1.1 Sport Pilot Privileges, Limitations & Operating Restrictions

Sport Pilot Privileges, Limitations & Operating Restrictions

Quick Answer: Under 14 CFR § 61.315, a sport pilot may act as Pilot in Command (PIC) of an aircraft that meets § 61.316 performance and design limits. You may carry one passenger, share limited operating expenses, and fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Night flight, Class B/C/D operations, higher VH aircraft, retractable gear, and manual controllable-pitch propellers each require specific training and endorsements. Absolute hard limits still include the 10,000 MSL / 2,000 AGL altitude rule, 3 statute mile visibility, and continuous visual reference to the surface.

The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix lists the Sport Pilot Airplane knowledge test as code SPA: 40 multiple-choice questions, 2.0 hours allotted, 70% passing score, administered at PSI centers (commonly about $175). The Sport Pilot certificate (Part 61 Subpart J) remains the lowest-hour path to an FAA pilot certificate. The MOSAIC final rule (effective for pilot rules on October 22, 2025) changed which aircraft you may operate and which extra endorsements unlock night, retractable gear, and propellers—but it did not remove the core passenger, visibility, altitude, and no-compensation limits in § 61.315.

Privileges of a Sport Pilot

Pilot in Command under § 61.316

You may act as PIC of an aircraft that, since its original certification, meets § 61.316. That section—not the historical § 1.1 light-sport aircraft definition—is the current operational gate for sport-pilot PIC eligibility. (Chapter 2 covers the numeric and design limits in detail.)

Carrying Passengers and Sharing Expenses

You may carry no more than one passenger (§ 61.315(c)(4)), even if the airplane is certificated for up to four seats under § 61.316(a)(2). Extra empty seats do not authorize extra passengers. Advisory Circular AC 61-146 emphasizes the same point: seating capacity and occupant count are different rules.

You may share operating expenses with that passenger on a pro rata basis (§ 61.315(b)):

• Allowed: fuel, oil, airport expenses, aircraft rental fees.
• You must pay at least half of those operating expenses when carrying one passenger.
• Not allowed: insurance, hangar rent, annual inspections, or other fixed ownership costs.

Daylight VFR by Default; Night Only with § 61.329

Daytime VFR remains the default privilege. Night operations are prohibited unless you complete the training and endorsement in § 61.329 and meet that section’s medical requirements. The daytime driver’s license medical path is not enough for night. Under § 61.329 you need, in the category and class:

• 3 hours of night flight training from an authorized instructor;
• At least one night cross-country with a landing at an airport at least 25 NM from the departure airport (powered-parachute exception applies);
• At least 10 night takeoffs and 10 night landings to a full stop;
• A part 67 medical or BasicMed compliance under § 61.113(i); and
• A logbook endorsement certifying night proficiency.

Hard Operating Limitations (§ 61.315(c))

Memorize which limits are absolute and which have endorsement escape hatches. The knowledge test loves to mix them.

Altitude Worked Example

Terrain is 9,500 ft MSL. The higher of 10,000 MSL or 2,000 AGL applies: 9,500 + 2,000 = 11,500 ft MSL is the ceiling in that area. Over flat terrain at 500 ft MSL, the 10,000 MSL cap binds because it is higher than 2,500 MSL (500 + 2,000).

Commercial, Business, Towing, and Charity Prohibitions

You may not fly for compensation or hire, carry property for hire, fly in furtherance of a business, tow any object, act as a salesperson demonstrating an aircraft in flight to a buyer, or participate in a passenger-carrying airlift sponsored by a charitable organization. “Flying a coworker to close a deal” is still a business flight even if nobody pays you cash.

International and Certificate Limits

§ 61.315(c)(8) bars operations outside the United States unless the foreign country authorizes them. The sport pilot certificate itself carries the ICAO limitation “Holder does not meet ICAO requirements.” You also may not operate contrary to aircraft airworthiness limitations, certificate/medical limitations, instructor endorsements, or—when using a driver’s license for medical qualification—any judicial or administrative restriction on that license (§ 61.315(c)(15)–(17)).

Exam Traps to Anticipate

• Four seats ≠ four occupants. A § 61.316 airplane may have four seats; you still carry only one passenger.
• Endorsement ≠ unlimited. A § 61.325 Class B/C/D endorsement does not authorize Class A, night, towing, or compensation.
• Legacy “light-sport” numbers. Older materials still quote historical § 1.1 figures (for example, 1,320 lb MTOW). For current PIC eligibility after MOSAIC, answer from §§ 61.315 and 61.316.

Master § 61.315 line-by-line: the knowledge test repeatedly probes passenger count, altitude, visibility, surface reference, expense sharing, ICAO/international limits, and which privileges need endorsements.