Unfortunately, the recreational pilot certificate has not been widely accepted by the aviation community. There are only about 300 recreational pilots in the country, even though the certificate has been available for over 10 years.

The Sport Pilot Certificate

Added to the pilot certification list in 2005, the sport pilot certificate perfects everything that is lacking in the recreational pilot certificate. The certificate involves only 50% of the training required by the private pilot certificate and makes flight training even more affordable than the recreational pilot certificate. Many of the same limitations to do with the recreational pilot certificate apply, but pilots are not confined by a maximum flight distance limitation. The biggest difference between the sport pilot and recreational pilot certificates is that sport pilots may only operate light sport aircraft (LSA). This is an entirely new class of aircraft in mass production in the United States and abroad. These aircraft are limited by certain weight and speed restrictions and are built according to industry consensus standards, making them very similar. It is very easy for a pilot to move between different LSA and, because of the simplicity of their design, they are very affordable to purchase and operate. The sport pilot certificate, unlike the recreational pilot certificate, has been amazingly popular thus far, and as more and more companies begin to produce LSAs, the future is bright for this certificate choice.