Discovery Flight
This is a great way to get a basic understanding of what it takes to fly an airplane with a certified instructor. The instructor will walk you through what a pilot checks before flying, how and where to take off and land, as well as some basic maneuvers in the air! All in a way that makes you feel at ease. For anyone interested in learning to become a pilot or even wanting to fly just for fun – you can’t go wrong with a Discovery Flight.
Private Pilot
Your discovery flight went well. You are interested in flying and want to become a pilot, great you have come to the right place! Here are some of the requirements that you and a certified instructor will work towards:
Must be 17 years or older
Receive an endorsement from a certified flight instructor
Must be able to get a medical license
Do some basic maneuvers
Complete a solo cross country
Landings and takeoffs at a towered airport
It may seem like a lot but the time goes by as quickly as you build your skills. Most pilots are happy to get their Private Pilot license this will allow you to operate a single engine plane in VFR conditions (visual flight rules). However, you can get more ratings which helps your confidence and enhances your abilities as a pilot!
Instrument Rating
So you you received your Private Pilot license, now you can fly alone or with friends/family! However, you are limited to flying in certain conditions. Perhaps your concern is that the weather could turn to where you can't see the ground during your cross country flight. Or maybe you would like to work on your communications with ATC. Perhaps you are unsure if you will enter IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) when you are near your destination or have to land in an emergency situation. Here are some of the requirements that you and a certified instructor will work towards:
Must have a Private Pilot license
Must complete 50 hours of cross country time
Must have 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time
One 250 NM instrument cross-country with a different instrument approach at each airport. 3 approaches total.
Commercial License
You have enough interest in being a pilot that you would like to make it a career. A commercial license (with an instrument rating) opens some avenues. You can apply to fly charter flights, rescue operations, firefighting missions, crop dusting flights, and take aerial photographs. Or perhaps you want to build more hours locally and teach others to fly by getting your CFI, CFII and/or MEI ratings while you work towards your ATP. Here are some of the requirements that you and a certified instructor will work towards:
Must have a Private Pilot license
Have 250 hours of flight time
100 hours PIC
50 hours cross country
10 hours of simulated instrument training
One 2 hour, 100nm cross country training flight
One 2 hour, 100nm night cross country training flight
10 takeoffs and landings at a towered airport
One 300nm cross country flight in a single engine airplane, with landings at 3 points, and one point at least 250nm away from the departure point
Do some maneuvers