Can my Sport PIC time count towards other ratings?
January 6th, 2009 | 
Author: Erik needs to build time and is considering a cheaper path:
I just got my private and am working on my instrument rating now but of course I need to get PIC too. Does PIC time in an LSA count as regular PIC time towards things like commercial and CFI ratings?
Erik, you’re in luck. As far as the FAA is concerned, PIC time is PIC time, and the fact that it’s being logged in a Light Sport aircraft is irrelevant—you’re the pilot in command. You may need to log additional time to meet some of the specifics; for example, a Commercial certificate requires 10 hours in a complex aircraft and 10 hours of instrument training.
I’ve actually heard a story about a similar time-building concept: a young pilot bought a multiengine ultralight (I think it may have been a Cri Cri) and built a ton of time while burning 2 gallons an hour. If you think out of the box when it comes to your training, you can save a lot of money and still meet requirements.
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The Cri Cri guy may have met FAA requirements, but did he also meet company requirements when a prospective employer’s chief pilot reviewed his log?
Probably not. Just like in life, there are no shortcuts in aviation. But if he wasn’t a pro-pilot, then he might have not been too concerned with that perhaps.
I’m not really sure about the context. Paul’s right, there are no shortcuts, but there are always different ways to reach the same goal. As far as PIC time goes, I am very doubtful that an interviewer will care whether it was logged in an LSA, a glider, or a normal category airplane.