Getting your Pilot’s License
For a long time I have considered getting my pilot’s license. My dad is a licensed pilot and we used to own our own airplane. When we moved to Germany in the early 1980s they sold the plane and planned to buy a new one, but never did. Here is some info I found on the process. Maybe one of these days I will actually pursue it.
No matter what your ultimate goal in aviation is – be it recreational flying or a more advanced training program – you must start by getting a private pilot’s license. (Word to the wise: technically, pilots hold “certificates,” not licenses, to fly, although hardly anyone except the FAA calls them that.) This private license allows a pilot to fly a single-engine airplane under visual flight rules (VFR), meaning visibility of at least three miles, as well as at night. A private pilot may carry passengers but may not be paid for doing so, although the pilot can share operating expenses with the passengers.
Once you have earned a private license, you can work toward other certificates: a commercial certificate allows you to be paid for your flying, a flight instructor certificate enables you to teach others, and an airline transport certificate permits you to fly an airliner. You can also add various ratings that allow you pilot multi-engine airplanes, navigate using instruments in bad weather, and fly different aircraft like seaplanes, gliders, helicopters, and balloons. But before you even think about doing that fun stuff, you gotta get your basic private license.
The prerequisites for a pilot’s license are simple enough that almost anyone can earn one:
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Medical examination. You must pass the basic medical exam that all applicants are required to undergo, certifying that you meet the medical standards for safely operating an aircraft. This medical exam is so important, that we’ve devoted the entire next step to it. To cheat and skip ahead, click here.
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Language. All applicants for the private license have to be able to read, speak, and understand English (the international language of aviation).
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Age. The FAA says you must be at least 16 years old to fly solo with a student pilot certificate, and 17 years old to get a pilot’s license. There is no upper age limit, provided that you are healthy enough to pass the basic medical exam discussed above.
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Time. It’s gonna take quite a bit. A private license requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight time, with most student pilots logging closer to 60-80 hours before their final check ride, as well as extra time for study on the ground in preparation for an FAA written test. The length of your training depends in part on whether you want to study full- or part-time. Intensive full-time programs can be completed in as few as two weeks or a month, while a part-time student typically takes between four and six months of flying several times a week.
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Money. Again, it’s gonna take quite a bit. While flying is certainly not restricted to the fabulously wealthy-you can learn to fly on a budget – it nevertheless is not an inexpensive endeavor. If you train part-time at a local airport, for example, plan on investing in the range of $3,000 to $5,000, with costs varying widely by region. It is a good idea to consider whether you have the funds to start toward and reach your goal within a reasonable time period. Keep in mind that you do not need to pay for all of your flight training up front. Most training programs let you pay as you go, although you might get a price break by paying for a block of lessons in advance.
This poke-‘n’-prodding physical must be conducted by an FAA-designated Airman Medical Examiner (AME). You can find one of the 5,000+ AMEs in the US by checking out this search site. If you’re lonely and want to actually talk to someone, try calling the Aeromedical Certification Division of the FAA in Oklahoma City at (405) 954-4821.
If you are in good health, you should have no problem getting your medical certificate. At the exam, you will first be asked to fill out an FAA application and medical history form. The doctor will then check your vision, hearing, balance, and nose and throat. Finally, the doctor will determine that you do not have any mental or neurological problems such as alcoholism, epilepsy, psychosis, or a serious medical condition like chronic heart disease or diabetes mellitus.
The cost of the exam is not regulated by the FAA, but you can typically expect to be charged between $60 and $75. The third class airman medical certificate, required for a private pilot certificate, is valid for three years for applicants younger than 40, and two years for those 40 and older.
Don’t panic yet if you happen to have a medical condition (even a serious one); it is still possible for you to get a license. However you then would need to an AME to discuss your options (for instance, you may have to always fly with another licensed pilot present).
While you don’t need to have your medical certificate in order to start flight training, we recommend you obtain it early in the process because you will need it once you start to fly solo – a milestone that comes more quickly than you might think (sometimes after only 10-20 hours of flight training!). Your medical certificate is also your student pilot certificate, a “learner’s permit” that is valid for two years while you work toward a permanent pilot’s license. Take care this piece of paper – anyone acting as pilot-in-command (PIC) of an airplane must carry a current and appropriate medical certificate and on each flight.
SELECT A FLIGHT SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTOR
What, did you think that you were gonna flap your arms real hard? Here’s how to get started on a search for a good flight school:
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Start by asking around. If you know someone who flies, ask for his or her opinion about flight schools.
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Visit your local general aviation airport. Talk to pilots and personnel of the fixed-base operators there. Don’t be shy. People who fly usually LOVE to talk about it.
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Utilize online resources. Many aviation-related organizations like the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) have searchable databases that can help you seek out qualified flight schools and instructors in your area. Several flight training web sites also exist, like the student pilot network at UFly.com.
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Pick of a copy of an aviation publication and page through the ads. AOPA offers six free issues of its Flight Training magazine. (Call 1-800-USA-AOPA and request a free subscription.)
There are tons of schools and organizations that offer pilot training, ranging from “dealer” schools run by general aviation manufacturers, to independent schools offering accelerated courses, to nationally accredited colleges and universities providing four-year degree programs. Each type of program differs widely in nature. Compare facilities, airplane “trainers” used for flight lessons, availability and coverage of insurance, safety standards, and cost and chose the school that best meets your needs and your budget.
As a general rule, instructors charge $15 to $25 an hour for ground instruction and $20 to $30 per hour for dual instruction in the aircraft. You are also responsible for paying to rent the airplane in which you train. Rental rates for airplanes vary depending on the model, age, and size of the plane you are using, but typically cost between $40 and $75 an hour. One way to reduce the cost of your lessons is to join a local flying club, a group that together owns or leases one airplane, keeping rates lower by renting it to members at cost.
As you start gathering information on flight school options, you’ll notice that two basic categories of schools keep coming up: Part 61 and Part 141. These names refer to the parts of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) under which the schools operate. While both types of school cover essentially the same material in their training programs, the manner in which they are structured differs.
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Schools certified under Part 141 must adhere to an FAA-approved syllabus that specifies the order in which specific skills must be taught.
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Part 61 schools ultimately cover the same FAA-approved curriculum, but are more free to adjust the order of topics according to specific factors like the student’s schedule or weather conditions.
One other difference is that Part 141 schools have a lower minimum flight time required to earn a private certificate (35 hours instead of the otherwise standard 40). But since the national average for students earning a private license is around 60 to 75 hours, this difference is generally not a significant one. For an interesting discussion about getting into a quality flight school, check out this forum at Airliners.net.
The instructor
More important than the category of school you chose is the instructor you decide to work with, so be sure to speak to the instructor(s) at any school you are considering. Don’t be shy… you want to know that your teacher has had more than one previous student before you take off. Here are some potential questions:
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Start by asking about his or her aviation background, qualifications, and experience. Your primary instructor should be at least a certified flight instructor (CFI), which means he or she has been through extensive training and must renew the certificate to teach every two years.
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Check references and talk to former students.
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Request a copy of the course syllabus and discuss how you would schedule lessons.
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Ask to have something explained to you, like a technical point of flying, to see if you follow the instructor’s teaching style. This should be a personal connection, so no one can tell you absolutely what to look for, but keep in mind that a key element should be trust.
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One of the best ways to evaluate an instructor is to take what is known as an introductory flight, offered by most flight schools and many flying clubs. Lasting anywhere from 35 minutes to two hours, this is a relatively inexpensive way to confirm your desire to learn to fly while observing a potential CFI in action and actually beginning your training. After a pre-flight briefing and inspection, don’t be surprised at being asked to take the left seat (that’s the seat the pilot sits in). More than simply a scenic flight, this is usually an actual lesson, during which you will get to take off and handle the controls of the aircraft yourself – under the watchful eye of the instructor, of course. An intro flight can be logged as part of your training, so be sure to take a logbook along for the instructor to sign.
It’s important that you feel comfortable with the instructor you select. Remember, you are going to be spending many hours crammed together in the cockpit of a plane, so be confident that you are going to learn a lot, feel safe, and not be driven nuts by his/her annoying habit of constantly falling asleep while at the wheel…
Learning to fly has two aspects: flight training, where you actually get in an airplane and practice various maneuvers, and ground school training, where you get much of the “book learning” you’ll learn about the principles, procedures, and regulations of flight. Optimally, the two occur simultaneously, with ground school knowledge supplementing practical experience in the sky.
Flight training
Ground school training
Flight training
Lessons usually last about two hours, though actual time in the air is closer to one hour, with pre- and post-flight briefings before and after. We recommend that you schedule at least two flight lessons per week (three if possible) – instructors say that students retain more information from lesson to lesson if they take place close together. This doesn’t mean you have to manage three days a week at the airfield. Many student pilots fly twice on Saturday and once on Sunday, or once each weekend day plus one weekday after work. Just use your brain and figure out what works best with your schedule.
To earn a private pilot certificate to fly a single-engine airplane, the FAA says you must log:
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At least 40 hours of flight time.
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At least 20 hours flying with an authorized instructor (dual flight). This must include at least:
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3 hours of cross-country flight
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3 hours of night flying, including one cross-country flight of at least 100 nautical miles
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3 hours of instrument training
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3 hours of practical test preparation with your instructor
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At least 10 hours flying cross-country by you (solo flight).
Once again, these are the minimum time requirements for a private license and most students fly many more hours, depending on ability and flying frequency. The important thing is not how many hours you fly but how much confidence you and your instructor have in your skills and experience. When he/she feels you are a safe and effective pilot, he/she will recommend you for your FAA flight test.
Ground school training
Your study will encompass aerodynamics, airport operations, radio communications, aircraft systems, weather theory, weather reports, navigation, physiology, and regulations – all information that will prepare you to pass a required FAA knowledge test. This is not, however, just information to be learned for a test and then forgotten; it is vital knowledge you will need in order to perform your duties as a proficient, safe pilot.
Most flight schools offer ground school courses or the option of one-on-one instruction with your CFI as training for the knowledge test at a package price of $150-$300, but be aware that there are other (often less expensive) options. Independent ground schools, high schools, community colleges, local universities, and public adult-education programs may provide this instruction.
In addition to a classroom course taught by an instructor, you can also chose to learn on your own in a self-paced study program, utilizing the many videotapes, computerized test preparation software, textbooks, and government-issue study guides and training manuals that are available through your local airport’s pilot shop, mail-order catalogs, and specialized bookstores.
Whichever way you chose to pursue ground school training, you will need the endorsement of your instructor to take the knowledge test upon its completion.
PASS THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL TESTS
To make sure you paid proper attention to your flight and ground school training, the FAA makes you pass two separate tests before they give you a license to fly.
Knowledge test
Practical test
Knowledge test
The airman knowledge test examines you on the concepts and information you learned in your ground school training. The exam is given at designated computer testing sites for a fee of $70, and you will be asked to present proof that your instructor has approved your ground school training.
You will have two and a half hours to complete the 60 multiple-choice questions selected from the 711 airplane-related questions in the FAA’s test questions. Topics that can be tested on the knowledge test range from the current FARs to air traffic control information to cross-country flight planning. A grade of 70% or better is required to pass. Your score from the knowledge test will be valid for two years, after which, if you have not completed your practical test, must be retaken.
Practical test
Your final exam, much like a driver’s license test, consists of a combined oral and flight test in which you demonstrate your knowledge and proficiency as a pilot to an FAA examiner. In the “check ride,” as the practical exam is usually called, you will be tested according to the practical test standards (PTS) set by the FAA. These guidelines spell out in detail what will be tested and how you will be tested, so there should be no surprises.
After you have furnished the written recommendation from your flight instructor, the examiner will begin the test with an oral exam lasting one to two hours. The examiner is required to pay special attention to the areas where you were weakest on the knowledge test, so don’t think that you can skip that tough “landing” section.
You will then begin the practical flight portion of your check ride. The examiner will test you on certain required procedures from the PTS, in addition to other areas of operation at his/her discretion, such as:
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Pre- and post-flight procedures
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Airport operations
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Takeoffs
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Landings
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Go-arounds
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Navigation
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Slow flight and stalls
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Basic instrument maneuvers
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Emergency operations
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Night operations
Don’t be nervous – all those hours of flight training have prepared you for this point. If your performance meets PTS standards while in dual and solo flight training, you should pass the test with flying (hah!) colors. When you have successfully passed the practical test, the examiner will issue you a temporary pilot certificate, valid for 120 days. Your permanent pilot’s license should arrive from the FAA’s Oklahoma City office within the next two months.
And guess what? You’re a pilot! And remember: your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device.
Whew! Now, for some great plane photos, as well as lots of interesting news and information about all kinds of civilian aircraft, check out Airliners.net.