Aileron

What does it take to go from zero experience to a pilot certificate? Here's a quick rundown.

First, there are three levels of certificate that you can choose to go after at the start: sport, recreational, or private. These differ in training requirements and flying privileges awarded. For example, sport pilot requires only 20 hours flight training while private requires 40 hours, but sport pilots are more limited in number of passengers, aircraft weight, altitude, airspace, and to daytime flight only. If you're short on time and/or money, or somehow know your flying interests will remain limited, then it may make sense to start with a sport or recreational certificate and possibly work your way up later. I've decided to go for the private pilot certificate (PPL) so will focus on that in this post.

If you're a U.S. alien there is extra paperwork, but otherwise training begins without any prerequisites. You rent a plane, find a CFI to fly with you, and you go flying. After the flight, your instructor signs your log book and you begin building hours. It's that simple. Depending on the instructor, there may or may not be a structured syllabus, but in the end there is a set of maneuvers (e.g. turns, stalls, landings, emergency procedures) that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognizes as necessary to a PPL. There are also minimum training times for specific types of flight, like solo, night, instrument, and cross-country. It's very helpful to simultaneously study training materials in between lessons. These help explain the maneuvers you practice and also delve into the whole of aeronautical knowledge, covering things like aerodynamics, engines, airspace, radio communications, weather, etc.

Some schools offer a ground school, where an instructor lectures on aviation topics. The FAA requires completion of ground instruction, though it also recognizes several online home-study courses as such.

Your training will progress to a point where your instructor thinks you're ready to fly solo. Upon passing a medical exam, a written exam, and a practical checkride, you'll be awarded a student pilot certificate which allows you to continue portions of your training while flying solo, albeit under the auspices of your CFI, who must pre-approve every flight.

Usually not long after your student certificate, you and your instructor will decide you're ready for the private certificate exam. This involves a written knowledge exam, an oral exam, and a practical checkride. Pass these and you'll be a private pilot!