Become a Pilot!

Why learn to fly? The best thing about being a part of the aviation community is that you only need to have one thing in common with your fellow aviation enthusiasts; a passion for flight. You don’t need to fit a certain mold to become a pilot or enjoy flying. Aviation brings people together from all walks of life because anyone can fly. Even though it’s a small, rather tight-knit community, it isn’t difficult to be accepted into this faction of flight fanatics. Want to be a pilot? You’re in! Love airplanes? You’re in! Love to fly, or even the idea of flight? You’re in!

What is a pilot certificate? An FAA-issued pilot certificate is, literally, your license to fly. It proves that you are authorized to exercise the piloting privileges for which you have been certified. The general structure of FAA pilot certification is student pilot, sport pilot, recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, and airline transport pilot (ATP). As a beginner, you will need to obtain a student pilot certificate, as this is the certificate that will allow you to learn to fly, and a medical certificate, depending on the type of certificate you are working toward. A student pilot certificate is not necessary to begin flight training, but you will need it to be able to fly solo. As a student pilot, you will train for one of the following: sport pilot, recreational pilot, or private pilot. The most common certificates issued are sport pilot and private pilot. A pilot certificate never expires, however every pilot is subject to a flight review with a certified flight instructor (CFI) every two years from the month in which they were certificated. The flight instructor will endorse your logbook to prove the review was successfully completed.

What is a Student Pilot Certificate? One of the first steps toward earning your wings, is earning your student pilot certificate. Students working toward a private pilot certificate will need to undergo a routine medical examination administered by an FAA-designated doctor called an aviation medical examiner (AME). If the appropriate medical standards are met, the AME will issue you a student pilot certificate. Students working toward a sport pilot certificate can receive a student pilot certificate from a Standards District Office (FSDO) or FAA-designated pilot examiner simply by showing a valid U.S. driver’s license. A student pilot certificate is not necessary to begin flight training. The student pilot certificate is valid as long as the third-class medical certificate; until the last day of the month, two to five years from the month it was issued. For a private pilot certificate it is valid for two years if you are over 40 years old, and five years if you are under 40. For a sport pilot certificate, it is valid for five years. Once a student has accrued sufficient training and experience, a CFI can endorse the student's certificate to authorize limited solo flight in a specific type (make and model) of aircraft. A student pilot may not carry passengers, fly in furtherance of a business, or operate an aircraft outside of the various endorsements provided by the flight instructor. You MUST obtain a student pilot certificate before you are allowed to fly solo.