There are a few different types of pilot licenses.  Pilots need a Commercial License to work in the aviation industry.  Pilots for large airlines need an Air Transport License to fly those big jumbo jets.  Flight instructors carry a Certified Flight Instructor certificate.  But by far the majority of pilots are what are called Private Pilots – pilots who fly for their own private enjoyment. Anyone just starting out in aviation begins by working toward their Private Pilot License.

 

In a nutshell, all you need to get a private pilot license is to pass a checkride with an FAA authorized examiner.  Remember the driving test you took to get your driver’s license?  It’s kind of like that only in an aircraft.  Pass the checkride, and the examiner issues you your Private Pilot License right there on the spot.  Of course, the real work goes into preparing you for that moment, to make sure you pass on the first try.

 

Your pilot training can be divided into the time you spend in the air flying with a flight instructor, and the time you spend on the ground studying up on aviation information.  Most student pilots expect to spend all their time in the air, but there is an extensive amount of aviation knowledge required to be a pilot.  So much so that student pilots have to pass a written FAA knowledge test before they are allowed to take their checkride for a license.

 

You should think about your training as two parallel training courses – flight time and ground school.  Some students work on both at the same time.  Some finish their ground school completely before ever beginning to pay for flight instruction.