How to become a pilot?

Learning to fly is not as hard as you might think. In fact, each year thousands of people from all walks of life learn to fly. Today there are more than 650,000 active pilots in the United States. Most of these pilots hold a private pilot's certificate, which is a student pilot's first goal.

Some pilots continue their training to obtain an instrument rating or additional certificates, such as commercial pilot, flight instructor, or airline transport pilot. However, many pilots are content with a private pilot certificate, which permits them to fly themselves and non-paying passengers virtually anywhere in good weather. Another alternative is a recreational pilot certificate, which allows a pilot to fly within fifty nautical miles of the airport at which he or she received ground school and flight instruction.

Many pilots fly for the sheer exhilaration and sense of accomplishment, while others fly because it is a fast, convenient form of transportation. Instead of driving or being tied down to public transportation schedules, they fly on business, vacation, or other types of trips they would like to make.

The rental plane is a tremendous benefit to the general aviation pilot, because pilots do not need to buy their own planes in order to fly. With a recreational or private certificate, pilots are able to rent airplanes at most airports. In fact, of the approximately 24 million general aviation hours flown each year, the majority are flown in rented aircraft.

That's the overall picture. Now, here are some specific answers to the most frequently asked questions.

1. What are the requirements to become a pilot in the United States?
2. How difficult is it to learn how to fly?
3. How do I start and when do I learn to fly?
4. What will flying lessons be like?
5. How long does it take to obtain a private pilot certificate?
6. How safe is flying a small airplane?

What are the requirements to become a pilot in the United States?

The governing agency of the aviation community in the United States is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA's primary responsibility is to promote and regulate aviation. It issues and enforces the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), which govern all aspects of aviation.

To fly in the United States as an FAA-certified pilot, you must pass a practical test, a written test, and meet three requirements. First, you must be at least 16 years of age to solo and 17 to receive an airplane or rotorcraft pilot certificate. (Glider and balloon pilots must be at least 14 years old to solo, 16 years old to earn their pilot certificate). Second, for airplane or rotorcraft certification, you must pass a physical examination by an FAA-designated aviation medical examiner. Third, you must be able to speak, read, and understand English, the international language of aviation. This last requirement is important because all air traffic control flight instructions and other vital flight information are transmitted in English.

How difficult is it to learn how to fly?

To get your pilot certificate, you must complete two types of instruction: ground school training and flight training.

Ground school training teaches you the principles of flight, aircraft instruments, systems and performance, meteorology and weather patterns, navigation, radio communications, flight planning, and regulations.

Flight training begins with lessons in a training aircraft with a flight instructor. When the instructor believes you are ready, you will make your first solo flight. All the knowledge you have accumulated in ground school training is put into practice. Although it is not necessary to have completed ground school before beginning flight training, it is a good idea to have a fundamental knowledge of the principles of flight. You will find that ground school instruction and flight training complement each other, resulting in a more meaningful and comprehensive training program. A concentrated learning effort consisting of regular flying and ground school is usually the most effective and economical way to obtain your pilot certificate.

How do I start and when do I learn to fly?

There are FAA-certificated instructors at most general aviation airports. Fixed Base Operators, or "FBOs," are aviation businesses located at airports. They provide a variety of services such as aircraft rental, storage, fuel, repairs, and ground school and flight instruction. FBOs are not operated by the FAA, but may have pilot schools that have been certificated by the FAA to provide flight instruction under FAR Part 141.

What will flying lessons be like?

Most flight schools offer a short, introductory flight lesson to prospective students. You may want to take an introductory flight with more than one school or instructor before you decide which school to attend and who you want as your instructor.

When you start your lessons, you will begin flying in a singleengine, two-place or four-place training aircraft with an instructor. You may start your training as soon as you decide you are ready.

Right from the beginning, you will do most of the actual flying. From takeoff and climbout to turning the aircraft, your instructor will allow you to operate the controls of the airplane. At first you will fly a straight and level course, keeping the wings level and the nose of the airplane at just the right spot on the horizon.

As your lessons continue, you will guide the airplane in gentle turns, moving gradually to steeper ones. Eventually you'll learn how to identify and recover from stalls. After a few lessons, you will start making takeoffs and landings, while you continue to practice other maneuvers.. Eventually you will be ready to fly the airplane alone - on your unforgettable first solo flight.

During your first solo flight, the plane will perform better than it did in your training flights; the plane will climb out faster and you will have to level off earlier at the correct altitude (usually at 1,000 feet above ground in the "pattern" around the airport). At first you might think that these changes are in your imagination, but they are not. The fact you are flying without your instructor's weight in a small aircraft can make a noticeable difference in aircraft performance.

As you turn into the final approach for your first landing, you will be excited - maybe a little apprehensive. As you line up with the runway, you will put into practice everything you've been trained to do. Your concentration may be so intense that will not stop to think about what you have done and how smooth the landing was until you have taxied off the runway.

The first solo flight is a milestone in your training. After this flight, you are well on your way to becoming a pilot, but you still have a significant amount of flying and studying to do before you earn your private pilot certificate.

How long does it take to obtain a private pilot certificate?

This answer depends upon a number of factors, including how familiar you are with aviation, the consistency and regularity of your flight lessons, and the amount of time you can devote to studying. Many people try to average three or four hours of flight training a week. If financial or time constraints do not permit this schedule, don't worry! Flying is supposed to be fun - you don't have to adhere to a strict schedule each week. However, the more time you can put in, the more familiar and confident you will become with how the aircraft operates.

The FAA requires that you have at least thirty hours of flight time for a recreational pilot certificate and at least forty hours for a private pilot certificate, but most people have slightly more. Fifty-five hours is the average in Minnesota, and sixty-four hours is the national average. After starting your solo flights, most of the remainder of your time will be spent improving the maneuvers you have learned and practicing takeoffs and landings. Maneuvers teach you the performance limits of your aircraft. After you have passed a written examination and your instructor believes that you have had enough instruction, you will take an oral exam and a flight test with an FAA-designated pilot examiner. As you fly, the examiner will evaluate your ability to control the aircraft at all times - your ability to fly safely. If you are applying for a private pilot certificate, you will also be tested on your radio procedures and your use of navigational equipment.

How safe is flying a small airplane?