The Nation - News from March 30, 1989

The Federal Aviation Administration announced a new pilot’s license it said will lower the cost of learning to fly a plane for sport by up to $1,850. The new recreational certification for flying basic aircraft, including home-built and experimental models, will require less training and experience than a private pilot certificate, but will restrict flying to certain local areas. The FAA estimates that the new rules will save a would-be pilot between $1,200 and $1,850 from what it would take to get a private pilot’s license. The cost of training for a full private license is estimated at between $3,100 and $4,750, said spokesman John Leyden. Pilots who get the new license will not have to know how to use sophisticated navigational or radio equipment, the FAA said.