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If you want to fly a single place powered parachute or powered paraglider trike, chances are you can fly it as an ultralight without any FAA mandated training or certification. That isn’t the best of ideas. Even with ultralights, you can get yourself hurt or in trouble without some training from someone who knows what they are doing.
Given the right conditions, training someone to fly a powered parachute goes pretty quickly.
So the concept is that the FAA requires that any pilot candidate be able to do three things before they are issued a pilot certificate.
For pilots, the FAA has their own knowledge tests and flying tests. The thing they add to the mix is a requirement that you actually do a minimum amount of flying and flight training before you even get to take the flying test.
The knowledge test a multiple choice test with three choices.
The next thing the FAA wants is what they call “aeronautical experience”. You only need to log 12 hours total of flight time. But of course there are some details.
First of all, 10 of those 12 hours have to be dual instruction. That means that a flight instructor is flying with you. It’s something that you should want, but it is something that the FAA makes sure that you want. You also need to fly at least 2 hours solo.
You also have to achieve a minimum number of takeoffs and landings, which for a powered parachute is the most difficult thing to perfect. At least 10 of those have to be solo. At least another 10 will probably be done with your flight instructor.
There’s a cross country dual flight along with a cross country solo. There’s preparation for the tasks required in the practical test (that’s the flying test I was talking about). Those things include preflighting, selecting the right places and times to fly, weather, cross country planning, airport operations to include aviation radio use, the one performance maneuver you are responsible for, the three ground reference maneuvers you need to be able to do, emergency operations, and stowing the equipment.
Fortunately, you rarely have to worry about getting the minimum number of takeoffs and landings in for the FAA. You really need to get them in for your own learning. Repetition is what makes you competent and comfortable with your aircraft. That’s what the FAA really wants from you anyway!
Finally, you have to demonstrate your newly acquired skills. First you have to demonstrate them to your flight instructor. It is his requirement to work with you until not only have you achieved the minimum number of hours flying. It is also his requirement to work with you until you have demonstrated to him that you are competent enough to pass the FAA practical test. Once your flight instructor is satisfied that you have what it takes to become a pilot, he provides you with the recommendation and the paperwork involved that states that you are ready to take the practical test.
The practical test is far more involved than just a flying test. After all, the DMV doesn’t require new drivers to demonstrate that they know how to check the oil in their car. Although perhaps they should.
The FAA practical exam requires oil checking and a whole lot more. First the good news. Most practical exams are not administered by FAA personnel. Instead, they are administered by civilian certified flight instructors who are designated (think deputized) by the FAA to do the work. They’re called DPE’s or Designated Practical Examiners.
The practical test is broken up into four discreet parts. And each of these parts has to happen in this order.
First, there is the admin portion up front. That’s where you meet the examiner, and he goes through your paperwork. That includes your application (lovingly referred to as the Form FAA 8710-11 - Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application-Sport Pilot), your knowledge test report, and your log book to make sure that everything is in order.
Second, oral portion of the exam. This is normally done indoors in the same area where the admin portion was done. It’s a question and answer period conducted as an interview.
Then, it’s off to the powered parachute for the third portion of the process. That is where you do your preflight, get your powered parachute positioned on the runway and ready for flight, and provide your DPE with a safety briefing on the upcoming flight.
Then, finally, you get to take off and do your thing.
Once you have successfully flown, landed, and stowed your equipment, it is time for step 4, the outbrief.
That is where you will either be awarded your temporary airman’s certificate or you will be issued a notice of disapproval of application.
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