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Is it hard to Learn to Fly?
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No. People of all shapes and sizes, ages and
abilities have learned to fly. It’s fun, and from
the beginning of your training, you get to do most
of the actual flying! On the practical side—While
flying isn’t a difficult skill to learn, you’ll have
to be willing to stick with it until you meet all
the requirements. Also, you should consider the cost
of becoming a pilot—you’ll have to pay for your
physical exam and your lessons. |
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When can I start?
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Right away. All you have to do is find a flight
instructor and sign up for an introductory lesson.
You don’t have to have a student pilot’s certificate
or a medical certificate to take flying lessons. Of
course, you won’t be able to fly solo right away.
That takes time and the paperwork described in this
guide. |
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How many lessons do I have to take
before I solo?
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It depends on you. There is no set number of
lessons or hours of flight training. Your
instructor must make sure you have learned to
perform certain maneuvers before allowing you to
solo. These maneuvers include safe takeoffs and
landings. You must use good judgment when flying and
be able to keep control of the aircraft.
Also, you’ll have to get a
medical
certificate and a student pilot’s certificate to
fly solo. |
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Is flying safe?
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Yes. A well-built and well-maintained aircraft
flown by a competent and prudent pilot is as safe or
safer than many other forms of transportation. |
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If engine failure occurs, what will
happen?
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Modern aircraft engines are reliable and failure
rarely occurs. However, your lessons will cover what
to do in this situation, including selecting a good
landing area and safely landing. |
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When do I need a student pilot’s
certificate?
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Before you can fly solo. You don’t need a
student pilot’s certificate to take flying lessons. |
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Am I eligible for a student pilot’s
certificate?
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You are eligible if--
- You are at least 16 years old. If you plan
to pilot a glider or balloon, you must be at
least 14 years old.
- You can read, speak, and understand English.
AND
- You hold at least a current third-class
medical certificate. If you plan to pilot a
glider or balloon, you only have to certify that
you have no medical defect that would make you
unable to pilot a glider or balloon.
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How do I get a student pilot’s
certificate?
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Upon your request, an FAA-authorized aviation
medical examiner will issue you a combined medical
certificate and Student Pilot Certificate after you
complete your physical examination. Student Pilot
Certificates may be issued by an FAA inspector or an
FAA-designated pilot examiner. Applicants who fail
to meet certain requirements or who have physical
disabilities which might limit, but not prevent,
their acting as pilots, should contact the nearest
FAA office.
Click here to locate an Aviation Medical Examiner |
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How long are my student pilot’s
certificate and my medical certificate valid?
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They expire 2 years from the date they were
issued. |
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Can I renew my student certificate and
medical certificate?
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No, but you can get a new one. |
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If my original Student Pilot Certificate
has been endorsed for solo flying, do I lose this
endorsement on my new certificate?
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No, the endorsements are still valid. However,
they are not transferred to the new certificate.
Keep the old certificate as a record of these
endorsements. |
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Should my flight instructor endorse my student
pilot’s certificate before or after my first solo
flight?
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Before. The endorsement certifies that you are
competent to solo. |
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If I solo in more than one make or model
of aircraft, must I have an endorsement for each on
my student pilot’s certificate? If so, who should
endorse the certificate?
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Yes. Your flight instructor must make this
endorsement before you solo in each make or model of
aircraft. |
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Does the endorsement to solo allow me to
make solo cross-country flights?
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No. You also have to get a cross-country flight
endorsement from you flight instructor. |
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Must I carry my student pilot’s
certificate with me when I am piloting an aircraft
in solo flight?
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Yes. |
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Is there a charge for the student
pilot’s certificate?
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Not when it’s issued by an FAA Flight Standards
District Office. However, an FAA-designated pilot
examiner can charge for issuing student pilot’s
certificates. Also, an FAA-authorized aviation
medical examiner can charge for your physical
examination in connection with issuing the
combination medical certificate and student pilot’s
certificate. |
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When do I need a medical certificate?
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You need a medical certificate before flying
solo in an airplane, helicopter, gyroplane, or
airship. We suggest you get your medical certificate
before beginning flight training. This will alert
you to any condition that would prevent you from
becoming a pilot before you pay for lessons. If
you are going to pilot a balloon or glider, you
don’t need a medical certificate. All you need to do
is write a statement certifying that you have no
medical defect that would make you unable to pilot a
balloon or glider. |
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If required, how do I get a medical
certificate?
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By passing a physical examination administered
by a doctor who is an FAA-authorized aviation
medical examiner. |
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Where do I get my medical certificate?
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From any FAA-authorized
aviation
medical examiner. There are approximately 6,000
of them in the U.S.. |
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Where can I get a list of FAA-authorized
aviation medical examiners?
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Click
here to locate an Aviation Medical Examiner |
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When required, what class of medical
certificate must a student pilot have?
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Third-class, although any class will suffice.
Medical certificates are designated as first-class,
second-class, or third-class. Generally, first-class
is designed for the airline transport pilot;
second-class for the commercial pilot; and
third-class for the student, recreational and
private pilot. |
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If I have a physical disability, can I
get a medical certificate?
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Yes. Medical certificates can be issued in many
cases where physical disabilities are involved.
Depending on the nature of the disability, you may
have some operating limitations. If you have any
questions, contact an FAA-authorized aviation
medical examiner before beginning flight training. |
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Must I carry my medical certificate when
I am flying solo?
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Yes. |
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Where can I get flying lessons?
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Contact
FliteQuest Aviation for details on flying
lessons. |
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Does my pilot training include a written
test?
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Yes. Before flying solo, you must be familiar
with some of the FAA’s rules and with the flight
characteristics and operational limitations of the
make and model of the aircraft you will fly. Your
flight instructor will give you some materials to
study, and then test your knowledge. If you pass,
your instructor will endorse your student pilot’s
certificate for solo flight. The endorsement means
that your instructor thinks you are competent to
make solo flights. |
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When do I have to get the endorsement?
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Within 90 days of your first solo flight. |
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After I’ve soloed, can I fly
cross-country alone?
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Not right away. Your instructor must review your
pre-flight planning and preparation for solo
cross-country flight and determine that the flight
can be made safely under known circumstances and
conditions. The instructor must also endorse your
logbook before cross-country flight stating you are
considered competent to make the flight. [Note: The
relevance of the following sentence is not
clear.]Under certain conditions, an instructor may
authorize repeated solo flights over a given route. |
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As a student pilot, can I carry
passengers with me before getting my recreational or
private pilot’s certificate?
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No. |
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Must I have an FCC radiotelephone
operator's permit to operate an aircraft radio
transmitter?
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No. |
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What is the difference between a
recreational pilot’s certificate and a private
pilot’s certificate?
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As a recreational pilot, you have to fly within
50 nautical miles of the airport where you learned
to fly, you have to fly during the day, and you
can’t fly in airspace where communications with air
traffic control are required. A private pilot
doesn’t have these limitations. It usually takes
fewer lessons to get a recreational pilot’s
certificate than a private pilot’s certificate. |
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How old do I have to be to get a
recreational pilot’s certificate or a private
pilot’s certificate?
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You must be at least 17 years old. If you want
to be a private glider pilot or be rated for free
flight in a balloon, you must be at least 16 years
old. |
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What tests do I have to pass to get a
recreational pilot’s certificate or private pilot’s
certificate?
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You have to pass both a written knowledge test
and a practical (flight) test. See below for more
information about these tests. |
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How old do I have to be to take the
recreational pilot or private pilot written test?
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At least 15 years old. If you want to pilot a
balloon or glider, you must be at least 14 years
old. Before taking the knowledge test, you may have
to show proof of age, such as a birth certificate. |
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How should I prepare for the knowledge
test?
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You should study the materials identified by
your flight instructor or included in a home-study
course. For the recreational pilot test, the
materials are based on section 61.97 of the FAA’s
rules. For the private pilot test, the materials are
based on section 61.105 of the FAA’s rules. |
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What document or documents must I
present before taking a knowledge test?
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You have to present identification that includes
your photograph, signature, and home address. AND
One of the following:
- A certificate of graduation from a pilot
training course conducted by an FAA-approved
pilot school, or a statement of accomplishment
from the school certifying the satisfactory
completion of the ground-school portion of such
a course
- A written statement from an FAA-certified
ground or flight instructor, certifying that you
have satisfactorily completed the required
ground instruction
- Logbook entries by an FAA-certified ground
or flight instructor, certifying satisfactory
completion of the required ground instruction
- A certificate of graduation or statement of
accomplishment from a ground school course
conducted by an agency such as a high school,
college, adult education program, the Civil Air
Patrol, or an ROTC Flight Training Program.
- A certificate of graduation from a
home-study course developed by the aeronautical
enterprise providing the study material
If you can’t provide any of the above items, you
can have the home-study course you have completed
reviewed by an FAA inspector to assure you are
competent to take the desired knowledge test.
Contact the local FAA Flight Standards District
Office to get an appointment with an FAA inspector.
The inspector will review your study material and
may question you on some of the material. If you are
found qualified to take the test, the inspector will
issue FAA Form 8060-7, Airman's Authorization for
Written Test. You must present this form when you
take your knowledge examination.
If you have to take the test over again, you must
present either the unsatisfactory AC Form 8080-2,
Airman Written Test Report, or an airman computer
test report (if the test was taken at an FAA-
designated computer testing center). |
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If I fail the knowledge test, is
there any way to determine the areas in which I need
additional work so I can study for a retest?
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Yes. You will receive either AC Form 8080-2,
Airman Written Test Report, or an airman computer
test report (if the test was taken at an
FAA-designated computer testing center). The test
report will contain your test score and will also
list the subject matter codes for the knowledge
areas in which you were found deficient. An outline
of the subject matter codes is located in the
appendix of each written test book. You may refer to
the appropriate written test book to determine the
areas in which further study is needed. |
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If I pass the knowledge test, will I
receive the same information concerning weak areas
as I would if I failed the test?
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Yes. (Refer to the previous answer.) |
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How long is a satisfactorily completed
knowledge test valid?
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A satisfactorily completed knowledge test
expires two years from the day it was taken. If a
practical test is not satisfactorily completed
during that period, another knowledge test must be
taken. |
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Will my instructor review the areas in
which the test report showed I was deficient?
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Yes. Your instructor must review the areas in
which you were deficient and must endorse the
written test report or provide a written endorsement
indicating this review has been completed. |
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Must I provide the aircraft for my
practical test?
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Yes. You must provide an airworthy aircraft with
equipment relevant to the pilot operations required
for the practical test. |
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What papers and documents must I present
to the FAA inspector or FAA-designated pilot
examiner prior to my practical test?
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You must have the following items available for
inspection:
- The aircraft's registration certificate
- The aircraft's airworthiness certificate
- The aircraft's operating limitations or FAA-
approved aircraft flight manual (if required)
- The aircraft’s equipment list
- Weight and balance data for the aircraft
- Your FCC radio station certificate
- The aircraft and engine logbooks or other
maintenance records
AND
- Any applicable airworthiness directives.
You must present the following items to the
inspector:
- Your FAA Form 8710-1, Application for an
Airman Certificate and/or Rating, (with the
flight instructor's recommendation)
- Your satisfactory grade on an AC Form
8080-2, Airman Written Test Report or an airman
computer test report (if the test was taken at
an FAA-designated computer testing center)
- Your medical certificate (when required) and
student pilot’s certificate endorsed by a flight
instructor for solo, solo cross-country (when
appropriate), and for the make and model of
airplane to be used for the practical test
- Your pilot’s logbook;
AND
- Your graduation certificate from an
FAA-approved school (if applicable)
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What does the practical test consist of,
and how will my performance be evaluated?
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The test standards are described in the
Recreational Pilot or Private Pilot Practical Test
Standards. Your instructor should have a copy of the
practical test standards and should review them with
you prior to your practical test. If your
instructor doesn’t have them, you can buy them from
the Superintendent of Documents or US Government
Printing Office bookstores.
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When can I take the recreational pilot
or private pilot practical test?
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You can take the test as soon as, in your
instructor’s judgement, you are ready. By endorsing
your test application, your flight instructor is
making a written recommendation to this effect. Your
flight instructor's written recommendation shows
that you have met all the prerequisites for the
practical test. |
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Where can I take the practical test?
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The FAA Flight Standards District Offices
conduct practical tests for pilot certification
either at the office’s location or periodically in
cities within the district. The offices are usually
located on or adjacent to an airport. The FAA has
also designated many flight instructors as pilot
examiners. You should make an appointment for your
practical test to avoid wasted time. |
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Is there any charge for taking the
practical test?
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If you take the test from an FAA inspector,
there is no charge. If you take the test from an
FAA-designated pilot examiner, you will have to pay.
This is because the pilot examiner conducts tests
without pay from the FAA. |
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May I exercise the privileges of
my pilot’s certificate immediately after passing my
practical test or must I wait until I receive the
actual pilot’s certificate?
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You don’t have to wait. The FAA inspector or
FAA-designated pilot examiner will issue a temporary
pilot’s certificate effective for a specific time
period. The FAA will issue your permanent pilot’s
certificate after we have reviewed your
qualifications. |
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Is there a charge for issuing the
pilot’s certificate?
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No. We don’t charge for issuing the original
pilot’s certificate. However, we do charge to
replace any pilot’s certificate or medical
certificate. As noted already, you may have to pay
for certain other services, such as a physical
examination. |
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As the holder of a recreational pilot’s
certificate, how do I ensure that I don’t
inadvertently enter airspace where I am required to
contact air traffic control?
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You must select readily identifiable landmarks
that are well beyond the boundaries of the airspace
where contact with air traffic control is required.
During your training, your instructor will tell you
how to identify this kind of airspace. |
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I already have a recreational
pilot’s certificate, and I want to get an additional
certificate or rating. For training purposes, can I
fly beyond the 50-nautical-mile limit, after dark,
or in airspace where I have to contact air traffic
control?
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Yes, if your instructor has given you the
required instruction in these areas and has endorsed
your pilot's logbook for each flight. You will have
to carry the logbook with the required endorsements
on these flights. |
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