The sport-pilot certificate targets the cost and time prohibitions inherent in the Private pilot certificate.
The FAA introduced the sport-pilot certificate in 2004 after a great deal of lobbying and hard work by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The idea was to address the "barriers of entry" that the FAA says block many people from becoming pilots. The sport-pilot certificate targets the cost and time prohibitions inherent in the Private pilot certificate. Since it was introduced, the light-sport (LSA) category of aircraft (two seats or less and weight 1,320 pounds or less) has blossomed into a bright spot in the aviation industry.