It has been three years since the Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rule was finalized. In that time there has been continual growth in the number of LSA manufacturers and importers, as well as in the number of people earning Sport Pilot certificates.
The Experimental Aircraft Association, one of the key organizations that spearheaded the development of the Sport Pilot/LSA rule, offers up these latest statistics:
• More than 50 new, ready-to-fly aircraft are available for purchase by Sport Pilots.
• As of August 2006, some 400 Sport Pilot certificates had been issued. As of June of this year, there were more than 2,100 Sport Pilots on the books.
• In 2006 there were 100 Sport Pilot instructors. Today there are more than 230.
• There are more than 240 designated pilot examiners authorized to give Sport Pilot flight tests.
• Approximately one year ago 1,400 people had taken and passed the Sport Pilot written test. Today that number is 3,700.
• The number of registered LSA increased from 500 in 2006 to 4,000 today.
• Approximately 6,200 EAA ultralight transition kits have been distributed in three years.