flight Training
- Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep
- Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck
- Doing flight training at a Flying Club
- Doing flight training in rural parts of the US
- Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training
- Flying during the sunniest months of the year
- Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate
- And more outlined in the Free “How to Become a Pilot & Save Money” course
How Long does it take to become a Sport Pilot?
This varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor.
The FAA minimum number of hours to become a Sport Pilot is 20 hours. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, cross-country flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Practical Test Standards (PTS) for Sport Pilot.
Students that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (20-30 hours) in about 1-2 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons.
Students that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 30-40 hours and in about 3-5 months.
And students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 40-70 hours and 5 months to a year or more.
Can I get a Sport Pilot certificate in 3 months or less?
As mentioned in the above FAQ, yes it is possible to get a Sport Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons.
What is MOSAIC?
MOSAIC stands for Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates and is a proposed rule change by the FAA with the goal of dramatically expanding the privileges of Sport Pilots and the types of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) they can fly. You may also have heard it been called Sport Pilot or Light Sport Aircraft 2.0. The key proposed changes are:
- Expand Aircraft Definition
- Current LSA definition is aircraft with a max takeoff weight less than 1320 lbs and max speed of 120 knots
- MOSAIC change would define LSA based on performance such as a clean stall speed of 54 knots calibrated airspeed which would allow for much larger, heavier and more robust aircraft to qualify as LSAs such as Cessna 152, Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 may qualify.
- Increased Pilot Privileges
- Current Sport Pilot limitations include a max of 120 knots airspeed, no complex aircraft, no night flying and only one passenger
- MOSAIC change would allow airspeeds up to 250 knots, would allow for the flying of complex aircraft (aircraft with retractable gear and controllable-pitch propellers), more passengers, and the ability to fly at Night with additional training and endorsements. Changes may also allow Sport Pilots the ability to obtain an Instrument Rating as well.
- Modernized Training & Certification
- The goal of a Sport Pilot certificate was to potentially make aviation more accessible as it is generally cheaper and only requires a US Driver’s License for a medical requirement.
- With MOSAIC, this would remain the same but expand what someone can do with a Sport Pilot certificate.
- It may also simplify the aircraft certification process for manufacturers and encourage the design of new, more capable LSAs
When will MOSAIC start?
MOSAIC is expected to be finalized in mid-to-late 2025!
