Live a Dream, Learn to Fly. Become a Pilot And Get Your Private Pilot License!!

Today I am going to explain a little bit about the aviation medical and the different types of Flight Schools. You are required to have an aviation medical to solo and once you are licensed fly on your own.

 

There are a few types of medical certificates for pilots. each one is for a different type of piloting desired.

 

The Aviation Medical: First thing is your local family doctor can't do this. Time after time I have had new students come into my office with a note from the family doctor stating they are fit to fly. In the case of aviation this won't work. You need to go to an FAA Approved Medical Examiner. In most cases it will cost you somewhere between $84 and $120 Depending on where you are in the country.

 

There are three classes of medicals for pilots. Each class is for different types of piloting operations. For a Private Pilot License you only need to have a third class medical but I tell people to get a first class medical the first time around and make sure there is nothing wrong with you. You don't want to get your Pilot License and then in two years not be able to fly.

In most cases students don't have any problems but every once in a while someone will get denied for some reason. Once this happens you could wait up to a year to get your medical if you don't know the system.


STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE: You will also need a Student Pilot Certificate. The aviation medical examiner also issues this certificate. You will need this before you solo. You will want to make sure you tell your examiner that you also need the Student Pilot Certificate. If for some reason you don't get it included with your medical, you can also have a Designated Pilot Examiner issue you one.

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Types of Flight Schools

There are two different types of Flight Schools, Part 61 and Part 141. The Part refers to the Section of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The one thing that most people don't understand is the fact that the certification will always come under part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

 

Once again this boils down to the flight instructor signing you off for your flight test.

 

The only difference between the two is an official FAA approval. The Part 141 flight schools have gone thru the process of getting their flight syllabus approved by the FAA. In most cases the syllabus is exactly the same as the part 61 syllabus with the exception of what is called "STAGE CHECKS". These are flights with another instructor to make sure you are progressing on the right pace. In many cases the part 61 Flight Schools will also have Stage Checks.

There are a lot of options out there that most people don't realize exist. Under part 61 you have a number of options. I have listed them below:


Part 61 Flight Schools: Most of the flight schools you will come across are part 61 flight schools.


Flying Clubs: Flying Clubs are another option that fall under Part 61.


Aircraft Ownership: Many people will decide that owning an airplane is the best option for them. You can own your own airplane and then hire a flight instructor to do your flight training in your own airplane.


Freelance Instructors: There are thousands of Freelance instructors out there that are not associated with traditional flight schools. I am a freelance instructor. The good thing about Freelance instructors is that many of them have been teaching pilots forever. The one drawback can be that they don't work with most of the flight schools on the airport. Sometimes finding an airplane to teach in can be a problem. Most of them will teach in privately owned aircraft.

Part 141 Flight Schools: Many people will just look at the title of being FAA APPROVED and start training. There are a lot of things you will want to look into if you are not going to be a full time student.


Like the flight training cost estimates I gave you in the first few lessons, all flight schools will give you price estimates based on the minimum required by the FAA, not a realistic estimate. Some schools will be a little straight forward about this but many won't. You don't want to start your training and then run out of money half way thru. Planning ahead is the most important thing when you are flight training for your Pilot License.

 

Tomorrows Installment is Flight Instructors and Training Schedules

 

Hope To See You In the Sky

Airfreddy

Airfreddy's Private Pilot License Guide

Private Pilot License Basics Day 7