Class C endorsement

[Anticept]

There is no endorsement for commercial pilots relating to class C and B airports. The goal of said endorsements is to ensure that people are trained for radio operations for those higher tiered airfields, and I am going to assume you've already been well trained .

 

You may be exercising the privileges of a sport pilot, but your certificate comes with the "endorsement" perks of being a commercial pilot.

[FastEddieB]

Understood, concerning B & C operations in general.

 

Just wondering about that list of airports banning all "sport pilot operations".

[Andy]

I take it at its word.  The language specifies privileges inhibited based on type of operation, not on your certificate level, like the language used in 91.131..

[FastEddieB]

Yep - my take as well.

[Anticept]

I'll ask AFS 610 .

[Tom Baker]

First off there is no restriction on Light Sport operation in class "B" airspace, because light sport referrers to the aircraft. As for 91.131 it specifically says sport pilot certificate, private pilot certificate, ect. It does not say anything about what privileges you are operating under, just what certificate you hold.

[S3flyer]

Of course, most Class B primary airports have fees (landing fees, ramp fees) that practically keep most of us little guys away.

[Tom Baker]

In regards to 91 appendix d, section 4 that list the airports where sport pilot operations are not allowed it uses 91.131 b, (2) as the regulation that the list applies to. Here is the regulation.

 

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs b(1)(ii), b(1)(iii) and b(1)(iv) of this section, no person may take off or land a civil aircraft at those airports listed in section 4 of appendix D to this part unless the pilot in command holds at least a private pilot certificate.

 

Notice that there is no mention of privileges that the pilot is operating under.

 

I left off the ( ) around the b's in the post, because it wanted to insert smiley faces.

[Andy]

That's my understanding as well, and that is what I teach.  Remember, too, there are equipment requirements as well (though I suspect nearly all of us meet them).

[TheRaven]

Well, I finally did it. My instructor and I flew to KBDL on Friday. The field itself was not that busy, but the approach frequency was very busy, and I had trouble keeping up with everything that was going on. I can't imagine myself ever landing at another Class C airport alone (well, maybe someday, after many more hours of experience), but at least now I feel like I don't have to routinely skirt Class C airspace when planning trips. It was a good and fun experience, although the ramp guy did laugh a little at us, saying something like "Look at this little sucker!" when we parked. But it was all in good fun. It was pretty cool to land on Bradley's longest runway, at 9510 x 200, since my home airport's runway is 3335 x 50! I was going to post a photo, but I seem to be having trouble doing that. Any tips?

[Duane Jefts]

Well, I finally did it. My instructor and I flew to KBDL on Friday. The field itself was not that busy, but the approach frequency was very busy, and I had trouble keeping up with everything that was going on. I can't imagine myself ever landing at another Class C airport alone (well, maybe someday, after many more hours of experience), but at least now I feel like I don't have to routinely skirt Class C airspace when planning trips. It was a good and fun experience, although the ramp guy did laugh a little at us, saying something like "Look at this little sucker!" when we parked. But it was all in good fun. It was pretty cool to land on Bradley's longest runway, at 9510 x 200, since my home airport's runway is 3335 x 50! I was going to post a photo, but I seem to be having trouble doing that. Any tips?

In the lower right corner of this page there is a block that says "more reply options" click on that and follow the prompts on the lower left side.  See if that works.

[Ed Cesnalis]

First use the 'more reply options' button for the full featured editor.

 

Below at Attach Files, start with Choose Files.

 

Any file you choose will upload and be included in your post.

 

 

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It becomes much easier to keep up on the radio when you are alone.  If there is no-one there to understand for you,  your understanding will improve.

[TheRaven]

 

It becomes much easier to keep up on the radio when you are alone.  If there is no-one there to understand for you,  your understanding will improve.

 

 

An excellent point, and one of the reasons I always find flying solo not necessarily the most fun, but the most satisfying.  OK, now I'll go try some of those photo tips ...

[TheRaven]

It was really different, how far away I was when I could make out the runway. And then we just seemed to be on final forever (we had gotten vectored pretty far from the airport). And then at one point on short final it felt like we were just hanging in the air, not moving at all, which was making me a bit nervous, since there was a Challenger on a 6-mile final right behind us. But my instructor explained that much of what I thought was an optical illusion, since the runway was so much bigger than I'm used to. Anyway, here are a couple of screen shots taken from video.

[TheRaven]

Oops, guess you have to click on the thumbnails to make them bigger. Fortunately, I'm a better pilot than I am a computer operator.

[FlyingMonkey]

Bigger runways are fun though.  When I trained at Sebring in 2009, runway 14/32 was 300 feet wide concrete (used to be a B-29 base in WWII).  They have since repaved it as 100ft wide asphalt, but here's the short final on the old runway:

 

 

[TheRaven]

Yeah, bigger runways are fun! In a CT, you could almost land on them sideways.

[Andy]

When I was a student pilot, I was stationed at NAS China Lake.  I got permission to visit NASA's flight research facility and to fly in to Edwards with my instructor in a Cessna 152.  We were cleared to land on Runway 22 (now 22L), which is 15000 x 300.  Being a good student, I started to land on the first third when my instructor said "No!  No!  NO!  Look where the ifrst turnoff is!"  The only taxiway off the runway was at about the midpoint.  So I flew about another 6000 feet down the runway before letting down.  It still took forever to taxi in...