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Private Pilot Certificate. What You Can Do. Fly in VFR weather conditions Fly at any time, day or night Fly without an instructor approving your flightplan Fly into/out of any civil U.S. Airport Carry passengers Passengers can pay up to their equal share of the flight costs. Why Fly?.
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What You Can Do • Fly in VFR weather conditions • Fly at any time, day or night • Fly without an instructor approving your flightplan • Fly into/out of any civil U.S. Airport • Carry passengers • Passengers can pay up to their equal share of the flight costs
Requirements on the Ground • Third Class Medical Certificate • Required for your first solo • Get this early in your training or before you begin • Valid for 3 years • 70% or better on written exam • Take the exam as early as you can • Exam cannot be taken without an instructor’s write-off.
Requirements in the Air • At least 40 hours of flight time (50-70 average) • 20 hours with instructor • 3 hours cross country • One flight over 100nm start to finish • 3 hours night • 3 hours instrument • 10 hours solo • 5 hours cross country • One flight over 150nm with three landings
A Typical Lesson • 2 hour block • 1 hour of maneuvers/skills practice near airport • Steep turns • Slow flight/stalls • Instrument flying • Emergency procedures • ½ hour of pattern work • Different types of takeoffs/landings • ½ hour to park plane, debrief lesson • Other lessons may be ground school or longer flights (ex: cross country)
What You’ll Fly • 2 Seater: Piper Tomahawk, Cessna 150 • 4 Seater: Piper Warrior, Cessna 172
The Checkride • Two parts • Oral Exam cover flight planning, “what if” scenarios, aircraft systems • Flight Exam is just what it sounds like • Start a cross-country flight • Basic Flight Maneuvers • Pattern work • Must pass every part
Checkride Tips • Plan ahead • Do all of the flight planning (except for the weather) the day before the exam • Be professional from beginning to end • If you’re unsure of an instruction, ask • Take your time • Be calm • Your instructor signed you off; you’re prepared
Cost • 2-Seat Airplane ~$90/hr (60hr = $5400) • Instructor ~$50/hr (35hr = $1750) • Examiner ~$350 • Written Exam ~$80 • Supplies ~$400 • Total: $7980
Cost • My cost • 51 flight hours @ $85/hr ($4335) • 30.5 hours instruction @ $60/hr ($1830) • Checkride ($350) • Supplies (~$400) • Written Exam ($80) • Total: $6995
What You Should Buy • Headset • Review book/practice test • Charts, AFD • Log Book • Flight computer • Fuel tester • Gleim kit has most of the above
Training in Boston • Three main airports • Bedford • Can get very busy with jet and small aircraft traffic • Great practice talking with a tower • Lawrence • Beverly • Public Transportation • T runs to Bedford from Alewife (Red Line to #76)
Pros of Training in Boston • Busy airspace • Lots of communications practice • Lots of practice sharing airspace • Lots of airports for cross countries • Can train during the school year
Cons of Training in Boston • Busy airspace • Some flights may be delayed on the ground or in the traffic pattern • Expensive • Other locales will have less expensive aircraft
Suggestions • Keep a computer backup of your logbook • Ask lots of questions • Find a pilot friend to ask if you don’t want to ask your instructor • Prepare as much as possible before the lesson slot begins • Weather briefing • Flight Planning • Preflight (if plane is available)
More Suggestions • Armchair fly before and after each flight • Remember what you did well, and think about how to improve • If you’re tired or not feeling well, take a break • Don’t be afraid to cancel a lesson • Listen to liveatc.net • Get more familiar with ATC and airport procedures • Hear and critique yourself on the radio • Fly often • The more you fly, the less time it takes to get your license (calendar time and logged flight time)