Common questions about getting a Private Pilot's License...
Can anyone become a pilot?
You must speak English fluently, be at least 16 to solo, and 17 to get a Private Pilot certificate. You also have to pass a medical exam, a written test, and a practical test (called a "checkride").
Ok, that's good, how about some specifics?
The FAR's (Federal Aviation Regulations) require a minimum of 40 hours of logged flight time, 20 of that must be with a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI), and 10 of it must be by yourself (solo). There are other experience requirements that you will complete during your training (cross-country flying, night flying, etc). The written test that you will take is computer based (the FAA calls this a "Knowledge Test"), and has 60 questions on it (passing is 70%).
What is the medical exam all about?
To be a student pilot and solo, you must posses a Class 3 FAA medical certificate. This first certificate that you get is also your Student Pilot certificate. This is valid for 3 years or 2 if you are over 40.
Don't let the friendly nurse at your family doctor's office say, "Sure, we can do that, just bring us the form…" You must see a certified Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), to get a FAA medical certificate. The exam is pretty routine.
The "Knowledge Test", is it hard?
In a word, "no". The questions are all available to the public, and a number of companies publish all of them with answers and explanations. Some of the questions are unique, so it can't hurt to study all of the questions first (there are 800 total questions, 60 of them will be on your test). If you memorize all the questions, then you have a guaranteed 100%!
Ok, so I do all that, what about the "checkride"?
The FAA calls this the "Practical Exam". Private Pilot applicants are referred to FAA Designated Examiners (DE) who give these. You can expect to spend anywhere from 3-6 hours talking with the examiner, and then about an hour long flight with them. The checkride does not have to be a scary experience. You will have a book called the Practical Test Standards (PTS), which spells out everthing you must know and do to pass your test. The examiner is also looking very hard at your attitude toward safety, so if you don't know an answer for something, be sure and tell them where you can find it. Often, they will purposely ask you something weird just to see if you will do this. Most people pass on the first try, but if you are having a bad day, they will tell you why you failed, and when you get together again for the retake, you only have to do what you messed up on.
Cool, I passed my checkride and am now a Private Pilot, what can I do with my license?
Legally, you can fly your airplane anywhere in the world. You will be pleasantly surprised at just how many small, public airports there are for you to fly to, plus you can go to the big ones just as easily. Most everyone completes their training in a single engine land airplane, so you will be able to fly anything with one engine, wings, and wheels. The fancy ones with retractable landing gear and beefed up engines require a small amount of additional training and a one-time logbook endorsement. You will be able to take passengers flying, but you aren't allowed to get paid to fly - for that you need a Commercial Pilot certificate.
So, what next?
The next thing to do is get your Instrument rating, which allows you to fly in the clouds, by reference to instruments only. Then you can get rated in other aircraft- multi-engine, seaplanes, etc… If you love flying as much as I do, then you will want to get your Commercial pilot certificate and your Flight Instructor Certificate (CFI). Perhaps then your spouse will be as glad as mine was when I started bringing checks home instead of writing them !!!
How much does it cost?
The answer to that is: "It depends". In the Southwest Houston area, you can expect to pay from $55 to $100 per hour to rent an airplane, and about $30 per hour for flight and ground instruction. How much it takes varies from one person to the next. The good news is that you won't pay any taxes on your flight training. Here are some money saving tips:
Inquire about placing money on account, many flight schools offer a discount if you pay up front.
Purchase all your study materials and supplies in a kit. Cessna offers a Computer Based Instruction (CBI) kit that includes almost everything that you will need to study for your tests and prepare you for each individual lesson. This kit is available at better flight schools that are designated as Cessna pilot Centers
Fly as often as you can. The faster you move through your training, the fewer hours you will require. Talk with your local CFIs and see who has a schedule that matches yours. I have a day job, so I teach after work during the week and all day on weekends
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