Flight Review for Private Pilot by Sport Pilot CFI

I've been looking into earning the CFI-SP. I was ready to give an opinion, then decided to read Part 61, yet again. I thought a CFI-SP could only give instruction in an airplane to a Sport Pilot, not to a Private. In other words, if someone wants to earn a Private with airplane rating, they would have to be taught by a CFI, not a CFI-SP. When a Private is mentioned, it's in conjunction with a powered parachute or weight-shift. After reading Part 61 again, it seems vague to me, actually.

 

This makes it seem that you can NOT give a flight review to a Private::

§61.413  What are the privileges of my flight instructor certificate
with a sport pilot rating?
If you hold a fight flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot
rating, you are authorized, within the limits of your certificate and rating, to
provide training and logbook endorsements for––
(a)  A student pilot seeking a sport pilot certificate;
(b)  A sport pilot certificate;
(c)  A flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating;
(d)  A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft rating;
(e)  Sport pilot privileges;
(f)  A flight review or operating privilege for a sport pilot;
(g) .......

***************************************************************

This makes it seem that you CAN give a flight review to a Private.

 §61.415  What are the limits of a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating?

If you hold a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating, you are subject to the following limits:  proposed flight under the existing conditions and within any limitations listed in the logbook that you consider necessary for the safety of the flight.

(d)  You may not endorse a: 

 (4)  Logbook of a pilot for a flight review, unless you have conducted a review of that pilot in accordance with the requirements of §61.56.

 

So, it looks like an indefinite maybe to me. I'd like to see a solid answer here from someone.

This is slightly related to the current controversy regarding training received for a Sport Pilot cert. If that training is given by a CFI-SP, it doesn't count toward a Private if a pilot wants to upgrade later. Dual received from a CFI during Sport Pilot training would be able to be counted toward a Private cert later. EAA and others are arguing that even training from a CFI-SP should count toward a higher certificate.

 

 

A local SP CFI that I did a BFR with put it this way - he could do my BFR, but it would only be for SP privileges.  He's an extremely experienced CFI - did thousands of hours in "fat ultralights", went through the ELSA / SP CFI process, then when the ELSA's AW's expried, fought with the FAA for a while for an extension (never given), and this forced him out of business until he could work a deal to buy a new-production SLSA that he's back in business with now.

Anyway, his endorsement in my logbook for SP privileges was all I needed, as I was w/o medical at the time.  After I got the medical back, I did my next BFR with a non-SP CFI (regular CFI? plain-old CFI? - not sure how to state it).

One thing about CFI endorsements - there are standardized wordings, but you can add any clarifications or limitations that you think are necessary.  So until we get a more official-sounding opinion, I would put "limited to Sport Pilot privileges" or wording to that effect on your BFR endorsements of Private pilots.  I think this sort of endorsement fits well within what the SP-CFI is allowed to do - this way, you're not endorsing / signing for privileges you aren't authorized to instruct.

Eric,

I am a SP-CFI also, and I agree that your SP-CFI friend is protecting him and you with the way he worded your BFR endorsement.   However, I read the regulations a little differently (isn't it wonderful that the FAA writes the regs so confusing that we can make our own interpretations:-)   For example, consider the case of an ATP rated pilot who is qualified in a Light Sport Aircraft.   According to the Regs, he can take his BFR in any aircraft for which he is qualified (even an LSA) and later go fly a jet with his new BFR in hand.   When an ATP-rated pilot is flying a LSA, in Sport Pilot conditions, he is exercising his Sport Pilot privileges, correct?   Therefore, an SP-CFI can give that ATP person a BFR in a light sport aircraft without imposing any conditions on the ATP about what aircraft he can fly after his BFR, correct?.    Otherwise, how can a "regular" CFI rated only for ASEL give a BFR to a AMEL-rated pilot in a ASEL without forcing that AMEL pilot to fly only ASEL in the future????

Comments?

BTW:  I agree with EAA NAFI and AOPA that SP-CFI instruction should count as dual towards any pilot certificate.   Also, SP-CFIs should be able to give BFRs, tailwheel endorsements, etc to holders of any pilot certificates, as long as it is done in LSAs.   SP-CFIs have mostly the same CFI training and pass the same CFI tests as "regular" CFIs; why treat them as something less just because they never took the Commercial checkride?

Ray Boyles

I agree with Ray.  I have a CFI-Glider and I can give a BFR to an ATP who also holds a glider rating without stating in the logbook that he can only exercise glider privileges.  Once I add on my CFI-SP ASEL, I'll check with the local FSDO just to be sure. 

A CFI-S can perform a flight review for any pilot, regardless of certificate level held, so long as it is completed in a light sport eligible aircraft for which the pilot is rated.  I checked this one with 610 a while back.

 

Helen

Helen's right.  Also, as for "limiting" a flight review (FWIW, there is no such thing as a "BFR" - you can get a flight review every day of the year if you want to), it doesn't happen.  A flight review is a flight review, and the instructor's endorsement covers everything.  That came up in humorous fashion in the St. Louis area when some balloon pilots, who only need a commercial certificate to instruct, found out that, by giving someone a flight review in a hot air balloon, they were covering everying else the pilot had.  When they asked the FSDO about a situation where the person involved had a type rating in a jet, the FSDO said, "Well you might want to include some good questions about that type of lfying." 

It may not be called a "BFR" anymore, but for us old timers, it will always be a BFR.