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Originally Posted by sylar
I am a newb who needs a new hobby ( not really but let's assume I do ). I've kicked the idea of getting a pilot license since college, and probably should have done it before 2001 when I had the chance. What's the best and efficient (financially, safety-wise, as well as quickest) way of achieving this?
Find a good flight school and instructor. I've given advice earlier itt on how to do this, but basically you need to ask around (maybe call your local FSDO for a recommendation). Unfortunately it can be a hit-or-miss thing. If you get someone who's not really into teaching (i.e. just wants to build time), it could be a negative experience.
Getting your license can happen as quickly as you have time to allow for it. I think I got my ticket quicker than most (first lesson in February, license in June), but I know one guy who got his license in 3 weeks from zero time. He was very Type A, a PhD in EE who always went after things with incredible focus.
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From what I understand everyone starts with a single engine license, then with enough flight hours gets the 'fly-by-instruments' instruction, then what? Can you take a jet class after that? For general aviation, do I need to get certified for every equipment I want to fly?
FAR Part 61 specifies the requirements for the various licenses and ratings. For the Private Pilot License, see
FAR 61.109 which gives the breakdown of the hours required to get the license.
It might have changed somewhat from when I got it, but the minimum time was 40 hours, including at least 20 hours of dual instruction and at least 10 hours of solo flight. The other requirements you can read for yourself; there's too many to list here.
Getting the Instrument Rating (an add-on to your PPL) used to require a minimum of 200 hours of flight time, but here's the current requirements from FAR 61.65, and I don't see a minimum flight time requirement anymore:
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Aeronautical experience for the instrument-airplane rating. A person who applies for an instrument-airplane rating must have logged:
(1) Fifty hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in an airplane; and
(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in paragraph (c) of this section, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating, and the instrument time includes:
(i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in an airplane that is appropriate to the instrument-airplane rating within 2 calendar months before the date of the practical test; and
(ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight procedures, including one cross country flight in an airplane with an authorized instructor, that is performed under instrument flight rules, when a flight plan has been filed with an air traffic control facility, and that involves—
(A) A flight of 250 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;
(B) An instrument approach at each airport; and
(C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems.
Once you get a license, you can get training for a jet, but that will require a separate check ride for each aircraft type and you will get the Type Rating added to your license.
Your basic Private Pilot License will simply say "Airplane - Single Engine Land", meaning you can now
legally fly any single engine land-based airplane that doesn't require a Type Rating (aircraft more than 12,500 lbs and/or jet powered). But just because you're legal doesn't mean someone will rent you the plane. If you trained in Pipers and now want to fly a Bonanza, your local flying club will insist on some further dual instruction in this type of airplane to satisfy their insurance company.
If fact, even if you go buy your own Bonanza, your insurer will probably insist that you get some number of hours (5-10 probably) of instruction in that type before flying solo. If you're independently wealthy you can tell the insurance company to go pound sand and simply go fly that new plane.
And after the Instrument Rating, then what?
Well, there's the Commerical License, if you want to fly for hire; the Instructor license (CFI); Instrument Instructor (CFII); Multi-engine rating; Multi-engine Instructor (MEI); Airline Transport Pilot license (ATP).
And then you can think about other categories, e.g. rotorcraft, light-than-air.
Last edited by W0X0F; 01-14-2010 at 07:13 PM.