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- What do I need to do before I can start flying lessons?
- How hard is it to get a 3rd Class Medical?
- What is the approximate cost of getting a private pilot certificate?
- Is financing available?
- Do I have to pay for training up-front?
- Once I get my license, do I have to own an airplane in order to continue flying?
- How much does it cost to rent an airplane?
- What kinds of airplanes can I fly after I get my license?
- What can I do with a Private Pilot License?
- How long will my license be valid?
- What tests do I have to take in order to get my license?
- What is ground school and is it required?
- What if I'm not sure yet about flying?
1. What do I need to do before I can start flying lessons?
You will need to get a 3rd Class medical certificate and student pilot certificate. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) offers a combined student pilot and medical certificate that you can obtain when you get a physical from an FAA-approved doctor.Top
2. How hard is it to get a 3rd Class Medical?
The medical exam is pretty basic. The doctor will check your vision, hearing, reflexes, balance, blood pressure and listen to you heart & lungs. For instance, your vision only has to be 20/40 with or without glasses, and you have to be able to hear a normal conversation from six feet away. The AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) is mainly looking for anything that is going to impair you from safely flying an airplane.Heart problems, mental instabilities, seizures and certain medication may cause problems. On the other hand, there are pilots that are deaf, missing limbs, and have diabetes. These pilots may have to get medical exams more often or may have to demonstrate their ability to fly to an FAA representative, but it is possible!
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3. What is the approximate cost of getting a private pilot certificate?
Following is a breakdown of the approximate cost. Everybody learns at their own pace, which means your cost may be slightly more, or slightly less. The following is based on an average amount of time it takes for a person to complete the license.| Medical Exam | $75.00 |
| Ground School (includes books/materials)* | $450.00 |
| 30 hours of instruction | $1050.00 |
| 55 hours of airplane rental (C150) | $4125.00 |
| Examiner's Fee (Practical/Flight Test) | $225.00 |
| TOTAL | $5925.00 |
| * also includes written test fee of $80 |
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4. Is financing available?
There is a company called Pilot Finance, Inc. that would be happy to help finance your flight training. They allow you to complete your license with steady monthly payments, which can make budgeting for your flight training a lot easier! Here's how you can get a hold of them: www.pilotfinance.com or 1-800-667-0201. (B&B Aviation is in no way affiliated with Pilot Finance, Inc.)Top
5. Do I have to pay for training up-front?
Flying is a pay-as-you-go activity. You don't have to come up with the funds all at the beginning. After each lesson you will pay for the instructor and the airplane, the day of the flight.Top
6. Once I get my license, do I have to own an airplane in order to continue flying?
No. There are thousands of places to rent airplanes all over the country! B&B encourages our students to continue renting our airplanes after they have gotten their pilot license, and since you've already been flying with us, you will not need an airplane "checkout" for the aircraft you've flown. If you decide to start flying a different airplane, or if you want to rent from another company, you will have to accomplish a checkout due to safety and insurance reasons. The purpose of the checkout is to make sure you are a safe pilot and that you know about the airplane you're going to be flying. Flying clubs are also becoming more popular. In a flying club you usually "own" a portion of the airplane that the club shares. You will probably have to pay an initial ownership fee, a monthly due and then a set amount for each hour you fly the airplane. Flying clubs usually have 1-3 airplanes and can have anywhere from a few members to thirty and up.Top
7. How much does it cost to rent an airplane?
Cost will depend on the type, age and equipment of the airplane you want to rent. A newer, faster or more complex airplane is going to cost more than an older or slower airplane. Each company sets their own rental rates, but most try to keep their rates competitive with the surrounding businesses. The company will charge a per-hour rate, which may or may not include fuel. (If you hear someone say, "the rate is $60/hour wet", this means the cost includes fuel. "Dry" means fuel is not included.) The cost is charged to the tenth of an hour. For instance, if you rent an airplane at $60/hour and fly it for ½ hour, you would only be charged $30. Also, if you go somewhere for a business meeting and need to have the airplane for 6 hours, but only fly it for 1.2 hours, you would be charged $72 (1.2 hours x $60/hr.). Some companies may charge extra or require a minimum amount of flight time per day if you take an airplane overnight or for a very long period of time.Top
8. What kinds of airplanes can I fly after I get my license?
You will be certified to fly single-engine airplanes with wheels (instead of floats or skis). Usually, these will have 2-4 seats and be the same or similar to the airplane you trained in. You can also get some extra training in order to fly tail-wheel (older style landing gear, like you would see on bi-planes or WWII planes like the P-51 Mustang), complex (gear retract into the belly or wings of the airplane) and high-performance (over 200-hp) airplanes. Training time for these types of airplanes depend on your level of experience and skill, but usually take about 10-15 hours each. Once your instructor feels confident that you can fly a certain type of airplane safely, he or she will endorse your logbook and you'll be ready to go! No flight test required!Top
9. What can I do with a Private Pilot License?
Once you get your license, you are allowed to fly anywhere in the U.S.! It is a federally issued certificate, which means you follow the same air-traffic rules in every state. With the necessary preparations and documentation, you may even fly into Canada and Mexico (although they have different rules when you're in their airspace and the facilities might not be the same). Also, as a private pilot, you are allowed to take passengers as long as you are not being paid or compensated for the flight. However, you can share the costs of the airplane with your passengers. The ability to fly on your own schedule (unlike the airlines), and the amount of time you will save (vs. driving) are two big advantages to getting your license. You will also be qualified to fly day or night and in visual conditions (flying in clouds and/or low visibility is not allowed).Top
10. How long will my license be valid?
For the rest of your life! There is no expiration date! Ok, but there is a catch…you will have to stay "current" in order to use the license. Every two years you will be required to accomplish a flight review, which consists of at least one hour of ground and one hour of flight training with an instructor. It is not a test. The instructor is there to determine that you can still safely fly a plane and that you haven't picked up any bad habits in the previous couple years. If you earn an additional certificate or rating (say, getting your instrument license, seaplane rating or commercial certificate) that restarts the clock for another two years. In order to carry passengers, you must have completed three take-offs and three landings within the previous 90 days. Also, if you are 40 or older, you will have to get a current medical certificate every 24 calendar months (two years), and if you are under 40 years old, every 36 calendar months (three years).Top
11. What tests do I have to take in order to get my license?
1. Written Exam-The FAA requires you to take a 60-question multiple-choice test over the various knowledge areas related to flying (i.e. airspace, regulations, flight planning, etc.). The 60 questions are randomly chosen from a test bank of approximately 600. But before you give up the idea of ever passing the test, there's good news! You get all of the possible questions, answers and explanations before you even take the test! (And, yes, that's legal!) 2. Practical Exam-The practical exam is taken after you have completed all of your flight training. It consists of an oral, where an examiner asks you questions about your airplane, regulations, weather, etc. After the oral is complete, you will go flying with the examiner (the flight portion). They will have you do most of the maneuvers that you've been working on throughout your flight training, such as cross-country procedures and different kinds of take-offs and landings. The examiner wants to see that you are a safe, knowledgeable pilot and that you can make good decisions.Top
12. What is ground school and is it required?
Ground school is a class that helps you learn the knowledge part of being a pilot. It is usually held once or twice a week for about 12 weeks. An instructor leads the class through the different knowledge areas, explains the concepts, and answers any questions the students may have. There are typically 5-10 students in a ground school class, and the environment is relaxed. This allows everyone to discuss topics that they're having trouble with or just want a little more clarification. It's a good idea to take the written exam shortly after completing the ground school. The ground school is not absolutely required, although it is recommended. You will need to learn the materials whether you take the ground school or not. Some people choose to forego the ground school and study by themselves with books, video tapes, computer software, or DVDs. This works well for people that learn well on their own and can discipline themselves to keep a good study schedule.Top
13. What if I'm not sure yet about flying?
Take an introductory flight! It's a great way to see what flying is all about and there's no obligation! You're instructor will take you through an aircraft pre-flight and let you fly the airplane a little bit. (It's easier than you think!) You can ask any other questions you may have, and then decide for yourself if flying is right for you. You don't have to make up your mind right then, just stop out and see us or give us a call when you're ready.Top
