Q: Is there an age limit for obtaining a private pilot rating? (What about max age?)
A: The Federal Aviation Regulations require an individual to be at least 16 years of age to operate an aircraft solo and 17 years of age to obtain a private pilot certificate. There is not an age limitation on beginning flight lessons with a certified flight instructor. There is no maximum age for acquiring a private pilot certificate. Once someone gets this certificate, they may exercise the privileges of that certificate as long as they continue to get a medical certificate and a biannual flight review.
 

Q: What written tests and flight tests are required to obtain my private pilot rating?
A: Student pilots have to pass a pre-solo written exam before solo, a private pilot written exam (FAA), and a practical exam (flight test).
 

Q: What exams are required to get my private pilot rating (and where do I take them)?
A: To obtain a private pilot rating, you must obtain at least a 3rd class medical, and these are available from FAA medical examiners (refer to phonebook or contact flight school).
 

Q: What is a medical certificate?
A: Every pilot must obtain a medical certificate in order to exercise the privileges of their pilot's license – there are three classes; 1st (most stringent, and good for six months), 2nd (good for one year and required for use with a commercial rating), and 3rd (good for three years if you are under 40, two years if 40 or older).
 

Q: Are there any medical restrictions to prevent me from becoming a pilot?
A: Some medical conditions may require a waiver for a pilot to get a medical certificate, and these are best described by the FAA medical examiner.
  

Selecting a Flight School

Q: What is the difference between a Part 141 school and Part 61?
A: The "Parts" refer to different sections of the Federal Aviation Regulations, and the different Parts dictate different requirements for flight schools. Generally, Part 61 flight schools have less stringent requirements – no chief flight instructor, no training course outline or sylibus.  Part 141 schools must have a chief flight instructor, have their syllabus or training course outline (TCO) approved by the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), and progress through that syllabus exactly as outlined, additionally the flight instructors must be have passed a Part 141 authorization oral and flight with the local FAA FSDO office. Because of this the FAA has lower time requirements for Part 141 schools than Part 61. Saving you money on your training.

Q: What is the difference between a Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) and a flight school?
A: Cessna Pilot Centers must meet higher standards than the typical flight school in order to be eligible to operate under the Cessna logo. They must be clean, neat, and provide superior customer service and flight training. They must make available for flight training fully insured, new Cessna 172 aircraft that are currently under factory warranty. Most importantly, Cessna Pilot Centers are the only schools that utilize Cessna's integrated computer-based instruction – a revolutionary method of teaching ground school that is easy, thorough and fun.
 
Q: What is a Discovery Flight?
A: A Discovery Flight is a flight of approximately 30 minutes intended to familiarize a student with the airplane, the airport, and with the flying environment. During most Discovery Flights, the student sits in the left seat, and the instructor allows the student to fly for a majority of the flight.
 
Q: How and where can I get a student pilot certificate?
A: An aviation medical examiner (AME) typically gives you a student pilot certificate to fill out as part of the third class medical exam. Your flight instructor will likely refer you to a local AME, or you can find an examiner online using AOPA's database of AME's searchable by city and state. A student pilot certificate is valid for 24 calendar months and a third class medical could be valid for up to 36 months, depending on your age at the time of your AME visit. If your student pilot certificate expires first, you can get a new one from a designated pilot examiner (DPE) or your local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).

For how long is a student pilot certificate valid?
A student pilot certificate is valid for 24 calendar months.

Q: What are the vision, hearing, and general medical health requirements that must be met in order to be a pilot?
A: Your vision must be at least 20/40 for near and distant vision with or without corrective lenses, and you must be able to perceive those colors necessary for the safe pilot performance. For general health and medical related questions, refer to AOPA's medical subject reports Web page prior to visiting your AME.
 

Q: How much does it cost to learn to fly and get a pilot certificate?
A: There are a lot of variables that affect the cost of learning to fly, including the frequency of flight lessons, weather conditions, the kind of aircraft in which you are training and its availability for scheduling, and individual aptitude. A rough estimate to obtain your Private certificate would range between $8,000 and $10,000.
 

Q: Is there a source of loans, scholarships, or other financial resources that can help support my flight training?
A: Pilot Finance has an excellent program to pay for your flight training and make it affordable. click on our finance tab to see more.

Q: Some flight schools have aircraft with "glass cockpits" and others do not. Are there any advantages of training in either aircraft?
A: A controversial subject at times, there is no doubt that modern technology has inundated the general aviation cockpit, including training aircraft. The choice is ultimately yours, but some things to consider will be the cost of training in the "glass cockpit" versus conventionally equipped aircraft. Additionally, your future ambitions might involve or require extensive use of glass-cockpit aircraft. In either case, train in an aircraft that best suits your present and future needs and interests. Glass cockpits are undoubtedly the way of the future, many companies no longer build anything but the glass cockpit and with increased situational awareness, traffic and weather radar, and IFR charts built in, there is no need to mention increased safety for the pilot.
 

Q: How old do I have to be before I can start taking flying lessons?
A: You don't have to be a particular age before you can begin to take flying lessons. That said, however, you do have to be at least 16 years old before you can solo an airplane, and 17 before you can be issued a pilot certificate. Therefore, it may not be particularly efficient from the standpoint of cost and flight hours to begin lessons too early.