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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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578 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 61.313 

(l) Post-flight procedures. 

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

§ 61.313

What aeronautical experience 

must I have to apply for a sport 
pilot certificate? 

Use the following table to determine 

the aeronautical experience you must 
have to apply for a sport pilot certifi-
cate: 

If you are applying for a sport pilot certifi-
cate with . . . 

Then you must log at least . . . 

Which must include at least . . . 

(a) Airplane category and single-engine 

land or sea class privileges, 

(1) 20 hours of flight time, including at 

least 15 hours of flight training from an 
authorized instructor in a single-engine 
airplane and at least 5 hours of solo 
flight training in the areas of operation 
listed in § 61.311, 

(i) 2 hours of cross-country flight training, 

(ii) 10 takeoffs and landings to a full 
stop (with each landing involving a 
flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport, 
(iii) One solo cross-country flight of at 
least 75 nautical miles total distance, 
with a full-stop landing at a minimum 
of two points and one segment of the 
flight consisting of a straight-line dis-
tance of at least 25 nautical miles be-
tween the takeoff and landing loca-
tions, and (iv) 2 hours of flight training 
with an authorized instructor on those 
areas of operation specified in 
§ 61.311 in preparation for the practical 
test within the preceding 2 calendar 
months from the month of the test. 

(b) Glider category privileges, and you 

have not logged at least 20 hours of 
flight time in a heavier-than-air aircraft, 

(1) 10 hours of flight time in a glider, in-

cluding 10 flights in a glider receiving 
flight training from an authorized in-
structor and at least 2 hours of solo 
flight training in the areas of operation 
listed in § 61.311, 

(i) Five solo launches and landings, and 

(ii) at least 3 training flights with an au-
thorized instructor on those areas of 
operation specified in § 61.311 in prep-
aration for the practical test within the 
preceding 2 calendar months from the 
month of the test. 

(c) Glider category privileges, and you 

have logged 20 hours flight time in a 
heavier-than-air aircraft, 

(1) 3 hours of flight time in a glider, in-

cluding five flights in a glider while re-
ceiving flight training from an author-
ized instructor and at least 1 hour of 
solo flight training in the areas of oper-
ation listed in § 61.311, 

(i) Three solo launches and landings, 

and (ii) at least 3 training flights with 
an authorized instructor on those 
areas of operation specified in 
§ 61.311 in preparation for the practical 
test within the preceding 2 calendar 
months from the month of the test. 

(d) Rotorcraft category and gyroplane 

class privileges, 

(1) 20 hours of flight time, including 15 

hours of flight training from an author-
ized instructor in a gyroplane and at 
least 5 hours of solo flight training in 
the areas of operation listed in 
§ 61.311, 

(i) 2 hours of cross-country flight training, 

(ii) 10 takeoffs and landings to a full 
stop (with each landing involving a 
flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport, 
(iii) One solo cross-country flight of at 
least 50 nautical miles total distance, 
with a full-stop landing at a minimum 
of two points, and one segment of the 
flight consisting of a straight-line dis-
tance of at least 25 nautical miles be-
tween the takeoff and landing loca-
tions, and (iv) 2 hours of flight training 
with an authorized instructor on those 
areas of operation specified in 
§ 61.311 in preparation for the practical 
test within the preceding 2 calendar 
months from the month of the test. 

(e) Lighter-than-air category and airship 

class privileges, 

(1) 20 hours of flight time, including 15 

hours of flight training from an author-
ized instructor in an airship and at 
least 3 hours performing the duties of 
pilot in command in an airship with an 
authorized instructor in the areas of 
operation listed in § 61.311, 

(i) 2 hours of cross-country flight training, 

(ii) Three takeoffs and landings to a 
full stop (with each landing involving a 
flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport, 
(iii) One cross-country flight of at least 
25 nautical miles between the takeoff 
and landing locations, and (iv) 2 hours 
of flight training with an authorized in-
structor on those areas of operation 
specified in § 61.311 in preparation for 
the practical test within the preceding 
2 calendar months from the month of 
the test. 

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