Flight simulators are used extensively for pilot training, especially for complex and very expensive aircraft.   While obviously they cannot substitute for real flying time, they do provide excellent learning opportunities for a very low cost and total safety.

Today’s common, inexpensive simulator programs are far and away better than even professional, FAA approved simulators of only a dozen years ago.  You can get sophisticated control mechanisms like yokes and pedals, throttle quadrants, dual screens, and so on.

Plus, you can do a host of other things ….  to learn more, see this section   http://www.livingpictures.org/flightsimulator.htm

The license is issued by the governing aviation authorities once the pilot has completed his training with a qualified instructor and has the necessary experience and knowledge. Most pilots get their basic training from private flying institutes; those who have started out with the armed forces get all the training and experience from there.

Certification comes in five categories. Pilot certificates include a student certificate that is issued by the aviation medical examiner. It is not mandatory to have any knowledge or experience; you must only meet the medical requirements. Then there is a sport certificate, where the applicant must have a minimum of five hours of solo flying. This is followed by a private pilot certificate, where the pilot must have thirty-five hours of flying, which includes twenty hours with an instructor and five of solo flying, some night flying, and cross-country flying; it also requires the pilot to clear an oral exam.

Commercial pilots must hold a valid private pilot license. A minimum of 120 hours of training time is essential, and this must include fifty-five hours with an instructor, ten hours of solo flight, and adequate night and cross-country flying. If flying for compensation, a medical certificate is required and needs to be updated every year. An instrument rating is an added qualification that most pilots must have. This is essential for flying in bad weather conditions. At the end of the training, the pilot has to undergo an oral, written, and practical exam, which then clears him for the license.

Among commercial pilots, being an airline transport pilot is one of the best options available. Some of the requirements include 1,500 hours of flying, an minimum age of twenty-three, and a more-than-average proficiency of the English language. All licensed pilots have to undergo medical tests under an Aviation Medical Examiner and must maintain their health records.

Pilot Training provides detailed information on Pilot Training, Helicopter Pilot Training, Airline Pilot Training, Commercial Pilot Training and more. Pilot Training is affiliated with Military Planes.

With the advent of flying, there arose various related aspects, and pilot training is one very important factor.

The word “aviator” is most likely derived from the Latin word Aviatrix, also used to denote lady pilots. An aviator can be described as someone who flies an airplane either professionally or for pleasure.

A pilot has to learn the various elements that aid him taking an aircraft up and in bringing it down again safely with no harm to man—this process of learning is known as flight training. A pilot has to undergo rigorous study and has to complete all levels of training before he is certified to fly. Some important topics of study would be the principles of flight, navigation, rules and regulations governing flying, meteorology, etc.

Aviators can be categorized as civilian pilots and military pilots. Civilian pilots also include airline pilots. Entry to this field has certain minimum criteria vis-à-vis physical health and a certain level of education, including includes English, math, and science. One has to be eighteen years of age to commence training and should be twenty-one years of age and should have completed 1,500 hours of actual flying at the time of he or she obtains a license.

But apart from all the technical aspects of flying, there are some other things that go a long way in making a good pilot. A calm demeanor in the wake of a crisis, an ability to keep panic at bay when in an emergency, a clear and thorough knowledge of the aircraft’s instruments, an ability to instill confidence in his crew and passengers, an ability to give clear, precise instructions, and, last but not least, excellent communication skills.

These days flight simulators are used extensively.    See our section of flight simulators.   www.livingpictures.org/flightsimulator.htm

Pilot Training provides detailed information on Pilot Training, Helicopter Pilot Training, Airline Pilot Training, Commercial Pilot Training and more. Pilot Training is affiliated with Military Planes.

The AH-1Z Cobra is an attack helicopter whose lineage can be traced back to Vietnam. The Cobra can carry an assortment of ammunition including but not limited to machine guns, cannons, rockets, air to ground missiles and air to air missiles. The cobra carries out a number of different functions. It supports marines on the ground. It attacks enemy armor, troops, and fortified positions. It also escorts other helicopters into landing zones where hostile fire is expected. Because of its thin profile the cobra can be very difficult to target by gunners on the ground. The Cobra has a crew of two pilots.

The UH-1 Huey is another helicopter that can not only trace is lineage back to Vietnam but was made famous by Vietnam. The Huey is used for utility missions. That’s everything from ferrying troops and cargo to transporting VIPs. The Huey has a crew of three, two pilots and a crew chief.

Next is the CH-46 Sea Knight. The Sea Knight is a medium lift, tandem rotor (one rotor behind the other) helicopter. The Sea Knight is primarily an assault helicopter. It can operate in day or night under all weather conditions. The Sea Knight also has a secondary cargo carrying capacity. The Sea Knight’s crew consists of two pilots, a crew chief and an aerial observer/gunner. The maximum speed of the Sea Knight is 165 mph and it has a combat radius of 184mi.

The CH-53E is next and it’s the largest helicopter in the US inventory. The CH-53E is nicknamed the Super Sea Stallion. The CH-53 is used primarily for heavy lift. It’s able to lift the LAV 25 Light Armored Fighting Vehicle, the M198 155mm Howitzer and it is able to recover every aircraft in the Marine inventory with the exception of the KC-130. Even though it’s primary job is heavy lift the CH-53 is also used for assault missions. The CH-53 crew consists of two pilots, a crew chief/right gunner, a left gunner, and a tail gunner. It’s able to carry a maximum of 55 troops. Its maximum speed is 180 mph and its range is 610 nm.

The last helicopter in the Marine inventory isn’t really a helicopter at all. Technically it’s called a tilt-rotor. It’s the MV-22 Osprey. It’s officially known as a powered lift vehicle, which means it can take off, and land vertically but behaves differently from a helicopter in horizontal flight. It combines the vertical landing capabilities of a helicopter with the speed of a fixed wing turboprop airplane. This aircraft will revolutnize marine amphibious operations by giving the marines a platform that can take off from a ship like a helicopter, dash to its target at over 300 mph and once there land vertically. The crew consists of two pilots, and a crew chief. The Osprey can carry a maximum of 32 troops or 10,000 pounds of cargo. The MV-22 has a maximum speed of 320 mph and a combat radius of almost 400 miles.

The Marine Corps motto is semper fidelis which means always faithful. The Corps and its pilots have faithfully and honorably served this nation.

If you want adventure, excitement and challenge become a Marine helicopter pilot.

Visit Helicopter Pilot Careers to learn more about careers flying helicopters.

A private pilot license can be obtained in the U.S. as long as you’re over 16 and can pass a Physical- a basic license allows you to fly single-engine aircraft. You can upgrade to a commercial or professional license as you continue on your quest. Here’s how to get a private pilot license:

You must be 16 or over and speak and read English fluently. Training requires fluency in English because it is the universal language used by all the world control towers and airports.

Do some research about flying lessons. Contact local aviation schools. Some local County airports have schools.

After finding a school that fits your needs and budget, enroll in the licensed flight training classes. flight school can cost around $6,000 for all the training including ground school and flight training.

As mentioned in my opening statement, a physical and medical certificate will be needed from a doctor that is qualified to perform an pilot physical. This will ensure you’re healthy enough to fly. If you don’t know where to go, the flight school should be able to help.
Ground school can take about 3 to 5 weeks.

After you have completed your ground school course work, you will need to sit for the FAA written test. The test is multiple choice. and you may need to find a test provider.
Flight training is next. 30-40 hours with an instructor. Your school should be able to provide access to a plane.

Perform a solo flight.

The final test is performed by an FFA certified examiner. the tester will ask you questions and go with on a flight to assess your skills. Once you pass the final test, you will be private pilot license holder with a visual flight rating (VFR) so you can fly a single engine aircraft at day or night in good visibility conditions.

Obtaining a private pilot license is hard but doable. Pick a good school, flight training is only as good as the teaching staff.

See Books & Stuff at my blog for more information on being a pilot…

Fly in Balance….

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The quest to learn to fly is a lot easier than what most people think. You don’t have to become a commercial or military pilot in order to fly.

You can be part of general aviation, or the area of aviation where pilots fly for the sheer enjoyment of flying.

Today there are thousands of potential pilots, just like you, who are learning to fly. They come from all walks of life and have various reasons for wanting to learn to fly. Some fly to expand business opportunities, while others seek to attain careers in the aviation industry. Some are even looking for an activity that they can share with their family.

Whatever your reasons may be, there are some basic requirements that you will have to meet in order to fly solo (which is a requirement to get your your license)

In the United States, you must be at least 16 years old (to fly solo), speak English, and pass a basic medical exam.

In Canada, you must be at least 14 years old (to obtain a Student Pilot Permit, 17 years old to obtain a license), speak English, and pass a basic medical exam. In Canada we also offer a Recreational License which takes half the time to get as opposed to a Private License, therefore it is cheaper.

In the United Kingdom, you must be at least 16 years old (to fly solo, 14 years old to start logging your time, and 17 years old to get your Private Pilot License), speak English, and pass a basic medical exam.

In Australia, you must be at least 16 years old (to fly solo, 17 years old to hold a Private Pilot License), speak English, and pass a basic medical exam.

That’s all. So, as long as you meet these requirements, you can take to the skies.

Please visit http://www.livingpictures.org/aviation  for a lot more information about aviation and flying, including aviation history, aviation employment, pictures of airplanes, experimental aviation (kit planes or home built airplanes) and aviation weather.

I am an avid supporter of flying.   I soloed at age 59, and it’s fantastic.   I wish to pass that passion on to others so feel free to spread the word.

40 Hours Total

20 Hours Dual Instruction

10 Hours Solo

Now in other places you may see some added information

3 Hours Instrument

3 Hours Night

5 Hours Solo Cross Country

Now this is correct and the FAA regulations for the private pilot license do state this. The things that are missed are all of the areas of operation within these requirements. Many times the student doesn’t realize what is exactly required, this can add up to more flights if something is missed by the flight instructor. The worst case scenario is this is picked up by the pilot examiner on flight test day.

If you have read over my Private Pilot License Cost section you can see that I break the cost down the same way. This is because you have to realize that there is a lot of subject areas that need to be DOCUMENTED. If they are not documented in your logbook you are not qualified for your flight test.

I can’t tell you how many stories I have heard from examiner friends of mine about this. It happens all the time on flight test day. In many cases the flight instructor is nowhere to be found and the student has to reschedule the flight test. This happens so often that I made some special sections in my book called ( Keeping Your Instructor In Check )

So I will point them out to you so you can double check your instructor. Once in a while a student of mine will remind me of something, even after 20 years of doing this. Better a week before the flight test than on you Private Pilot Flight Test Day.

The above requirements for the Private Pilot License are the Minimum Requirements. Within these requirements are a lot of subject areas.

In addition to the Aeronautical Experience Requirements ( Flight Time) There are Aeronautical Knowledge Requirements. Most people just look at this is the FAA written Test. You have to realize that once again your instructor has to DOCUMENT each of the subject areas. The FAA is starting to get very tough on this. If these subject areas are not documented on flight test day, the examiner walks out. Hopefully your instructor is somewhere to be found but if he/ she isn’t, then you will have to reschedule your flight test.

I will outline all of these Private Pilot License Requirements for you and try to make it as simple as possible. So like my cost estimates I will break everything down into:

Private Pilot License, Pre-Solo Training Requirements

Private Pilot License, Post-Solo Training Requirements

Private Pilot License Flight Test Requirements

Private Pilot Requirements

The reason I do this is so you can get an idea of what you are required to do at each stage of your training and then what is required for you to take your flight test. There are a lot of things to learn so my advice is to plan this process out before you spend a dime flying.

Hope to See You In The Sky

Airfreddy

About the Author: Frederick Longe has been flying since 1985. He has owned many airplanes and owned a flight school in Mesa, Arizona . He has logged over 9,000 Hours of flight instruction alone. In 1998 Longe was awarded one of the first Master CFI Designations in the country by the National Association Of Flight Instructors. Frederick Longe also has Two Degrees in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

You can find his book Airfreddy’s Guide on Learning to Fly at the link below:

Airfreddy’s Learn To Fly Book

1: Airplane Price Per Hour

2: Flight Instructor Price Per Hour

Depending on where you are in the country these rates can be dramatically different. These two rates will be the most important factors however, there are other factors that can dramatically increase your cost. I will give you some examples of things you want to look at.

1: The Flight School Itself: You need to poke your nose around the community and see what is going on. You will want to ask people who recently got their Private Pilot License and ask them how much it cost and how many hours they ended up having.

In many cases you will see much more than the flashy clean flight school. I know of many Flashy High Dollar Flight Schools that once you get out into the aviation community, you will want nothing to do with them. You may find many of the people you talk to ending up with an excessive amount of hours and may have had up to six instructors. I know this first hand since many of those students come to me half way through their training. This is one reason I always tell people to take some time and research and come up with a plan first.

There are on the other hand many flight schools that are concerned about their students and are willing to work with students to get them licensed in a cost effective manner. You just have to find them.

2: The Flight Instructor: If your instructor is not a good teacher your chances of getting your private pilot license in a cost effective manner get slimmer. You need to look into this. Other factors that have to do with the flight instructor is their aviation game-plan. If they are a good flight instructor that cares about his/her students you can plan with them and get things done in a cost and time effective manner. If you have an instructor that is just trying to get to the magic hiring number for an airline, your flight training will be compromised and you can plan on spending a lot more money.

3:Books and materials: In most cases you can get home study courses for about $200 or so. Some schools will require you get their $500 DVD packages. I have always told students to do what is best for them. All of the courses out there cover the same material taken from the official FAA publications. The material that is used for your practical test is the FAA publications.

4:Examiner Fees: This part most flight schools don’t even mention at all. Once again depending on where you are in the world, this price can vary a lot. One part of the country you may find a private pilot flight test for $200 but in others like here in phoenix it will around $400.

A few of these factors put together can make the difference between a happy safe confident Private Pilot and a frustrated student pilot. If you are on a tight budget and have been saving for a long time, these factors will make a difference.

Planning this out is the most important thing you can do. In order to pass the Private Pilot License flight test you need to be proficient. Depending on the rates, instructor, and Flight School You Choose, $8,000 – $9,000 is a realistic budget and finishing at 45-50 hours is realistic.

The Planning process is the most important part. There are many delays that can happen, weather, maintenance and people getting sick.

For Explaining this I break the Private Pilot License Cost down into four parts. I do this so you can understand each phase of training. Then we will add it all up and you can see were the expenses are coming from. I break everything down in the following manner:

-Private Pilot License Books and Materials Cost
-Private Pilot License Pre-Solo Pilot Training Cost
-Private Pilot License Post- Solo Pilot Training Cost
-Private Pilot License Flight Test Preparation Cost

Private Pilot License Cost

Each one of these areas has a cost. It is easier to understand when you have everything broken down in front of you. Planning for the Private Pilot License is the most important thing you can do.

About the Author: Frederick Longe has been flying since 1985. He has owned many airplanes and owned a flight school in Mesa, Arizona . He has logged over 9,000 Hours of flight instruction alone. In 1998 Longe was awarded one of the first Master CFI Designations in the country by the National Association Of Flight Instructors. Frederick Longe also has Two Degrees in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

You can find his book Airfreddy’s Guide on Learning to Fly at the link below:

Airfreddy’s Private Pilot License Manual

Openings In The Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army And Coast Guard

The openings for a career as a fighter pilot exist only in the Air Force and the Marine Corps. The Coast Guard or the Army does not have fighter pilots. In any case, you cannot directly become a pilot, let alone a fighter pilot. You must first become an officer and then, just before being commissioned, put in a request to become a pilot. If you are selected, you will have to undergo further training known as UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training).

Even after you are in pilot training, you will not know whether you will be a fighter pilot or will be flying helicopters or heavies. In the Air Force, you will find this out only after four to five months of training. The class will then be split up into different groups. Each group will be trained in flying different categories of aircraft. In the Marine Corps, it will take longer for this split meant for specialized training. Being a full-fledged fighter pilot in the Air Force takes around two years of training as a pilot.

Different Streams Through Which One Can Become A Fighter Pilot

Air Force/ Navy Academies – If you are passionate about being a fighter pilot, you have to start preparing for it right from school. You have to become an officer first, for which you need to apply to a service academy while in high school. A high school GPA of 3.8 is a minimum requirement. For math and verbal the minimum is 1050 and the SAT score should be 1300. You must also have a strong extracurricular activities record. This will make you eligible to compete in the entrance to one of the academies to become an officer. You would need to apply to either to the Air Force Academy (Colo.) or Naval Academy, Annapolis (Navy and Marines). If selected, you would go through extensive and rigorous military training. On completion of the course you will also be awarded with a Bachelor’s degree in science.
Other ways would be through the OCS (Officer Candidate School) or the ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps).

ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) – In the ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) you will go through your college/university education in the normal way but along with additional training fit to prepare you as an officer. This additional training will be through attending military training courses, weekly meetings. You will be required to spend at least one summer at a military training camp. Uniform requirements are only for attending military classes. Once you become an officer, you can then apply for being trained as a pilot. The medical and academic requirements are of high standards and the competition is very tough.

OCS (Officer Candidate School) – The OCS also known as the Officer’s training school is the shortest way to becoming a fighter pilot. A college graduate with absolutely no military background can become an officer within four months. He also would be required to apply for pilot’s training after becoming an officer similar to others. Since you are required to begin your pilot’s training before the age of twenty-seven, this gives you limited time to become a fighter pilot.

A career as a fighter pilot offers adventure, prestige and a high standing in society along with excellent monetary compensation. But it is not easy to become a fighter pilot. You have to face tough competition and undergo rigorous training to succeed.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

The pilots love fixed wing light sport aircraft because of their affordability, the comfort they offer and the high speed – up to 120knots/138mph allowed. The price of such airplane can beat the price of a new car and certification and education take much less than obtaining a typical private pilot license. Sounds good?

What does it take to obtain the license?
The education for becoming a light sport aircraft usually costs between $3,000 and $4,000. It will take you a couple of months or so to finish the course, depending on your availability. Here is what else is required:

1. Age. You can start the training after you are at least 16 and you can apply the test at 17.

2. English. You written and spoken English must be good. You can become a light sport aircraft pilot only in the USA.

3. Medical certification. You can use your USA driver’s license to prove that you are in good physical and mental shape.

4. Exams. You need to pass a written and practical exam.

It’s not that much, is it? The education includes 15 hours guided and 5 hours solo flight which should be enough for you to pass the exam. It is recommended however that you get few more hours guided flight before starting to fly your light sport aircraft “for real”.

What do you need to know when buying a light sport aircraft
It’s a good idea to get an aircraft that comply with the ASTM International standards for flight safety. Don’t worry, most light sport airplanes produced in the USA do comply with these guidelines.

What about the price? Well, if you want to buy new, you’ll need to prepare at least 40 thousands USD. That’s not much for an airplane, but is still a lot of money for the ordinary person. The cheaper options include buying a second hand light sport aircraft – you can find ones for 20 thousands or less. Alternatively you can join a shares club and buy 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 or 1/6 of an airplane. This means that you can fly regularly giving less than $10,000 for the airplane itself.

There is one more monetary advantage of being a light sport aircraft pilot. If you qualify for the FAA’s Light Sport Aircraft Repairman certificate you will be able to perform the annual inspection of your aircraft yourself. That can save you a lot of money and time.

Besides everything said above, you just can’t go wrong by obtaining a light sport aircraft pilot license. Even if you decide you want to become a private pilot of a larger aircraft later, all your hours LSA training will be applied to it. So there is really no reason to avoid the easier category first.

Flying a light sport aircraft is an exciting venture with very practical use. Come to learn more about light sport aircraft and ultralight airplanes on our site about ultralight aviation.