In case you have always wondered what it takes to learn how to fly, Jason Schappert of the MzeroA.com blog has written two excellent posts and has created one video that answers many of the questions you may have.
In the first post for the Let’s Go Flying blog, Jason covers the two key requirements in order to learn how to fly. These requirements are:
- The Age Requirement: In the USA, you must be at least 16 to solo and 17 to take your checkride.
- The Medical Requirement: You must be able to pass a medical exam that will certify you as being fit to fly. If passing is a concern, then you should consider light sport flying.
In the second post for his own blog, Jason has put together a short but very useful video that answers in more detail just what it take to get a private pilot certificate. This includes the solo requirements (three touch and go landings), the checkride or final exam where you can be asked anything, the three types of medical classes, the flight training requirements (a minimum of 40 hours in the USA but more likely 50 to 60 hours) and the costs involved.
And finally, Jason has put together a third post outlining the costs involved in learning how to fly. In this post, Jason gives a more detailed breakdown of the following categories of expenses:
- The airplane expenses
- The ground expenses
- The material expenses
Jason also concludes that you should not fall into the flight school marketing traps by reminding readers that while the FAA only requires a minimum of 40 hours and this figure forms the basis for how flight schools quote their fees. However, the national average is actually in the low 60s. In other words, shop around and always ask the right questions before selecting a flight school.