So, your thinking of private pilot flight training? Perhaps the urge to learn to fly is now strong it can no longer be ignored. Fine. Now make yourself a good plan toward achieving this worthwhile goal.
A good plan begins with your health. Are you physically qualified to obtain a private pilot rating? An FAA certified Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) will be able to give you the answer. The Federal Aviation Administration’s website can assist you in locating an AME. A third class FAA medical certificate is necessary to obtain a private pilot rating. Before you invest money in flight instruction be sure you can pass the physical exam.
If you are physically qualified, the primary considerations become time and money. You must have enough of both to succeed in achieving your rating. Should you run out of either you will likely become frustrated with the process and fall by the wayside. This is a very common unhappy ending.
In order to accurately determine how much and how long is required, speak to an experienced flight instructor. Don’t know one? Contact the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). It has a website and toll free number. Alternatively, ask around at you local airport for recommendations about experienced instructors, emphasis on “experienced”.
If your schedule and budget permit, there are also many aviation schools which can offer an intensive schedule of pilot instruction. The advantage here is a significantly shorter time requirement to achieve your goal. Most aviation magazines contain advertisements for such schools.
Your training will be a mix of ground school classroom instruction and flight instruction. You must pass a written test before you take the flight test with an FAA examiner. Both exams are extensive and must be rigorously prepared for. This is so in order to protect you and those who may fly with you. Do yourself a favor. Do not try to do any of this on the cheap. It won’t work. Pay for quality instruction and you will not regret it.
There is an element of risk in aviation which must be clearly recognized and acknowledged. A healthy fear of risk will keep you out of trouble. This risk is managed through the constant attention to safe operating procedures which will be reinforced every time you meet with your instructor.
Flying is great fun and can be a very satisfying endeavor. Flying challenges your mind and body. It forces you to think in the third dimension. It demands attention to detail. Obtaining a private pilot rating is an admirable accomplishment. Get started and never give up!
