Step by Step How to Become a Pilot

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TLDR

This article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are:

  • Determine your goal for flying
  • Meet requirements to become a pilot
  • Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot)
  • Obtain Student Pilot certificate
  • Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam
  • Find a flight school/flight club/instructor
  • Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride
  • Take and pass your Checkride
Step by step how to become a pilot

Have you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show.

So how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot:

Step by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate

  1. Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.)
  2. Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations/Requirements 
  3. Obtain the required Medical certificate
  4. Obtain a Student Pilot certificate
  5. Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam
  6. Find a school/ flight instructor to do your training
  7. Get through your flight training minimums
  8. Take & pass your your check ride 

#1 Your Goal for Flying

If your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates here.

#2 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate

  1. Be 17 years old
  2. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
  3. Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one)
  4. Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot)
  5. Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor
  6. Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests

*NOTE: You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor.

#3 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate

  1. Create an online application with MedXPress
  2. Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)
  3. Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate
  4. Read here for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying

*NOTE: We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam.

#4 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate

  1. Create an online application with IACRA
  2. Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English
  3. Have the RI submit the application
  4. Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail!

#5 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam

Determine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam.

A good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training.

In fact, the Part Time Pilot Private Pilot Online Ground School and Sport Pilot Online Ground School were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times.

#6 Find A School/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training

Once you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this.

You can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live.

#7 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements

Depending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we explain here, that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money.

 

There are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements here.

#8 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot!

Lastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE.

During your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA.

The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material.

The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money 

And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material

5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s

This is why I created the Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools

The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement: 

  • Mentoring students from start to finish
  • Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding 
LEARN MORE

How does Part Time Pilot compare to other Online Ground Schools?

I went to the website of each of the Top10 Online Ground Schools and gathered ALL the relevant info a student pilot like you needs to make an informed decision. 

Things like cost, student ratings, lifetime access or not, types of lessons, bonuses included, scholarships included, support available and more.

Then, I lined them all up and compared them all in a single table so that student pilots could make the best, most informed decision on their training. 

Click here to see comparison

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training. 

What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?

In order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements:

  • Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo
  • Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand English
  • Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate
  • Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate

How to become a Private Pilot?

In order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of:

  • Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo
  • Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand English
  • Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate
  • Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate

Then, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training:

  • 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students
  • 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article

Then, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam. 

Then, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam. 

How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?

This varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor. 

The FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document. 

Students that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons. 

Students that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months. 

And students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more. 

Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less?

Yes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons. 

How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?

The total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $14,000 to $17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US.

However, there are many people who have spent more than this in the $20,000-$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as $10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend $10,000 or less, join our free course on How to Become a Pilot and Save Money. 

How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?

The total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $65,000 to $135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish. 

There are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline in this article here. 

How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?

The journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews.

What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?

The fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible:

  • Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep
  • Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training
  • Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks
  • Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training
  • Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable
  • Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight

How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?

The following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate:

  • Cessna 152
    • $110 to $160 per hour
  • Cessna 172
    • $140 to $220 per hour
  • Cirrus SR20
    • $235 to $435 per hour
  • Diamond DA40
    • $180 to $250 per hour
  • Sling TSI
    • $180 to $250 per hour

For a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between $40 to $90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance. 

What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?

The cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called “How to Become a Pilot and Save Money” and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are:

  • Doing Ground School before Flight Training
  • Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep
  • Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck
  • Doing flight training at a Flying Club
  • Doing flight training in rural parts of the US
  • Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training
  • Flying during the sunniest months of the year
  • Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate
  • And more outlined in the Free “How to Become a Pilot & Save Money” course

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