What Does It Take to Become a FAA Private Pilot?
If you want to become an aviator but you can’t think about starting a career flying commercial aircraft, then you still can become one. You can take a course that will make you an FAA private pilot, which will give you the permission to fly aircraft without making a career out of it. Most pilots start at this certificate, because it is cheaper to study plus it gives them the freedom to fly anytime they want.
If your answer is yes, then you have to first know about what it takes for you to become what you are planning. In order to become a private pilot, you would need to satisfy a few requirements. These include an age requirement, a medical certificate and a specific number of hours of flight training under a certified flight instructor either under Part 141 or Part 61. Let us look at each of those requirements in detail below.
Age Requirement
First off, you need to satisfy the minimum age requirement. The minimum age requirement as mandated by the FAA is at least 16 years old and this applies to the entire United States. Now how about the age limit? Is there an age where you’re considered very old to start flight lessons? The FAA doesn’t think so. As long as you are proven to be physically fit and able to take lessons, you can still qualify to procure a PPC through training. Even if you are 60 years old but in excellent shape, you can still be awarded a medical certificate that will qualify you to take flight lessons from a CFI.
Medical Certificate
As mentioned earlier, the medical certificate will serve as your student pilot license. This certificate can only be issued by an Aviation Medical Examiner. This physician is accredited and recognized by the FAA, and only certificates issued by AMEs are recognized by CFI’s and the general aviation industry in general. Seek out one in your area – there’s an AME anywhere you might be – and approach him for a checkup.
Flight Training Hours
This is the last step. You just don’t take flight lessons from an instructor in order to become a FAA private pilot. The Administration requires that you accumulate a minimum of 40 hours in order for your CFI to endorse you for your checkride and the accompanying written exam. Remember that 40 hours is only the minimum; depends on your proficiency and aptitude, you may have to wait until 60 hours to be endorsed for a checkride.
After the completion of the minimum hour requirement, all you need to do then is just pass the checkride and then, you’ll be awarded your FAA private aviator certificate and start operating.
If you want to become a FAA private pilot, you would need to find a very good resource to help you through your training. This site might have the things that you need to tide you through.
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