|
Learn to FLY!
Learning to fly is not reserved for military personnel,
engineers, and thrill seekers. In fact, the average student pilot is probably
just like the average American. No special education is required to get started,
and you certainly don't have to be a genius. There is nothing involved in flight
training that an eighth grade science student cannot grasp. Sound easy? It
really is. But don't be mistaken - the material you have to learn isn't overly
difficult, but there is a lot of it. There is a lot more to flying an airplane
than simply steering it around and landing.
There are two types of skills you have to master to become a
pilot: the physical skills involved in actually flying the airplane, and the
knowledge mastery of topics that cover everything from navigation, to
aerodynamics, to weather theory. Your flight instructor will help you with the
first, and Gold Seal will help you with the second.
Depending on how often you fly, and how much you study on
your own, it will probably take you between three and nine months to complete
your training. The more that you study, the more quickly (and cheaply) you will
complete the program and attain your goal of becoming a licensed pilot. Want to
get started now? You've come to the right place.
Requirements
There is no minimum age for beginning flight training,
although a student pilot must be at least 16 years of age to solo. A student
pilot must be at least 17 years of age to take the Practical Test. This is the
final exam (usually called the "checkride") conducted with an FAA or
FAA-designated examiner. Upon successful conclusion of the Practical Test, the
candidate is immediately issued a pilot's license.
So, to take the Private Pilot Practical Test, a student pilot
must:
- Be at least 17 years of age
- Be able to read, speak, write, and
converse fluently in English
- Obtain a 3rd-Class Medical
Certificate - this is not required for Sport Pilots
- Obtain a Student Pilot Certificate
apply online; your instructor will help you)
- Pass the FAA Knowledge Test (usually
called the "written test") with a score of at least 70%
- Complete a curriculum of flight
training (which generally entails between 50 and 80 hours of in-flight
training plus some unspecified amount of ground training) - less training is
required for Sport Pilots, but they also have fewer privileges
|
