Pre-Solo Rating Criteria

[PHall]

Balloon Pilot Rating

Off topic question, is this rating for just hot air balloons or does it include powered airships (i.e. blimps, dirigible, etc.)?

Thanks in advance.

Hot Air Balloons, we have an unlimited supply of fuel for those!

[etodd]

Ratings, direct from eServices:

Solo Pilot Rating
Pilot Rating
Senior Pilot Rating
Command Pilot Rating
Glider Pilot Rating
Balloon Pilot Rating
CAP Observer Rating
CAP Senior Observer Rating
CAP Master Observer Rating
CAP Aircrew Rating
CAP Senior Aircrew Rating
CAP Master Aircrew Rating

That's the stuff you wear on your uniform, not necessarily what's on your 101 card.

Yes. That.

Take one look at somebody wearing pilot wings and what you know, ALL you know, from appearances is "That person is a rated PILOT."  O-ride pilot, Mission Pilot, others, do not matter for purposes of the rating (as opposed to qualifications).

I've NEVER heard of anyone looking at pilot wings and saying "Oh, a VFR pilot." Especially when IFR pilots could wear the same wings - and there are no seperate wings for "IFR pilot."

Ah ... now I get it. You just think all these ratings should have a separate ribbon/insignia/whatever so you can tell who is who.  LOL

My first polo shirt did not have wings. Sometimes when my shirt with wings is in the laundry, I'll wear the one without wings at all to actually fly the plane as Mission Pilot!  Aghast! Oh, the horror of it all! 

[Mitchell 1969]

Ratings, direct from eServices:

Solo Pilot Rating
Pilot Rating
Senior Pilot Rating
Command Pilot Rating
Glider Pilot Rating
Balloon Pilot Rating
CAP Observer Rating
CAP Senior Observer Rating
CAP Master Observer Rating
CAP Aircrew Rating
CAP Senior Aircrew Rating
CAP Master Aircrew Rating

That's the stuff you wear on your uniform, not necessarily what's on your 101 card.

Yes. That.

Take one look at somebody wearing pilot wings and what you know, ALL you know, from appearances is "That person is a rated PILOT."  O-ride pilot, Mission Pilot, others, do not matter for purposes of the rating (as opposed to qualifications).

I've NEVER heard of anyone looking at pilot wings and saying "Oh, a VFR pilot." Especially when IFR pilots could wear the same wings - and there are no seperate wings for "IFR pilot."

Ah ... now I get it. You just think all these ratings should have a separate ribbon/insignia/whatever so you can tell who is who.  LOL

My first polo shirt did not have wings. Sometimes when my shirt with wings is in the laundry, I'll wear the one without wings at all to actually fly the plane as Mission Pilot!  Aghast! Oh, the horror of it all! 

No. I never said anything of the sort. In fact, I said the opposite.

This entire thread was in response to Eclipse erroneously referring to CAP Pilot wings as "VFR pilot wings," a rating which does not exist.

[Eclipse]

This entire thread was in response to Eclipse erroneously referring to CAP Pilot wings as "VFR pilot wings," a rating which does not exist.

Seriously?

It's right there, and I / we use the term all the time.

[SarDragon]

This entire thread was in response to Eclipse erroneously referring to CAP Pilot wings as "VFR pilot wings," a rating which does not exist.

Seriously?

It's right there, and I / we use the term all the time.

As noted above, the wings you posted are for CAP Pilot. Nothing more, nothing less. They imply that the wearer meets certain minimum requirements to fly CAP planes.

VFR Pilot is a qualification, not a rating. The wings correspond with the ratings. Also, CAP ratings and FAA ratings are different, so CMEL, CFII (FAA rating) garners no additional recognition in CAP with respect to their bling.

[etodd]

..... garners no additional recognition in CAP with respect to their bling.

Once one becomes 'any' kind of pilot status ... no additional recognition is needed anyway. Its the mission, not the bling.

[Mitchell 1969]

This entire thread was in response to Eclipse erroneously referring to CAP Pilot wings as "VFR pilot wings," a rating which does not exist.

Seriously?

It's right there, and I / we use the term all the time.

Yes, seriously. And if you use the term all the time, then you are incorrect all the time.

Try this: post a photo of "IFR pilot wings" and explain the difference.

(Hint: you can't. Because they don't exist, anymore than do VFR pilot wings).

[etodd]

Whats up with you guys? LOL

You can call me a VFR Pilot ... Transport Pilot ... Mission Pilot ... or Whatever.  It doesn't matter to me. All I know is that I get to fly and enjoy views like this.

[arajca]

Whats up with you guys? LOL

It's what you get when you cross OCD with ADD. 

[SarDragon]

Whats up with you guys? LOL

It's what you get when you cross OCD with ADD. 

[Shuman 14]

Just balloons. The others are not permitted. From CAPR60-1:

2-4. Aircraft Requirements.
a. Ultralight, aerolight, hang glider and similar aircraft, light sport aircraft, rotorcraft,
lighter-than-air (except balloons), experimental, primary category and home-built aircraft are not
authorized for use on any CAP flight activity

Thanks Thrawn.

[Okayish Aviator]

This entire thread was in response to Eclipse erroneously referring to CAP Pilot wings as "VFR pilot wings," a rating which does not exist.

Seriously?

It's right there, and I / we use the term all the time.

Yes, seriously. And if you use the term all the time, then you are incorrect all the time.

Try this: post a photo of "IFR pilot wings" and explain the difference.

(Hint: you can't. Because they don't exist, anymore than do VFR pilot wings).

Per CAPM 60-1 3-7. Classification of CAP Pilots:

"b. CAP VFR Pilot. Must be qualified in accordance with FAA regulations to operate the
CAP aircraft flown at the private pilot level or higher and satisfactorily complete a CAPF 5 flight
evaluation within the previous 12 calendar months.

c. CAP Instrument Pilot. Must be a qualified CAP VFR pilot that is FAA rated to fly
instruments and satisfactorily complete an instrument endorsement on a CAPF 5 within the
previous 12 calendar months. FAA instrument currency is not required for this endorsement.
The endorsement expires with the expiration of the current annual CAPF 5 evaluation."

You wear the same badge (the wings) but the minimum rating is VFR Pilot to wear them otherwise you'd be solo or pre-solo (although the latter isn't an actual aeronautical rating). Ratings and qualifications and badges are different things. I think you may be getting wrapped around the axle with the precise phraseology we're talking about here.