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

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.