Sport Pilots and Flight Instructors

New airmen certificates include a student pilot certificate for operating light-sport aircraft, a sport pilot certificate, and a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating.
Two new aircraft category and class ratings are added to federal aviation regulations - weight-shift control (with land and sea class ratings) and powered parachute.
New training and certification requirements for those new ratings.
A current and valid U.S. driver's license or an FAA airman medical certificate would be required to operate a light-sport aircraft. Note: Not all applicants/pilots will qualify for the Driver's License Medical (DLM). See separate web page on this site regarding medical issues.

Be a minimum of 16 years of age to become a student pilot.
Be 17 years of age to test for a sport pilot certificate.
Be able to read, write and understand the English language.
Operate only in day, VFR conditions., under 10,000 feet msl.
Hold either an FAA airman's medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver's license. Note: Not all applicants/pilots will qualify for the Driver's License Medical (DLM). See separate web page on this site regarding medical issues.

For non-transitioning pilots, it takes a minimum of 20 hours to obtain a sport pilot certificate.