How to Become a Pilot in the USA

Nothing can match the thrill of flying.

Learning to fly is an exhilarating experience. There's nothing that can quite compare with being up in the clouds in charge of your own aircraft. If you want to fly by yourself, you'll need a private pilot license. If you want to consider a career in flying, you'll need to take further training to obtain a commercial pilot license.

Instructions

Private Pilot License

1. Choose a flying school at which you'll do your training. There are two types of schools, and which you choose depends on what type of flying you want to do, and how quickly you want to get your license. Schools that operate under Part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations are less closely supervised, and you will need to complete more flight hours, especially if you go on to commercial training. Part 141 schools are tightly regulated by the FAA as to their course content, and you will need considerably fewer hours to qualify.

2. Schedule a tour of the school and if possible, take an introductory flight. Most programs will offer you a briefing, followed by an approximately 30-minute flight. This will allow you to decide if flying is really for you. It's also your chance to ask questions about the training program, to meet other students, and get a feel for the instructors and their approach.

3. Arrange to take a medical test with an aviation medical examiner to get a pilot's medical certificate. You can find a list of approved medical examiners on the website of the Federal Aviation Administration. Medical exams for those who intend to be commercial pilots are more stringent than for recreational pilots, so tell your examiner which certificate you would like to be tested for.

4. Take flying lessons at your chosen school to train for a private pilot license (PPL). In order to take your PPL test, you'll be required to fly at least 35 hours in instruction, but you will usually need 60 or more in order to be competent for the test.

5. Take the theory exam necessary to obtain your license. This is a 60-question multiple choice test. Usually instructors at your flying school will be approved to give you this test, but if not, they will be able to advise you where you can take it.

6. Complete a flight exam with an authorized FAA examiner. This will involved an oral exam of between one and two hours, followed by a flight test, also known as a check ride -- usually of about one and a half hours. If you pass, you have now gained your private pilot's license, and are authorized to fly yourself and non-paying passengers. If you want to become a commercial pilot, you must first hold your private pilot's license, and then complete the additional steps in Section 2.

Commercial Pilot License

1. 

   Commercial pilots need to complete many more hours of training

   Complete at least 50 hours of cross-country flying, which is defined as flying to an airport at least 50 nautical miles from your starting point.

2. Take a course in instrument rating. This is a minimum of 40 flying hours either in the air or in a simulator relying entirely on the aircraft's instruments, rather than using visual reference points outside the aircraft.

3. Take the theoretical exam in instrument rating. This is another 60-question multiple choice test.

4. Take the instrument rating flight exam, which again will be an oral exam followed by a flight test in instrument-only conditions.

5. Complete at least 250 hours of flight time once you have your instrument rating.

6. Take the Commercial Pilot License (CPL) course at your flying school. This will typically be up to 20 hours of instruction, plus another 10 hours working in a more complex aircraft that has retractable landing gear, and other additional controls.

7. Pass a theoretical exam, which consists of a multiple choice test with 100 questions.

8. Take the CPL flight exam, which includes an oral exam, followed by two flight tests, one in your regular training aircraft, and a second in the more complex aircraft with additional controls.

References

• Federal Aviation Administration
• Best Aviation
• AOPA Online