Your Air Fleet Flight Instructor will assist you with applying for your student pilot certificate prior to your first solo flight.  You will not need this certificate to begin your flight training. 

Your vision must be at least 20/40 for near and distant vision with or without corrective lenses, and you must be able to perceive those colors necessary for the safe pilot performance. For general health and medical related questions, refer to AOPA’s medical subject reports prior to visiting your AME.

There are a lot of variables that affect the cost of learning to fly, including the frequency of flight lessons, weather conditions, the kind of aircraft in which you are training and its availability for scheduling, and individual aptitude.

The time it takes to earn a pilot certificate depends on several factors, including how often you fly, weather, aircraft availability, instructor availability, study habits, and individual aptitude.

For private pilot training, the FAA minimum under Part 61 is 40 hours of flight time. Under an approved Part 141 private pilot course, the FAA minimum may be reduced to 35 hours. For an airplane single-engine private pilot course under Part 141, the FAA minimum includes at least 35 total hours of training, including at least 20 hours of flight training with an instructor and at least 5 hours of solo flight training. The solo portion also includes required cross-country training and takeoffs and landings at a towered airport. Although FAA minimums are helpful for planning, most students should expect to need more than the minimum number of hours to become fully prepared and confident. The average private pilot student completes their certificate in about 68 hours, depending on consistency, preparation, and individual progress. Students can complete training at a pace that works for their schedule. Lessons are scheduled based on student availability, instructor availability, aircraft availability, and weather. Students who fly more consistently often progress faster because they retain more between lessons and usually require less review.

Once enrolled, students also receive access to the Cessna Pilot Course. Much of the ground-school portion can be completed online, allowing students to study outside of the airplane, prepare more effectively for each lesson, and potentially save money by making better use of their flight time. These flight hours can be completed over several months, a year, or longer, depending on the student’s schedule and training consistency.

Part 61 and Part 141 are two FAA-recognized paths for flight training. Both can lead to the same pilot certificate or rating, and every student must meet the same FAA standards before earning a certificate. The biggest difference is that a Part 141 flight school follows an FAA-approved training syllabus. Our Part 141 program includes structured lessons, required training records, and additional FAA oversight. Part 141 schools must also meet FAA training-quality requirements and maintain strong student pass rates in order to remain approved.

Being Part 141 does not mean students are locked into a rigid schedule. Students can schedule lessons under both Part 61 and Part 141 based on their availability, instructor availability, aircraft availability, and weather. The advantage of Part 141 is that students still train at their own pace while following a clear, organized path designed to help them progress efficiently.

Our school is Part 141 approved and also has in-house examining authority for approved courses. This is a major benefit because eligible students may be able to complete their final certification process directly through the school, rather than relying only on outside examiner availability. Examining authority is granted only to qualifying Part 141 schools and reflects a higher level of FAA approval and oversight.

For private pilot training, Part 141 may also reduce the FAA minimum flight-time requirement from 40 hours under Part 61 to 35 hours under an approved Part 141 course, however, the average student completes thier certificate in about 68 hours. For an airplane single-engine private pilot course under Part 141, the FAA minimum includes at least 35 total hours of training, including at least 20 hours of flight training with an instructor and at least 5 hours of solo flight training. The solo training includes cross-country requirements and takeoffs and landings at a towered airport. Another benefit is that students enrolled in our program receive access to the Cessna Pilot Course. Much of the ground-school portion can be completed online, which helps students prepare before lessons, use their flight time more efficiently, and potentially save money throughout training.

A controversial subject at times, there is no doubt that modern technology has inundated the general aviation cockpit, including training aircraft. The choice is ultimately yours, but some things to consider will be the cost of training in the “glass cockpit” versus conventionally equipped aircraft. Additionally, your future ambitions might involve or require extensive use of glass-cockpit aircraft. In either case, train in an aircraft that best suits your present and future needs and interests.