Private Pilot Requirements
- You must be 17 years old and be able to read, write, and speak English fluently.
- You must pass the basic medical exam that all applicants are required to undergo, certifying that you meet the medical standards for safely operating an aircraft.
- You’ll need a minimum of 40 hours of flight training, though the average time in the U.S. is around 60-70 hours. This training must include a minimum of 20 hours of dual instruction including:
- 3 hours of cross-country to airports more than 50 miles away
- 3 hours of instruments
- 3 hours of night including a 100 nautical mile round trip and 10 night takeoffs and landings
- 3 hours of instruction within 60 days prior to your practical test
- 5 hours of cross-country including a 150 nautical mile round trip
- 3 takeoffs and landing at an airfield with a control tower
- You must pass the private pilot knowledge test with a score of 70% or better. The test is 60 multiple choice questions from the FAA’s databank of about 700 questions . You can prepare for it in many ways, including classroom ground school taught by certified ground school instructors located at our club house, by home study with books or DVDs.
- The final step is the practical flight test with an FAA-designated examiner. Nationwide, the pass rate is about 90% for students on their first try! The exam contents are defined by the FAA’s Practical Test Standard (PTS), and includes both an oral exam and a flight test.