Oshkosh or Bust!

        By Brian Gilomen

Several FVFC members made the trek to Oshkosh to attend the Ultralight Flight Instructor ground school sponsored by the EAA.  For those interested, I have reproduced below the EAA's guidelines for becoming a UFI under the EAA's two-place training exemption:

1. Take instruction from an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Aero Sports Connection (ASC), or United States Ultralight Association (USUA) registered ultralight instructor, operating under an exemption to FAR Part 103. You may fly a two-place trainer solo under the following conditions:

• Your instructor must endorse your logbook for solo operations
• The trainer must be marked "TO BE USED FOR INSTRUCTION ONLY"
• You must carry a copy of your logbook, instructor's exemption, and authorization letter
• The two-place trainer must be registered with EAA, ASC or USUA registration program

2. Register as an ultralight pilot with EAA.
3. Develop your flying skills so that you are competent and capable to fly an ultralight vehicle safely. The minimum required time is 100 hours logged pilot-in-command time prior to starting your instruction towards becoming a UFI. FAA certificate holders time is 20 hours, FAA CFI's time is 2 hours. (For Powered Parachutes this requirement is 25 hours.)
4. Take instruction from an EAA, ASC or USUA registered ultralight instructor; instruction should be towards becoming an ultralight instructor. The minimum is 15 hours instruction, with not less than 5 hours of dual flight instruction. (For Powered Parachutes this requirement is 10 hours combination air and ground instruction, air time must be sufficient to earn the UFI's recommendation).
5. Take your EAA instructor application with your logbook documentation of hours to your instructor and obtain his recommendation signature for you to take the check ride with an Ultralight Flight Instructor Examiner (UFIE).
6. Schedule appointment with a UFIE for testing. Examiner will administer oral, flight, written, and Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) tests. FOI test can also be taken at a FAA testing center.
7. Submit the entire application with instructor signatures, copies of your tests, and Conditions and Identification form, to EAA. Include $100 application fee, $30 if you are a current FAA CFI, which is good for one year. If you are not already an EAA member, submit a membership application and $30 EAA yearly membership fee. You must maintain your EAA membership for your exemption to be valid.
8. If your application from is complete and you meet the requirements, you will receive your exemption authorization letter, and the Practical Test Standards Manual.

As an ultralight flight instructor you can legally operate a two-place ultralight trainer for the purpose of flight instruction. A two-place ultralight trainer is defined as:

• Maximum empty weight of 496 pounds
• Maximum fuel capacity of not more than 10 U.S. gallons
• Maximum full power level flight speed not more than 75 knots (86mph)
• Power off stall speed does not exceed 35 knots (40mph)

For an EAA Ultralight Instructor application package contact the EAA Ultralight Programs office at 920.426-6527, visit their Internet site and download the forms, or e-mail ultralights@eaa.org.

Where to now?:

Page One

    Springfield or Bust!

        Oshkosh or Bust!

            Mick's RV (not Brad's RV)

                 Sport Pilot Rule Delayed

                     Update on the Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook

                          The Officers