Learning to fly and getting a pilots license has always been a long expensive process that discourages many people that would very much like the opportunity to be pilots from taking the steps to do so. Getting a license to pilot Light Sport Aircraft could be the solution for you.
The initial qualifications are pretty basic:
* At least 17 years of age
* Valid state driver’s license
* Proficient in the English language
* Be able to affirm general good health and not using substances or medications that impede judgment, cognition, or motor skills
The number of hours involved in this type of license are pretty low as well. The minimum number of flight training hours needed to get a sport pilot certificate to fly an airplane is 20.
Those training hours will include dual instruction (with an instructor), cross-country flying (taking off from one airport and landing at another), and solo flights.
The number of days or weeks required to log those 20 or more hours of instruction is up to you and your instructor. You can set aside several days of flight instruction or you can spread out the flight lessons over a period of weeks. Totally up to what you can set up with your instructor or flight school.
You will also have to pass a written test to get your sport pilot certificate. You may take the test at any time during your flight training, or up to two years in advance of completing your training. A multimedia ground school test-prep course such as King Schools’ Computer-based Interactive Video Sport Pilot Knowledge Test can be a great help.
Before you can fly solo, you’ll need to get an Official Student Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Most flight instructors or schools can direct you to a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) who can issue the student certificate at a cost of approximately $ 50. Or you can go to any FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and get the certificate there.
As you can see, Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) can be the vehicle that allows you to get into the exciting world of aviation.
Fractional ownership could be the avenue that makes owning your own plane an affordable reality:
