The Private Pilot Certificate:
The
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has minimum requirements to become a
private pilot:
You must read, speak and understand the English language.
There is no minimum age to take flying lessons, however, you must be at least 16 years of age to fly solo and 17 years of age to receive a private pilot certificate.
You must have a third class medical certificate issued by an FAA medical examiner. Even if you don’t have perfect vision or are color blind you can pass this medical exam. You may take flying lessons without a medical exam, but may not fly solo.
You must have at least 40 hours of total flight time and at least 20 hours with a Certified Flight Instructor.
Training
The
training sessions are scheduled in two-hour blocks at your convenience seven
days a week starting at 7:00 a.m. to 9: 00 p.m.
During
this time, you and your flight instructor will complete ground and flight
instruction.
Salem
Air Center Flight Training uses the Gleim training package that includes
training C/D’s, multi-color text books, and workbooks. This program has been
used internationally and has proven to be an excellent tool to complete your
flight training. We also offer week-end ground schools.
The
training is broken up into three stages:
The
first stage is preparing you to solo (which means flying without your
flight instructor in the aircraft). In this phase of your training you learn
about slow flight, stalls, ground reference maneuvers, climbs, descents,
straight and level, radio procedures, aerodynamics, take offs and landings.
Mastery of these maneuvers allows you to solo under the FAA minimum
requirements.
The second stage is geared toward navigation and cross country work. In this stage you focus on cross country planning, maximum performance takeoffs and landings, understanding weather, lost and diversion procedures, night flying and navigation, weight and balance, and advanced chart reading. Once you have completed these tasks you are able to fly solo cross countries to airports within the Northwest.
The
third and final stage is the preparation for your check ride. In this stage you
review all of the above procedures to the standards outlined in the FAA
Practical Test Standards. The PTS is the outline of the flight and knowledge
requirements in order to pass your private pilot check ride. The check ride is
taken with an FAA approved examiner. It is typically 4-6 hours long and
consists of oral testing and a check flight. Once you have passed this check
ride, you are a certified private pilot. This means you can fly anywhere in the
United Stated under Visual Flight Rules (VFR conditions).
Instrument Rating
The
FAA has minimum requirements to receive an
instrument rating:
1.
Hold a current Private Pilot Certificate.
2.
Read, write, speak English.
3.
3rd. Class medical.
4.
Have completed 50hrs of cross-country flight as pilot in command.
(However,
an instrument student does not need 50hrs cross-country time to begin his/her training.
Many cross-country hours may be accumulated in the course of IFR training).
5.
Have completed 40hrs of dual instruction in either simulated or ‘actual’
conditions. That is, ‘under the hood’ utilizing a view limiting device or in
actual ‘in the clouds’ conditions.
Second
Stage: We will take stage 1 skills and incorporate them into the larger picture
of VOR, DME, localizer, and ILS navigation. We will utilize IFR approach and
enroute maps to see
Third
Stage: This takes your skills and puts them in the real world of weather, air
traffic control, cross-country planning and emergency preparedness. The goal is
single pilot confidence and proficiency in the IFR world. After this stage, you
will be ready to pass the Instrument Rating check ride with an FAA approved
examiner, and just as importantly, fly safely to new destinations in the
clouds.
