FLIGHT Training

PPL stands for Private Pilot License. That is the first goal of becoming a pilot. This license establishes foundational knowledge and skills for all future training as a pilot. With a PPL, a pilot can fly an airplane day and night in visual flight conditions. He or she can even carry passengers but with some restrictions. For example, a pilot with a PPL cannot fly for paid compensation or hire, but he can share operating expenses with passengers. 

To be eligible to obtain a PPL, certain requirements must be met. They are as follows:

• Be at least 16 years old to fly solo
• Be at least 17 years old to receive a private pilot certificate
• Read, write, speak, and understand English
• Receive a third-class medical certificate
• Perform basic math: add, subtract, multiply, and divide

There are four steps to becoming a private pilot. They typically take about 90 days. The steps are as follows:

1. Meet the requirements - This can be done by creating a checklist of all requirements, such as age, paperwork, and skills to become a student pilot. 
2. Complete ground school - These classes cover a wide variety of topics to prepare a student for flight training, such as aerodynamics, weather, flight planning, and navigation. Ground school usually takes about four weeks to complete. A student will most likely take part in flight simulator training while going through ground school. Once ground school is finished, an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) written exam must be passed. 
3. Complete flight training - The FAA requires 40 hours of actual flight training in order to earn a PPL. This includes day and night flying, cross-country, and other types of flight training requirements, such as various maneuvers. The flight instructor will train the student in all required skills, and it is possible that most student pilots train 50 or more hours to build the skills and confidence she needs. These skills can be expanded in a simulator.
4. Pass the check-ride - Once the flight instructor feels a student is ready, he or she will sign off and arrange a final check-ride with an FAA examiner. This is an opportunity to demonstrate the student's knowledge and skills as he/she plans a flight, interacts with ATC (air traffic control), flies maneuvers, and follows all directions from the examiner. When the check-ride is passed, a PPL is issued.