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‘SPORT PILOT IN A WEEK’ FEATURED IN APRIL POPULAR MECHANICS

Davin Coburn, the Popular Mechanics magazine researcher who last December completed his sport pilot training in a week and chronicled his experiences in a web log, has a four-page feature story all about it in the magazine's upcoming (April 2006) edition.

Devin Coburn, left, recounts his week of sport pilot flight training in the April 2006 Popular Mechanics. At right is Flight Examiner Michael Price.

Coburn, who turned to EAA for sport pilot information and expertise several times while writing the article, details sport pilot training at the Mid-Atlantic Sports Planes Immersive 1-Week Sport Pilot School in Virginia.

In seven flying days (which spanned eight days due to weather), Coburn logged 22 flight hours learning, practicing, and reviewing the required maneuvers prior to being signed off for his qualifying flight. (He'd passed his written exam before arriving.)

"This was a working vacation," he said. "I flew when I could, and generally studied when I couldn't fly. The harder you work beforehand, the less your instructor will have to dwell on the basics."

Coburn trained in a Zenair 601XL LSA purchased through Sportsplanes.com. MASPL and Sportsplanes.com market the 601XL, the Ikarus Breezer and C42.

While all students will not progress this rapidly, Coburn proved it could be done safely and effectively.

"The national average for a Private Pilot's license is 72 hours and a lot of people are taking nearly a year to accumulate that much time," said MASPL President Jim Pellien. "I have little doubt that people like Davin will continue to log hours and eventually upgrade to Private Pilot status and perhaps IFR. In that sense, the Sport Pilot license is a ‘stepping stone' or entry-level permit to learn that people in their early 20s can readily afford and accomplish in a short period of time.

"That's the story we need to communicate to flight schools around this country and to the general public."

If you'd like to learn all about sport pilot/light-sport aircraft, plan to attend one of EAA's upcoming Sport Pilot Tour stops. Two confirmed locations include Lawrenceville (Atlanta area), Georgia (April 29) and Smyrna (Nashville area), Tennessee May 6. Also visit www.sportpilot.org for more information.

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