Become a Private Pilot

Private Pilot License

The Private Pilot Certificate is one of the first pilot licenses you can earn from the FAA. You will be able to fly friends and family in visual flight conditions (VFR). You will, however, not be allowed to fly for compensation or hire. Once you have your license you will be able to rent an airplane or even fly one you own!

Below are the minimum requirements to test for your private pilot's license. Please note, there is NO minimum age to begin flight training. These are the requirements you must meet when you finally test for your pilot's license.

Be at least 17 years of age
Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language
Obtain at least an FAA Third Class Medical Certificate
Pass an FAA Knowledge Test (Written)
Pass an FAA Practical Test (Oral and Flight)

FAA required 40 hours total time must Include:

Minimum 20 hours instruction

3 hours cross-country training
3 hours night training
3 hours instrument training
3 hours of checkride prep

Minimum 10 hours solo

5 hours solo cross-country
1 solo cross-country of at least 150NM with three landings

*Nationwide the average pilot takes between 60-85 hours of flight time to obtain their private pilot's license.

To obtain a private pilot's license, there are several materials that you will need to have and many others that are nice to have.

Aviation headset: You will need a headset with a microphone for communication with air traffic control and your instructor.
Pilot logbook: You will need to keep track of your flight hours and experiences in a logbook.
FAR/AIM: The Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) are the primary sources of rules and guidelines for pilots.
Ground school materials include textbooks from the FAA online ground school courses. FAA textbooks are free and can be found here: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation. Clipper Aviation also recommends both King Schools and Sporty's for their Private Pilot Ground School Programs.
Aeronautical charts: You will need to have up-to-date sectional charts, which show topographical and airspace information for the area you will be flying in.
Flight Bag
Aviation Flashlight

Please don't feel you need to go out and purchase all these materials at once. Your instructor will be a very valuable tool in ensuring you get equipped with the best gear. Not all pilot supplies are the same - our crew has seen the best and the worst and are excited to make great recommendations for you!

Next steps

Whether you are looking to fly for personal pleasure or aspire to a career in aviation, our private pilot program is the perfect first step toward getting to fly. Your first step will be to do a meet & greet and/or discovery flight to experience aviation. From there you will book further lessons (designed around your schedule to meet individual needs). After your first lesson, you will understand what it takes to become a pilot and already have plenty of homework to be well on your aviation journey. From start to finish you will have a team of mentors by your side to ensure you achieve your goals.

We invite you to contact us today to get started!

Get Started