Flight schools provide the required aviation training and skills for aspiring pilots. Aviation is an attractive career, but it takes quite a long way to get there, just like many other careers. If you are an aspiring pilot, prepare yourself for vigorous training because one needs specific hours of flight time experience and an understanding of the train’s engine before navigating a commercial or private plane. Here are the steps you must undergo to become a qualified pilot.
Earn your high school diploma
You have to complete your high school diploma first before you can think of a flight school. Subjects such as mathematics, physics, geography, and psychology are beneficial if you aspire to become a pilot. Moreover, if your dream is to work for international airlines one day, learning a foreign language is advantageous.
Research a suitable flight school
Research your flight training options by comparing different programs offered in flights schools. A flight school adequately prepares and trains you on operating a plane, including the technical and diagnostic side. Keep in mind that the responsibilities of a pilot go way beyond flying a plane.
A pilot is often in charge of the flight crew, enforcing aviation policies and decision-making that benefits everyone on the plane. Therefore a flight school ensures you get well-rounded training to be in charge of a private or commercial aircraft.
Find out the costs of flight school.
It will cost you an average of more than $80,000 to become a qualified pilot if you join a flight school with no previous experience. However, it costs less if you are starting with a private pilot certificate. Most of the flight schools include the flight training costs and certificate costs in their fee quotations.
The cost of learning aviation is not cheap, but flight training loans and financing options such as the gi bill for flight school are available to enable student pilots to pay their training fees.
Undertake an introductory flight training
You have to undertake introductory flight training before being enrolled in a pilot training program. The initial flight lesson allows you to get the first-hand experience of the training, airplane, and quality of instruction the flight school will take you through. It also enables you to experience what it feels like to control a plane.
FAA medical certificate application
Pilots are required to meet specific medical requirements to operate a plane. So you must apply for an FAA medical certificate beforehand through an Aeromedical examiner.
Apply for FAA student pilot certificate
Your flight instructor can help you apply for the FAA student pilot certificate through the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website. You might not need the certificate during your training in flight school, but you need it to fly solo.
Begin flight training lessons
From there, you can begin your flight training lessons. The only thing that you need to do is obtain aeronautical knowledge, skills, and pilot training experience requirements for becoming a pilot.
Pass your private pilot exam
You have to take the FAA private pilot knowledge test during your private pilot training program. Your flight instructor must endorse you for the test.
Pass your private pilot practical exam
The last step to becoming a qualified pilot is to undertake a practical exam with a designated pilot examiner. Once you pass this test, you are a qualified private pilot.
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