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What's the difference between a Private Pilot's License (PPL) and a Private Pilot certificate?
There is no difference. The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARS) generally use the term certificate instead of license, while Private Pilot License, or PPL, is slang for the same thing.
How old do I have to be to start training?
You can start training at any age; however, you need to be at least 16 years to fly solo and 17 years to obtain your private pilot license.
The regulations say a person may obtain their Private Pilot license in 40 hours. Is this really possible?
Though obtaining a license in that amount of flight time is legally possible, in reality the vast majority of students don’t come close to that number. The reason is that there is another set of requirements, the Practical Test Standards, or PTS, that are rarely referred to when flight training is discussed. The focus most of the time is on the total hours required, because that’s what is paid for by the student, but the PTS must also be considered.
What are the Practical Test Standards?
The Practical Test Standards are the minimums set out for each area of knowledge and operation that an applicant must meet to earn any certificate or rating. The reality is that most students can’t master the minimums of the PTS in the minimum 40 hours.
If most students can't earn their Private Pilot license in 40 hours, where did that number come from?
The 40 hour rule was adopted in 1945. That’s over seventy years ago! The rule came at a time when trainer aircraft were much lighter, less powerful, less complicated, and easier to learn how to fly in than today’s modern aircraft with all the advanced systems and avionics. Also flying was simpler back then in terms of airspace, regulations, etc. The rule is outdated, but talk of increasing it to a more realistic number is always met with strong resistance from pilot advocacy groups, so the rule remains despite the fact that most students will exceed it in pursuit of their certificate.
How many hours and how long does it really take to get a pilot’s certificate?
The average student can earn their private pilot’s certificate in the 70-80 hour range of flight time if they complete the training in under a year. This includes time spent with a flight instructor (dual) and time spent flying alone (solo). The actual number for each individual, however, varies greatly, so the short answer is it depends on you. Several factors determine how long and in how many hours it takes for any individual student to obtain a certificate or rating. The biggest factor is how often a person trains. Flying an airplane requires the development of certain hand-eye-foot coordination motor skills. Just like learning to play a musical instrument, hitting a tennis ball, or typing, the only way to obtain a specific motor skill is to practice it, and the more often a person practices, the quicker they will develop the skill. Another factor is the individual’s natural abilities. Some people are just better than others at certain skills and tend to pick them up more quickly. That doesn’t mean someone who’s a little slower can’t or won’t pick up these skills, it might just take them a little longer. Another factor is how much effort someone puts forth. You only get out of anything what you put into it, so if a person has a good attitude towards flight training, works at it, and puts forth a good effort, they will see results in much less time.
How much will it cost to obtain a Private Pilot license?
Flight training costs will vary from student to student. You should expect to spend a minimum of $7000, and that’s if you could do it in the bare minimum of 40 hours of total flight time and 20 hours of dual instruction. To do it in those times may be legally allowed, but it’s not very realistic, as it leaves absolutely no time allowed for any ground instruction, the extra flight and dual instruction that will invariably be required, the cost of books, tests, etc, so the price goes up from there.
What are the main costs involved in flight training?
The two main costs are the rental cost of the airplane and the instructor’s fee. The cost for the plane will vary from lesson to lesson, depending on how much time you put on the plane during that lesson. Most trainer aircraft have what’s known as a Hobbs meter on board to record the flight time for each lesson. The Hobbs only accumulates time while the airplane engine is running and Hobbs time is what is logged and counts towards your flight hours total. The Hobbs reads time in hours and tenths of an hour, so if in one lesson you put 1.2 hours on the Hobbs, you would pay 1.2 times the current hourly rate of the plane. The other cost is for the instructor’s time. If a lesson is two hours long, you would pay for two hours of the instructor’s time at the current instruction rate, and so on.
What are your current hourly rates?
Rates vary according to factors such as the current price of aviation fuel. Please contact me for my current rates.
Are there any other costs involved?
There are additional costs for the medical exam, the written exam, books and materials, and the practical test, or checkride in pilot lingo. Figure at least $700 for these.
What’s the difference between Part 61 flight training providers and Part 141 “Approved Schools?
Part 141 schools are “approved” because they have submitted their curriculums to the FAA for review. The FAA has “approved” their training program. Part 61 schools teach under another set of the regulations which are also approved but more general. While both types of school are legal to provide flight instruction, the main difference is in their approach. Part 141 schools tend to be larger schools that cater to students with a professional pilot career in mind. This approach, however, locks the school and the student into a very rigid training process that must be strictly adhered to with little room to adjust to any student’s individual needs. The structure of their curriculum is intended to get a large number students through the process quickly. It is a more cookie-cutter style approach. Part 61, on the other hand, is more appropriate for the average student that wants to learn to fly for pleasure. Part 61 allows instructors a much greater latitude in developing their own course of training, allowing the instructor to tailor the training to each individual student’s specific needs.
The minimum hours required for a private pilot's license at a Part 141 school is only 35, compared to 40 for Part 61. Wouldn't it be less expensive going Part 141?
You might think that would make sense, but in reality the costs are higher for the 141 school due to the extensive record keeping and scrutiny they receive from the FAA, and those costs get passed on to their students. You actually pay more but get less. Also, these are just MINIMUMS and the actual number of hours a student will need is generally much higher at either school, so any advantage in hours saved is usually a non-factor.
I have a certain time frame in mind for completing the training. Can I reasonably expect to meet my goals?
Absolutely! In fact, a good place to start is to think about how long you would like to take to complete the training. Is it six months, a year, more, or less? Once a specific time frame is determined, I can more accurately estimate the total number of hours and the number of times a week a student should come out to reach their time goal. This also helps determine a realistic estimate of what the license will actually cost.
How often do you recommend a student train?
If a student is able to financially and time-wise, I recommend that they try to fly twice a week . This gives the best value as far as getting done in a reasonable amount of time at a reasonable total cost.
How long is each lesson?
For the first several lessons, I usually recommend a 3-hour lesson. There’s a lot of preliminary material to cover and you are going to be slower at doing things as you get to know the routine, so that amount of time works well. After you start to get up to speed with the lesson routine, running checklists, positions of the equipment in the cockpit, etc., we can eventually cut the lesson back to two hours. I’ve found that for the average student this is an optimal time for both absorbing the training material and guarding against mental fatigue. The airplane isn’t physically demanding to fly, but can be mentally tiring. A sure sign that a student is getting tired is when they start making simple mistakes, or mistakes they were’t making at the beginning of the lesson. When that starts to happen, the learning process for that lesson is over and it’s time to go home. Most students can easily go two hours before fatigue creeps in. Of course, some student like to go two and half hours, or even maintain the three hour lesson. That’s up to the individual student, but two hours is usually the minimum.
Other schools say an hour lesson is typical. Why do you recommend at least two?
In a typical two hour lesson, you will average around an hour of flight time in the airplane. The rest of the lesson time is spent doing the pre-flight inspection, weather briefing, lesson briefing, and post-lesson debriefing.
Can I reduce my cost in any way?
One way to keep the total cost down is to stick to a regular training schedule. The bane of flight training for the student is long breaks between lessons. Flying skills deteriorate rapidly if not being used, even more so when you are first trying to develop them. This leads to frustration and much additional cost to the student as they repeat training to gain back the skills they have already paid for at least once. Another way is to come prepared before showing up for the lesson. I tell my students at the end of each lesson what to expect to cover next time, both in the plane, and if for some reason we can’t fly, what we will be covering in ground school.
How does ground school work at Wayne and Plane?
Ground instruction is conducted whenever we can’t fly or we need to cover a subject in more depth. The main reason for not flying that particular day is usually weather related, but the occasional mechanical problem may occur.
Should I complete the ground training before beginning the flight training?
Some schools prefer to get the ground out of the way first, but I feel it’s better for the student to coordinate the ground training with the flight training if possible. This reinforces the concepts better for the student, leading to better recall. Remember, that if you take the average time to complete the training, you won’t see some of the subjects again for a long time. I guarantee that you will forget them and will have to do the study over again, anyway.
How much ground instruction is required, and how much does it cost?
While there is no minimum amount of ground required, each ground subject must be covered and logged in your log book. The average amount of ground time is around 30 hours, but it depends on how much the student prepares themselves before the lesson. This is an area where the student can definitely cut down on their expense. Ground is charged at the same rate as flight instruction per hour.
What about video or online ground courses? Can I use those for my ground?
While there are several good ground courses available, no instructor can know about each and every one, especially considering how often new ones appear or old ones are revised. We simply don’t have the time or financial resources to review each one. You need ground instruction because the regulations require it, you need the knowledge to be able to safely and legally act as a pilot, and it prepares you for both the written exam and the oral question phase of the checkride. It’s part of the instructor’s job and duty to teach all the ground material to each student. Instructor’s certify that they have given all the required ground and flight training through the use of endorsements. An endorsement is required for both exams, and is the instructor’s oath that he fulfilled his legal, moral, and ethical obligations to everyone involved. A good instructor takes their endorsement authority very seriously. It’s unfair to ask an instructor to sign you off for any exam for which he has not personally given all the required training, and illegal for him to do so. Think of those courses as an enhancement to the instructor’s teachings. I personally don’t encourage nor dissuade any student from using any source of information that they feel may help them to become a better pilot. If it works for you, go for it!
When are classes starting?
Classes start whenever you are ready to begin. All training sessions are conducted one-on-one (whether ground or flight training) and can be scheduled to begin once you are enrolled in a specific course.
Once I start, how do I schedule a lesson?
All scheduling for Wayne and Plane is done through the
Schedulemaster.com online scheduling service. You’ll receive your login and can schedule at your leisure.
Can I fly during the winter months?
Yes. In fact, since it takes the typical student at least a year to complete the entire course, they have a chance to fly in all four seasons. Michigan is actually a great place to learn to fly because we have four very distinct seasons, each with their own weather challenges. You don’t get that in some places like Florida or Arizona, where a lot of training occurs because of the more consistent good flying weather those places get. Students that train in those places aren’t weathered out as much as we are here, but they don’t see nearly as much “real life” weather as someone who trained in Michigan.
Can I go on an introductory flight prior to enrolling in a course?
It depends. If you are already convinced that you want to pursue your license, then spend the money on your first lesson. If on the other hand, you aren’t quite sure if flying is for you, then an introductory flight is the perfect way to find out. See my
Discovery Flight page for information and pricing.
What are your business hours?
Wayne and Plane offers flight training seven days a week. The one-on-one flight instruction allows a flexible training schedule which may include morning, afternoon, and evening hours. I really have no set hours. I make myself available for YOUR convenience to fit YOUR busy lifestyle, so you as my student ultimately determine my schedule.
Are small aircraft safe?
Small aircraft are very safe if operated and maintained in the proper manner. The most dangerous part of any flight is the drive to and from the airport!
Who maintains your aircraft?
Our fleet aircraft are maintained to the highest standards by myself personally, an FAA licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A&P) and FAA Authorized Aircraft Maintenance Inspector (IA). No other instructor is, nor does any other school in the area have, an instructor with my maintenance experience or credentials who actually flies in the aircraft he maintains. That means my bacon is on the line with yours, so I had better do it right! Instructors at other schools get in with you and hope for the best, but I have an intimate knowledge of the maintenance condition of the plane I fly. So, now who do you want to fly with?
How do I get more information on flying?
How does payment work? Is there any deposit or prepayment required?
There is no deposit or prepayment required to fly. At the end of each lesson, you pay by cash or personal check. Or if it would be more convenient for you, a deposit can be made and a draw account set up.
What medical requirements are there for pilots?
Currently, an aviation medical is required for every pilot certificate except the Light Sport certificate, which only requires a driver’s license. For a private pilot, at least a Third Class aviation medical certificate is required. These are valid for five years, until your first medical on or after your 40th birthday, after which they are good for two years. Also, for student pilots, you will have to obtain a medical before you can solo.
Can any physician perform an aviation medical exam?
Aviation medicals are performed by a doctor who has been designated as an Aviation Medical Examiners (AME), also sometimes referred to as a Designated Medical Examiner (DME). Only an AME/DME can issue an aviation medical.
How do I choose an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)?
While there are several AMEs in the area, most don’t specialize in aviation medical issues and do them as a small but potentially lucrative addition to their practices. For several reasons, such as liability or fear of having their designation revoked, an AME may fail an applicant for a condition that may be perfectly acceptable if handled in the proper manner, and you definitely do not want to fail your medical. A failed aviation medical is usually a very costly, time consuming ordeal that will definitely ground you for a long time, and in many cases end your career as a pilot. It is a serious matter for all pilots who want to keep their privileges. As such, I recommend going to an AME who specializes in aviation medical issues. Luckily, we have one of the best in the area, Dr. Greg Pinnell and I highly recommend him for your aviation medical exam. Dr. Pinnell handles routine aviation medicals, but specializes in problem medicals. He is a Senior AME and is well respected in the aviation community and at the FAA Medical Division, and is a fellow pilot who understands medicals from a pilot’s point of view. While he cannot guarantee that he will be able to issue a medical to every applicant, he specializes in navigating the complicated and confusing FAA medical process, and if it’s at all possible he’s the man who can get it done. Locally, he has an office at the Oakland-Pontiac International Airport in Waterford. You can contact Dr. Pinnell at 989-245-4494 or visit
airdocs.net to schedule an appointment.
I have or think I may have a disqualifying medical condition, what should I do?
First, don’t give up on your dream of flying, it might not be as bad as you think! Things are constantly changing in aviation medicine and many conditions that were once disqualifying are not any more. You may be able to get what is known as a Special Issuance medical, which is a medical with certain restrictions, or even an unrestricted medical, depending on your particular condition. Definitely talk to Dr. Greg Pinnell
BEFORE you do anything else, especially fill out your application. He can counsel you before anything is submitted to the FAA and explain all your options. You can contact Dr. Pinnell at 989-245-4494 or visit
airdocs.net to schedule an appointment.
How do I apply for an aviation medical exam?
All medical applications are handled online through the FAA’s
MedXPress website. On your first visit, you will establish an account then have to complete the application before arriving for your appointment. When you arrive, the doctor will retrieve your application from the system.
What test(s) do I need to complete to get my private pilot license?
The first test that you will take is the Pre-solo Written Test. This is a regulation mandated test that all instructors must give before allowing a student to solo. The next test is a computerized multiple-choice exam called the Private Pilot Knowledge Test. This test is taken after completion of the ground instruction portion of the course and requires an instructor endorsement. Upon completion of your training here at Wayne and Plane, you will take the Practical Exam, or checkride, with an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, or DPE. The DPE will test you on your aeronautical knowledge in an oral examination, as well as your flying skills in the plane. After you have demonstrated that you have met the requirements of the Practical Test Standards to the DPE, they will issue you your temporary certificate with all the privileges of a private pilot license. Congratulations!
Do flight instructors issue pilot certificates to their students?
Yes and no. Prior to April 1, 2016, a student would receive a combination student pilot certificate/medical certificate from a Designated Medical Examiner, the student portion being good for two years. The instructor issued solo privileges to the student through endorsements of the student’s medical certificate and logbook. After April 1, 2016, the rules changed. DMEs will still issue the medical portion, but instructors are now able to issue the student pilot certificate portion. The new cert will have no expiration date. The student will still require an instructor endorsement in their logbook to validate the certificate. At that point, the student actually becomes a licensed pilot. The only difference between a licensed student pilot and a private pilot is a private pilot has the added privilege of being allowed to carry passengers. After you pass your checkride, the DPE will issue you your private pilots certificate with full private privileges.
How do I apply for a pilot certifcate or rating?
All applications for pilot certificates or ratings are handled through the FAA Integrated Airman Certificate and Rating system (IACRA). You will have to set up an account
here. Make sure to remember your login information, you will have to give it to both your instructor and the DPE at some point.
When I get my private pilot license what can I do with it?
The sky is the limit! The Private Pilot certificate enables you to fly for fun and pleasure! You are able to rent our aircrafts and fly locally, fly a long cross country to another state, or just practice landings for a few hours on the weekend… The choice is yours!
Can I get paid to fly with only a Private Pilot's license?
In order to fly for compensation or hire, you need a Commercial Pilot certificate. A private pilot can, however, share certain expenses with their passengers on what’s know as a pro rata, or equal, basis. For example, if you fly with one other person, the allowable expenses can be shared 50/50, if you fly with two others, the pilot must pay at least one third of the allowable costs.
How many hours do I need to obtain a Commercial license?
A minimum of 250 hours of total flight time is required for the Commercial Pilot’s certificate. Click
here for more information on the Commercial certificate.
What do I need to do to stay current once I have my pilot license?
Maintain at least a current third class medical certificate, complete a flight review with a FAA Certified Flight Instructor every two years, and if you want to carry passengers, log 3 take-offs and landings within the last 90 days, that’s it.