Private Pilot Training Overview
This article presents an overview of private pilot training, which is required for those who want to be allowed to fly an aircraft by themselves. This kind of training is also the first step in airline pilot training for those who want to build a career in commercial aviation and ultimately become the captain of a large commercial aircraft. After this particular kind of training, people will need to get a private pilot license, which will allow the holder to take control of an aircraft, such as a plane or helicopter, privately. It should be noted that this license or certification does not permit the holder to be hired and paid as a commercial pilot. The requirements for a commercial pilot certificate are are more difficult but private pilot training is the first step.
First of all, to begin private pilot training, a person must enroll in a flight training program. For those who prefer to fly helicopters, there are several helicopter flight schools in various states, such as Virginia. This kind of training can open the door to various careers as a helicopter pilot in various fields, such as emergency medical services, tourism, offshore support, news media, fire fighting, forestry, search and rescue, aerial surveying and law enforcement.
To start, a person must be at least 16 years of age because this is the minimum age to be provided with a student pilot certificate. Actually, a candidate can enroll in flight school at a younger age because the student pilot certificate will only be needed when he or she will have to perform the required solo flights. Another requirement for a person to get the needed training is to be able to write, speak and read English fluently because a pilot has to understand the instruments, maps, manuals and exams. Therefore, those who think that they are deficient in this area may want to take an English course before starting with their pilot training.
For a number of people, it may also be advisable to familiarize themselves with the information and knowledge that they would need to be good pilots. This could be provided by pilot training videos. These kinds of instructional materials are available through the Internet. They offer the advantage of permitting you to just watch the videos and listen to the instructions instead of simply reading and memorizing.
The culmination of your private pilot training would be the check ride, and the oral and written exams that you will need to pass to be given a license. This license or certification is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Aside from the minimum flight time of 40 hours, the candidate must also have completed 10 hours of solo flight time. Finally, he or she must have a third class medical certificate, based on FAA standards. This medical certificate will ensure that the candidate must be within the limits with regards to blood pressure, color vision, hearing, near vision and distant vision. He or she must also be proven not to have any psychosis, bipolar disorder, severe personality disorder or substance addiction.
