SonexBuilders.net

Does Joe Norris offer T-training at Crossville?
Darick

Hi Darick,

No. Joe is the Chief Flight Instructor for Sonex Aircraft, LLC. All of their T-Flight operations are run from Oshkosh (KOSH).

You may be referring to when Joe flew the factory Waiex down to Crossville last October for the fly-in.

Hope this helps!

Yes, that is what I was referring to, thinking he may do t- training while he was there for the fly in. My wife and I would make a vacation centered around the Crossville flyin. I won't be finished with my Sonex until 2015 but it would be nice to get some stick time until then.
Darick

Interesting... I live in Knoxville (about an hour from Crossville) and if he were to come down to the event again and offer training, I'd probably participate as well.

Although, with so many planes that were at the event, what are the chances that there are a few owners who are/know CFI's that would be happy to offer some instruction as well. Might be worth bringing up regarding the event itself, whether Joe participates or not.

If I'm not mistaken, the factory can only provide transition training at OSH per their Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) from the FAA.

EricS wrote:If I'm not mistaken, the factory can only provide transition training at OSH per their Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) from the FAA.

Joe can clarify this for us. I do know that there was a CFI at Crossville that would do biennial flight reviews. These would be done in your airplane though. They do give rides at Crossville and perhaps some of the pilots *may* let the passenger hold the stick for part of the flight. With a single centerstick and all my controls on the left (throttle, mixture, carb heat, flaps, trim, etc) Myunn isn't really set up for letting someone fly it from the right seat. In fact, the one drawback of the single stick is that per 91.109 all flight training must be accomplished using dual controls.

Dale
N319WF

EricS wrote:If I'm not mistaken, the factory can only provide transition training at OSH per their Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA) from the FAA.

I'll have to take a look at my LODA paperwork next time I'm up at the airplane, but from what I remember, as long as the airplane isn't in Phase 1 you should be allowed to conduct training anywhere.

In the end, all the LODA really allows is the owner of the aircraft to get paid for training. The FAA issues these LODA's to supersede the original aircraft Operating Limitations that state the aircraft can't be used for compensation or hire, so I view the LODA as a permission slip for the airplane(s), not the instructors. I don't recall anything in writing indicating where the training must be accomplished, or who's allowed to perform the training. I'm sure if things keep getting busier at the factory, Joe and Drew may be looking for additional instructors!

In order to apply for a LODA, you do need an organized training syllabus which is why the T-Flight training syllabus was created. Howerver, with this sort of training being conducted via FAR Part 61, there's no "set in stone" transition training course requirements that HAS to be followed. In fact, you can go on the Sonex website or the Foundation's website and download the syllabus for your own use. The entire point of the T-Flight program, or anyone else using the syllabus, is to get the new Sonex pilot comfortable with the flight characteristics of the airplane, and meet any insurance required training times.

All that being said, I don't believe it's the factory plan to start staging an on-site training program outside of the factory (although some of those factory instructors may not fight too hard to head to Florida over the winter, right Joe?!). I think an excellent part of the T-Flight program is being located at the factory. While you conduct your training, you can tour the factory, sit in different airplanes, talk to the designers, etc. The factory is a cool place to visit!!

daleandee wrote:Joe can clarify this for us. I do know that there was a CFI at Crossville that would do biennial flight reviews. These would be done in your airplane though.

Excellent point Dale. That's perfectly acceptable to the FAA. If the owner of the airplane receives training in their own airplane, that airplane is not being used for compensation or hire. You can pay the CFI (allowed in FAR Part 61), and since you can't pay yourself for airplane usage, it works.

I know several people that have done that but generally speaking, it only works to a used airplane. You can't provide training during Phase 1, so this would have to happen after the airplane has been signed off into Phase 2 (normal operations).

MichaelFarley56 wrote:I'll have to take a look at my LODA paperwork next time I'm up at the airplane, but from what I remember, as long as the airplane isn't in Phase 1 you should be allowed to conduct training anywhere.

Thanks for the clarification Mike. Does your insurance provider stipulate where you can provide transition training? I must just be thinking wrong, that it had to take place out of a specified home base.

That's a great question Eric. To be honest I never got that far with my insurance company. Obviously, providing dual training changes the insurance premiums but I don't recall any limitation on training locations.