577 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 61.311 

(a) 

Knowledge test. You must pass a 

knowledge test on the applicable aero-
nautical knowledge areas listed in 
§ 61.309. Before you may take the 
knowledge test for a sport pilot certifi-
cate, you must receive a logbook en-
dorsement from the authorized instruc-
tor who trained you or reviewed and 
evaluated your home-study course on 
the aeronautical knowledge areas list-
ed in § 61.309 certifying you are pre-
pared for the test. 

(b) 

Practical test. You must pass a 

practical test on the applicable areas 
of operation listed in §§ 61.309 and 
61.311. Before you may take the prac-
tical test for a sport pilot certificate, 
you must receive a logbook endorse-
ment from the authorized instructor 
who provided you with flight training 
on the areas of operation specified in 
§§ 61.309 and 61.311 in preparation for 
the practical test. This endorsement 
certifies that you meet the applicable 
aeronautical knowledge and experience 
requirements and are prepared for the 
practical test. 

§ 61.309

What aeronautical knowledge 

must I have to apply for a sport 
pilot certificate? 

To apply for a sport pilot certificate 

you must receive and log ground train-
ing from an authorized instructor or 
complete a home-study course on the 
following aeronautical knowledge 
areas: 

(a) Applicable regulations of this 

chapter that relate to sport pilot privi-
leges, limits, and flight operations. 

(b) Accident reporting requirements 

of the National Transportation Safety 
Board. 

(c) Use of the applicable portions of 

the aeronautical information manual 
and FAA advisory circulars. 

(d) Use of aeronautical charts for 

VFR navigation using pilotage, dead 
reckoning, and navigation systems, as 
appropriate. 

(e) Recognition of critical weather 

situations from the ground and in 
flight, windshear avoidance, and the 
procurement and use of aeronautical 
weather reports and forecasts. 

(f) Safe and efficient operation of air-

craft, including collision avoidance, 
and recognition and avoidance of wake 
turbulence. 

(g) Effects of density altitude on 

takeoff and climb performance. 

(h) Weight and balance computa-

tions. 

(i) Principles of aerodynamics, pow-

erplants, and aircraft systems. 

(j) Stall awareness, spin entry, spins, 

and spin recovery techniques, as appli-
cable. 

(k) Aeronautical decision making 

and risk management. 

(l) Preflight actions that include— 
(1) How to get information on runway 

lengths at airports of intended use, 
data on takeoff and landing distances, 
weather reports and forecasts, and fuel 
requirements; and 

(2) How to plan for alternatives if the 

planned flight cannot be completed or 
if you encounter delays. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2001–11133, 69 FR 44869, July 
27, 2004, as amended by Amdt. 61–125, 75 FR 
5221, Feb. 1, 2010] 

§ 61.311

What flight proficiency re-

quirements must I meet to apply for 
a sport pilot certificate? 

To apply for a sport pilot certificate 

you must receive and log ground and 
flight training from an authorized in-
structor on the following areas of oper-
ation, as appropriate, for airplane sin-
gle-engine land or sea, glider, gyro-
plane, airship, balloon, powered para-
chute land or sea, and weight-shift-con-
trol aircraft land or sea privileges: 

(a) Preflight preparation. 
(b) Preflight procedures. 
(c) Airport, seaplane base, and 

gliderport operations, as applicable. 

(d) Takeoffs (or launches), landings, 

and go-arounds. 

(e) Performance maneuvers, and for 

gliders, performance speeds. 

(f) Ground reference maneuvers (not 

applicable to gliders and balloons). 

(g) Soaring techniques (applicable 

only to gliders). 

(h) Navigation. 
(i) Slow flight (not applicable to 

lighter-than-air aircraft and powered 
parachutes). 

(j) Stalls (not applicable to lighter- 

than-air aircraft, gyroplanes, and pow-
ered parachutes). 

(k) Emergency operations. 

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