Flying Training

Flying training is generally composed of two areas of study: ground training and flying time. The FAA determines exactly what you must learn and which skills you must achieve in order to attain a pilot’s license. There are three types of pilot licenses and each one differs in requirements as well as what restrictions you will have on your flying.

Ground school consists of the knowledge and theories of flying that are required to pass the written portion of the flight test such as airplane mechanics and flight theory. This knowledge is not difficult to learn, but there is a vast amount of it. There are several different methods to obtaining your ground training, you can attend a formal ground school, incorporate it one- on - one with your flight training, or choose to do it by self- study.

You must have a valid medical certificate in order to start your flight training. This is your student pilot’s license. The type of pilot’s license that you are applying for will determine how many minimum hours of flight training that you must have. The three types also vary as to the types of flying that you can do and the limitations placed upon your flying. A student may not be able to demonstrate competency in all required areas of flight training in the minimum hours. Plan for needing at least double the minimum number of required hours.

Recreational pilot- A recreational pilot must have fifty hours of flight training. A recreational pilot may only fly in the daytime and carry one passenger. The pilot does not have an instrument rating, therefore he is not able to fly above the clouds or if visibility is less than 3 miles. He may fly at speeds above 120 knots, but must stay within fifty miles of the airport.

Sport Pilot- A sport pilot must have 40 hours of flight instruction and may carry 1 passenger. The sport pilot has no instrument rating, therefore he is restricted to daytime flying, he may not fly above the clouds, in visibility under 3 miles, and must stay at speeds lower than 120 knots.

Private pilot- A private pilot must have 60 hours of flight instruction and may carry unlimited numbers of passengers. He / She has an instrument rating, can fly day or night, and can fly at speeds above 120 knots. He may also fly above the clouds and with less than 3 miles of visibility.

The student pilot must pass the ground test, which is a 60 question multiple choice test with questions chosen from a 700 question test bank. The student pilot must then pass his flight test to earn his license.

Navy and air force pilots must learn to fly in stressful situations and at high speeds. Navy pilots are given the tools to do the job, but it is up to them to decide how to use them to execute enemy targets. The air force however, has a plan for how everything is done and the plan is not deviated from. Military and corporate pilots both study the same basic principles that private, recreational and sport pilots do, but with job specific skills included.
No matter what your ultimate dream in flying is, being a civilian pilot is a great place to begin.