What Does it Take to Get Your Private Pilot's License???

Ben Johnson here.  I am an FAA licensed Advanced Ground Instructor and I run a website www.flightnerdairforce.com where I help people learn, understand, and enjoy the world of aviation no matter their health, weather, or financial limitations.

In the above video, I want to take you through the process of getting an airplane private pilot’s license.  The requirements for helicopters, gyroplanes, balloons, and other types of aircraft are going to vary from the requirements for airplanes.

In order for you to understand what steps you’ll need to take, it will be helpful for us to take a step back and look at the big picture first.  So here’s a big picture summary of the steps:

1. Ensure you pass the FAA legal requirements for a Private Pilot’s License.
2. Ensure you meet FAA physical requirements.
3. Pass FAA written exam.
4. Complete flight training for Student Pilot License.
5. Complete flight training for Private Pilot.
6. Pass FAA Private Pilot oral exam.
7. Pass FAA Private Pilot check ride.

1.  FAA Legal Requirements

Before you spend a bunch of time and money building up flight hours and studying for tests, you need to ensure you will legally qualify for a Private Pilot’s license.  The basic legal requirements for anyone applying for a Private Pilot’s license are:

1. Must be at least 16 years of age to apply for your Student Pilot’s license. But you must be at least 17 years old before you can apply for your Private Pilot’s license. 

Student Pilot is a necessary step on the way to Private Pilot.  You can get your Student Pilot license as young as 16 years old.  However, you need to realize that even if you’re a diligent student and can get your requirements for Private Pilot done in less than a year, you still won’t be able to get your Private Pilot license until you’re 17 years old.

2. Must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.

This requirement will be important most places you go in the world, as most of the global aviation community uses the English language.  Many countries use their own language in addition to English, but English is acceptable in most places in the world.

3. If you are convicted for the possession, use, production, or sale of illegal drugs, your application for a license can be denied and any licenses you already have can be revoked for up to 1 year from the date of your conviction.
4. If you are convicted of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs your application for a license can be denied and any licenses you already have can be revoked for up to 1 year from the date of your conviction.

2.  FAA Medical Exam

In order to qualify for a Private Pilot’s license, you’ll also need to get a physical exam from a FAA designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).  To find an AME near you, you can click on the link below this video and select “AME” from the drop-down menu of Designee Types.

There are three different levels of FAA medical exams; first class, second class, and third class.  The third-class exam is necessary to for a Private Pilot’s license.  There are a lot of details involved with the FAA medical exam.  Most of them are dependent on the circumstances of your personal health.  So rather than having this turn into an hour-long video, I’ve posted links below this video that will help you find the information you need.

3.  FAA Written Exam

The next important step on the taxi way to your Private Pilot’s license is the FAA written exam.  This exam will cover the book knowledge necessary for you to know your way around an airplane, the airport, the sky, and FAA regulations.

I recommend you work on studying for this exam before you get very deep into your pilot training.  I say this because before you can get your Student Pilot certificate, you’ll need to pass a pre-solo knowledge test.  While they are not the same tests, much of the information on the pre-solo test is also covered by the FAA written test material.  By studying for your FAA written exam very early on in your flight training, you will make preparation for the pre-solo exam that much easier.

You can also begin preparing for the FAA written exam from the comfort of your own home.  This is the perfect project for days when the weather stinks and flying isn’t possible.  Getting a good base of book knowledge will also help make your time in the airplane, with your instructor more efficient.  This will save you quite a bit of money in the long run. 

When deciding when to take your written exam, it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to consider the following:  The endorsement you receive for passing your written test is good for 24 calendar months.  If you don’t take your final Private Pilot check ride within 24 months, you will need to re-take the written exam.  So don’t take the written exam unless you believe you can finish your Private Pilot training in the following 24 months.  It’s good to start early…but be careful you don’t start too early!

To find out how to begin preparing for your FAA written exam and where to find testing centers near you, click on the relevant links below this video.

4.  Student Pilot License

The next step is going to be preparing for your Student Pilot license.  One of the qualifications to receive a Private Pilot’s license is solo flight experience.  This is time you will spend flying the airplane all by yourself.  You won’t have an instructor or passengers.  The Student Pilot license is how the FAA ensures you are ready to solo.  This is a big and exciting step in your flying journey!

There are two primary qualifications for the Student Pilot license:

1. Pre-Solo knowledge exam.

The pre-solo knowledge exam is a test which is administered by your instructor.  Because it is focused on helping you understand the airspace, airport, and aircraft that you will be using during your training, there is no one, standard pre-solo knowledge exam.  But, your instructor is required to ensure it covers the following topics:

• Applicable FAA regulations
• Airspace rules and procedures for the airport where the solo flight will be performed
• Flight characteristics and operational limitations for the make and model of aircraft to be flown.

2. Student Pilot flight experience.

Student pilots also need to have experience in the kinds of activities they will be doing when they solo.  For a list of maneuvers and procedures you’ll need to be competent in before receiving your student pilot license, you can click the appropriate link on this page.

Once your instructor is assured you have the proper knowledge and experience, he will sign your logbook so you can make your first solo flight!

5. Private Pilot Flight Experience

Once you can solo, you’ll need to build up your flight hours.  Knowing the kinds of hours you need will help you make the most of the time you spend in the airplane.  Some types of hours can be combined.  For example, if you do a night cross country flight with your instructor, you can count those hours for night flying hours, cross country hours, and dual instruction. 

The most important factor in determining whether you’re ready to take your private pilot checkride is your level of proficiency.  In other words, are you a safe and skilled pilot?  Your instructor will be the one to determine if you’re ready to go.

However, even if you are a stellar student, there are minimum time requirements.  At a minimum, you’ll need to have the following types of flying hours:

• 40 hours of total time.
• 20 hours of dual instruction with a certified flight instructor.
• 10 hours of solo time.
• 3 hours of dual cross-country time.
• 5 hours of solo cross-country time.
• 3 hours of instrument time.
• 3 hours of preparation for the FAA checkride, within 2 months of taking the checkride.

6.  Private Pilot Oral Exam

Now that you’ve invested some serious time and energy into studying and flying, it’s time to see if all your preparation will pay off!  There are two final tests to receive your private pilot license.  Normally, these tests happen on the same day.

Typically, you will make an appointment with an FAA Designated Examiner or DE for short.  Click on the link below to search for a DE near your home airport.  You’ll want to pick someone close to your home airport, because the DE will need to be willing to meet you at the airport.

The first of the two tests you will take is the oral exam.  To summarize, they will test you, face to face, on your knowledge of the material necessary to make you a safe pilot.  As a few examples, you will need to know things like:

• The V speeds for the aircraft you will be flying that day,
• Aircraft systems and how they work,
• Aviation weather and how to determine if the weather is safe for you to fly that day,
• FAA regulations related to flying as a private pilot
• For a full list of subjects covered in the oral exam, please click on the appropriate link in this page.

If the DE is happy with your knowledge proficiency, you can move onto your practical exam, which is also known as:

7.  Private Pilot Check Ride

The goal of the private pilot check ride is to determine if you are capable of flying the airplane in a safe, knowledgeable, and competent manner.  The DE will take you out to the ramp and ask you to perform tasks that are essential for a private pilot to be able to do.  Make no mistake, your exam begins long before you fire up the engine.  He or she will be watching how you handle the aircraft, do your pre-flight inspection, and work through your checklists. 

The trick to the check ride is to stay calm.  If you and your instructor have put the work into preparing for this day, your check ride will show the fruit of your work.  This isn’t a test you can cram for and you shouldn’t try to cram for it.  Your safety, your passengers’ safety, and the safety of everyone in the sky with you rests in your ability to fly that airplane in a safe and competent manner.  And the DE knows how to test your ability to do that.

For a list of maneuvers the DE will need to test, you guessed it, click on the appropriate button on this page.

Beyond your ability to carry out specific maneuvers, the DE will be trying to determine if you are composed enough and knowledgeable enough to fly safely.  This is as much a test of your composure and ability to handle a workload as it is a test of your flying skills.

Again…if you put in the practice and study ahead of time, this test will show it.

Generally speaking, if you fail the test, the DE will typically wait until the entire test is over before letting you know.  The last thing he needs is someone freaking out over failing the test while they are still in the air!

But…if you take the time to prepare well, you should be able to return to the airport with the exciting news that you are aviation’s newest, brightest, shiniest private pilot!!!  The skies are yours to explore!

My hope is that you will join me and the millions of people who have taken this adventure into the skies!  I would love to help you get there.

I run an online community and aviation training center called Flight Nerd Air Force.  You can find us at www.flightnerdairforce.com.  If you’re interested in becoming a private pilot, a professional pilot, or you just love the exciting world of aviation, please come check us out!

I’m your friendly FAA certified Advanced Ground Instructor, Ben Johnson!  Join me at www.flightnerdairforce.com.

See you in the air!!!