How to Attend Flight School

Flying is safer than most people realize, and people of all ages and walks of life can attend flight school and obtain a pilot's license. Many people attend flight school because they want to be able to fly their own plane. Flying takes determination and a willingness to stick to the training until all essential skills are learned.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flight school with FAA certification

Attend Flight School

1. Decide what kind of aircraft you want to operate. This will determine what type of pilot's license you will need.

2. Determine what kind of flying you want to do. There are different licenses for airline, student and recreational flying.

3. Find a flight school that has Federal Aviation Administration certification.

4. Select a flight school listed in the Best Aviation directory (see Resources below).

5. Take as many lessons as needed to cover all required topics, such as takeoffs, landings and other maneuvers.

6. Obtain a medical certificate. This ensures that you are physically healthy to fly a plane.

7. Obtain a student pilot's license. This and the medical certificate are needed before you can fly solo.

Obtain a Medical Certificate

8. Choose an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). The Federal Aviation Administration's website has a director to assist you in your search (see Resources below).

9. Contact the AME of your choice to schedule an appointment.

10. Fill out an FAA application form.

11. Consent to a physical examination conducted by your chosen AME.

Tips & Warnings

• An aspiring pilot can learn more about the required testing by going to the Federal Aviation Administration's pilot testing page (see Resources below).
• Operators of balloons and gliders do not need medical certification.
• Some people can finish flight school in as little as 21 days, with about three hours of flying a day. This requires an early start every morning and plenty of discipline.
• The cost of pilot training can add up. In addition to the training, you will have to pay for your own physical and certification exams.
• The lack of a well-organized study plan while in flight school may lead to low scores on various tests. Set goals for studying and be able to achieve them.

Resources

• Aviation Medical Examiners at Federal Aviation Administration
• Pilot testing Federation Aviation Administration
• Best Aviation flight school directory