In a letter in the May 20 issue, Jason Blair writes about his problems in obtaining insurance to teach sport pilots in a Champ. I have had exactly the same experience he has with insurance. Although I have never had an accident, and I have given over 4,700 hours of dual instruction (nearly half of that in tailwheel airplanes), I had a problem just getting liability insurance to teach in my Aeronca Champ. No one, not AOPA insurance, not the EAA insurance company, nor any one else, will insure my airplane for a student to solo the Champ to earn his Sport Pilot or any other certificate. I have communicated with the head of the EAA insurance company and was told “that is something that will have to be worked out in the future.” Actually, the EAA does not seem to me to be overly concerned about it and I have not gotten the impression that anyone is even working on the insurance issue.
Without the ability for flight instructors to teach new Sport Pilot students, the promised potential of this new certificate will never be reached and much of the work that was put into bringing it about will have been in vain.
Dale Byrom
Greenwood, Ind.