Learning to fly is a magnificent, if fairly expensive, experience. There is nothing more thrilling than racing down the runway as the ‘pilot in command’ and taking off into the blue skies.
Of course before you quite get to that stage there are a few things to be aware of!
Personal Attributes
To get started, you’ll need to be in possession of a few personal characteristics:
- A head for heights!
- A relatively stable stomach!
- A love of aircraft, aviation and learning.
- In reasonably good health (you don’t have to be a superman/woman but if you have a major health condition that may be a problem with medicals).
- Able to handle relatively simple math (for navigation).
- Be comfortable in a classroom environment for some book and board based learning of theory.
The Process
To obtain an FAA Private Pilot’s Certificate you’ll need to ‘log’ a minimum of 40 hours at the controls of an airplane. That is a minimum and for most people a figure of around 60-80 hours may be more typical.
You can check through your local flying school for their current price-per-hour but you’ll see quickly that it isn’t cheap!
Most beginners start off with a few hours at the controls with an instructor alongside just getting the feel of the basic controls. The objective is to familiarize yourself with the basic handling of the airplane and aviation terminology. At this point it shouldn’t be too demanding and it will be interspersed with some basic book and classroom learning relating to the very first rules of flying an airplane.
Most people find this early period thrilling, fun and maybe, at times, a little scary!
The training schedule may vary from one school to another but you’ll probably find that you move up rapidly through the basic handling of the aircraft to the formalities of radio procedures, airfield protocols and rules and what’s called ‘the circuit’.
The circuit is the pattern that aircraft follow when approaching, joining, circling and landing at an airfield. You’ll practice repeated multiple take-offs, flying a circuit around the field, landing then taking off immediately for another circuit in what are sometimes called ‘touch and goes’.
The objective is to get you to be fully in control of the aircraft and the basics of getting it up and down safely including radio procedures. You’ll also be doing basic practice around what to do in an emergency such as engine failure.
Most students are amazed at how fast they come on. All of this will be done with your instructor reassuringly at your side.
Normally by somewhere around the 10th to 15th hour of lessons, your instructor will ask you to pull to one side just as you’ve landed during a ‘touch and go’ and he or she will climb out (often without pre-notice to avoid making you nervous) and just tell you to take-off and do a single circuit alone. This is your ‘first solo’ and once completed, many people will regard you as a pilot – though you have a way to go to become qualified!
Once you’ve done your first solo, you’ll find the pace quickens up a bit. You’ll be doing more in the classroom as you start to get to grips with more advanced radio procedures and the fun of navigation. You will also be expected to start passing some classroom-based exams.
Many people find navigation interesting but it’s often harder than you think. Knowing where you are when flying along isn’t too difficult if you’re over country with very prominent and unique landmarks such as large rivers, major towns with visible known buildings or some mountain terrains.
Over flat grassland, desert or plain agricultural terrain, it can be a LOT more difficult and getting lost (in pilot-speak this is often called being ‘temporarily unsure of your exact position’) is not hard. Calling up for a radar fix is considered a huge embarrassment so your instructors will work hard to ensure you know the subject well before you’re let loose.
Once you have your basic navigation skills you will be allowed to go on ‘fly-aways’ to other airfields in other locations – in fact it will be compulsory for your qualification.
You’ll also have to do some stalling and spinning training to show that if you do accidentally stall the aircraft that you know how to recover it.
Finally, you’ll do some training on flying at night and perhaps some basic work around flying on instruments.
Eventually once you have completed all modules and passed some classroom exams, you’ll be ready for your final flight test and your license to fly!
Qualified To Fly
Most people learn to fly and qualify on light single-engine aircraft. Your qualification will allow you to fly alone or with a number of passengers providing they are not fare paying and that you do not fly an aircraft for commercial reward.
If you want to fly more complex aircraft such as twin engines or jets, of if you wish to fly for commercial reasons, you will need to undergo further training and testing.
Your qualification will also allow you to fly under what are called visual flight rules, which dictate certain minima for weather conditions. If you wish to be able to fly in poor weather you will need also to take additional modules and tests for ‘Instrument rating’.
Your qualification will also state what type of aircraft you can fly. So you won’t be able to walk away from your light single with your brand new certificate and climb straight into that helicopter!
Flying is fantastic and fun. Try it and see!
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