How to Get your Pilots License and Finally Learn How to Fly

Always dreamed of becoming a pilot? Getting your Private Pilots License will be the first step in learning to fly. Here´s the dirt on what to expect from flight school, flight instruction, and the overall journey in learning to fly!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Be over the age of 16.
• At least 40 hours of flight training.
• You will need to spend a good amount of time with a Flight Instructor.
• Buy test prep materials for the written private pilots exam.

1. Visit your local flight training center. If you live in a small city your flight school should be at the nearest airport. I grew up in a city with a population of 5,000 and we had a flight school. Alternatively you can look up flight schools online. If you are looking at aviation careers you might want to look for a larger flight school or flight academy. Some universities have aviation majors which will prepare you well for any aviation job.

2. Once you find your local flight school. Give them a call in most cases you can schedule an introductory flying lesson. These will usually cost about half as much as a normal flying lesson. Additionally, you will be able to count this introductory flight as an actual flight lesson which contributes to your 40 plus hours of required flight time.

3. Now that you´ve tasted the thrill of flight and signed up for further flight instruction. Have a look at some aviation test prep materials. It is VITAL that you study for your Private Pilots License. Buy some comprehensive FAA written test prep books and make sure you have the opportunity to take practice exams with your flight instructor.

4. Get a Private Pilot´s Certificate from a Aviation Physician. Who will check your eyes and overall health to make sure you are in shape to fly. This is a vital step in earning your Private Pilots License as a Private Pilots Certificate qualifies you to solo when your flight instructor feels that you are capable.

5. Once you take 15 hours of flight lessons. You may be able to fly solo. You are in training still and won´t be a pilot but you can fly by yourself on a solo trip. Whether or not you are ready to fly solo is highly dependent on you. Have you been paying attention during your flying lessons? have you practiced flying in your head? have you been studying for the written FAA exam?

6. When you´ve reached 40 hours sometimes 45 hours. You have to pass a written examination covering meteorology, flight dynamics, and basic operating procedures. If you´ve been studying since you began your flight training with the right flight instruction and FAA Private Pilots Test materials you should pass the exam with ease.

7. Once you´ve passed the written examination and you have 40-45 hours of flight time in you can schedule a flight test. This is like a driver´s test you´d take for a car but much harder. If you pass you get a pilots license if not you have to try again. Talk to your flight instructor before and after the exam. He or she will have already passed the practical flight exam and will know what an FAA examiner is like. If you pass the flight exam he or she will also be able to help you find more flying lessons so that you can reach the next proficiency level beyond V.F.R. , I.F.R. which allows you to fly in various weather conditions or in and through clouds. It is at this step that you actually begin to realize the true practical applications that becoming a pilot really has!

Tips & Warnings

• Practice flying in your imagination. Visualizing this mentally will help you learn much much faster. It´s called chair flying when you sit in a chair and mentally imagine yourself in a plane.
• Íf you´re afraid of heights don´t worry it´s perfectly normal for most pilot´s to be afraid of heights. In fact I wouldn´t want one that wasn´t.
• Some flight schools that have specific FAA qualifications can train you to earn your private pilots license in under 40 hours. These are usually university flight schools.
• Flying can be difficult and expensive. Be prepared to spend up to $5,000 on lessons alone.
• Buying appropriate Test Prep books for the Private Pilot exam is vital to your success it isn´t unusual for these books to cost between $70-$150.

[tclough]

on 8/5/2009 Good stuff. 5*

[mr-answers]

on 7/25/2009 Comprehensive and well written! Thank-you
for more information on reducing the cost check

http://www.ehow.com/how_5215418_pilots-license-budget.html

[emuman1]

on 2/12/2009 Great article. Well written 5*

[healthymomof5]

on 2/6/2009 Great article! 5*