Many people dream about flying their own aircraft one day. Perhaps they would love to take a short jaunt, or perhaps be up there by themselves with just the plane and the sky as companions. Regardless of the reason they want to fly, the fact remains they do. If this is you, perhaps you may want to look into getting a recreational pilot’s license. While the steps may vary in different countries, generally, here are the steps you would want to keep in mind in order to obtain your Private Pilot License.
The first step would be to sit down and figure out what kind of Private Pilot License you want. There are many different types of planes, single and multi-engines, land and water planes, as well as different types of wings. Probably the easiest and most sought after license is for a single engine land plane that has a fixed wing.
Next, you want to look into the amount of money you will be able to shell out for your training. Flying is not exactly a poor man’s sport. Your financial situation will depend on which type of license you can get and where to go to school for it. Generally, United States’ licenses run from $4,000 to $10,000. Various factors come into play, such as where you want to get your license, how big the school is, the type of aircraft, etc.
A good idea is to research different schools in your area before making a decision. Learning to fly a helicopter costs a lot more. Luckily, there are various resources out there you can look to for the necessary funding. These resources include grants, loans, work-study’s, and of course family saving.
Once you’ve looked at the different schools, the time has come to make a decision as to where you want to be trained. You should look at the weather conditions of where the school is located, how much the school costs, the caliber of the school, and also where you intend to go with your pilot training.
Most schools usually offer a program that allows you to get your Private Pilot’s License in about three or four months. Of course, the more you learn and actually get to fly, the faster you will learn. But you may want to choose a slower program to allow all the information to sink in. Another option is to learn with a flying club. There are flying clubs where you can get your license at a much cheaper rate.
There are different requirements you need for your license, such as taking the ground section portion, which covers theory and regulations, flying with an instructor, and going up by yourself. You also are required to take a written test, oral test and a practical. You also have to log in a minimum of forty flight hours before you qualify for your license.
