Obtaining Pilot Training and Licenses

Flying an aircraft is a daunting job for any pilot. Ultimately, the task of a pilot is to bring their passengers to different faraway locations using an aircraft. However, there is another duty that they have to fulfill. They hold in their hands the lives of their passengers, as well as the lives of the people in the places they fly over. This may be an overwhelming responsibility, but with confidence and proper training, a licensed pilot will be able to deliver such services without any problems.

Becoming a pilot is one of the most popular dream jobs for children not old enough to recognize the weight of becoming a pilot. It requires patience, perseverance, smarts, and confidence to acquire a pilot license. Aspiring pilots can enroll in a ground school or attend an aviation seminar, which enables them to learn necessary knowledge that are needed to pass written exams that will qualify them for hands-on training.

Several requirements are to be met to be qualified for pilot training. The government has set strict standards to be followed so that an aspiring pilot can acquire a license. They are:

• a pilot aspirant must be within the required age bracket of 17 years old and above
  
• must be well-equipped with knowledge regarding aviation; this requirement is met through passing the Federal Aviation Administration Knowledge Test
  
• must have proficient communication skills because they have to receive and give instructions as necessary
  
• must have completed a 40-hour flight training program
  
• must pass the medical examination as per FAA standards
  

To become a pilot, a student must receive proper education based on what license they aim to obtain. There are three levels of pilot license and they are as follows:

Private Pilot License
Pilots who possess Private Pilot License are allowed to fly non-commercial aircrafts for personal owners only. They do not receive a salary. Because of this, private pilots are known to be the most dedicated pilots among the three classes as they do not fly an aircraft for monetary gain, but for the experience and service to the aviation industry.

People who want to acquire a Private Pilot License are advised to attend a private pilot ground school. It is a school exclusive for private pilot aspirants, and is necessary to fully prepare them, knowledge-wise. Student pilots will learn details about basic aerodynamics, aircraft systems, flight, instruments, basic navigation, and many aviation-related topics that are sure to come up in written examinations. This ensures that they pass the written exam conducted by the FAA.

An alternative to private pilot ground school is the live online ground school, which enables the student to attend classes in the comfort of their home.

A private pilot can be either a recreational or a sport pilot.

Commercial Pilot License
Commercial pilots are allowed to be given monetary equivalents of their services. They may actively search for work. They also have permission to transport passengers in certain cases. However, they are not allowed to work for airlines that schedule flight operations for passenger transportation.

The requirements for commercial pilot license as agreed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) include the ability to speak, write, and understand English, a private pilot license, trainings for commercial pilot subjects, and a passing mark on written exams.

Airline Transport Pilot License
Airline Transport Pilot License holders are the pilots that have rights to be the aircraft captain. There are guidelines for eligibility in order to obtain an ATPL. One is that the candidate must be 23 years old and up, and has a good moral character. They must also have a commercial pilot license, and experience of 1,500 hours as a pilot, 500 hours of cross-country flight, 100 hours of night time flight, and 75 hours of instrument flight.

They are allowed to fly aircrafts that are scheduled to operate in airlines.

Aviation knowledge on the last two classes of licenses can be acquired by enrolling in a live online ground school and weekend ground school.

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