Q.  How does a person get a pilot’s license?
A.  Pilot licenses are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  All FAA licenses require a knowledge test (done on computer), an oral examination, and a practical (flight) examination.  These examinations are completed after you are first trained and prepared to take them.

Q.  What types of licenses are there?
A.  At the entry level there are Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, and Private Pilot.  Sport pilot training is done in very light aircraft which we do not have here.  The Recreational Pilot certificate requires 30 hours of training and comes with many restrictions.  We feel the best entry-level license is the Private Pilot license which gives you much greater flexibility for only a few more hours of training (35 hours total under Part 141, 40 hours total under Part 61).

Q.  How quickly can I get a license?
A.  If you work a full time job but have evenings and weekends open (or the equivalent), you can expect to complete training in about three calendar months, weather permitting.

Q.  How much will it cost?
A.  Flying lessons are like taking any other kind of lessons – piano, golf, tennis – a lot of it depends on you and your ability.  We estimate that a license will cost you about $5,800 at today’s rates, if you can complete all the training in the minimum time.  If it takes you more time to learn, to be considered safe, it will cost you more.

Q.  How do I pay?
A.  You pay as you go; a credit card makes it easy to charge each lesson.  You can also pay with cash or check.  You do NOT have to pay it all up front.

Q.  Is financial aid available?
A.  Organizations such as Sallie Mae offer loans for this purpose.  We recommend you check their website.

Q.  Will military “Tuition Assistance” cover any of the costs?
A.  They will usually cover part of the cost of ground training, but you need to contact Base Education before you start.

Q.  Can I use my G.I. Bill?
A.  The G.I. Bill can be used, if you are eligible for benefits, but not for the Private Pilot license.  The G.I. Bill is supposed to be training you for a vocation or career, and they consider the Private Pilot license to be more of a recreational license.  Once you get beyond Private Pilot training (Instrument, Commercial, etc.) you can use the G.I. Bill to reimburse some of your expenses by enrolling with the Veteran’s Administration in one of our Part 141 courses here.

Q.  Do I need an FAA medical examination?
A.  Yes.  If you are enrolled under Part 61 you need a third class medical prior to solo.  If you are under Part 141 you need a third class medical before you start training.  If you go beyond the Private Pilot license and use the G.I. Bill, you need a second class medical – which is the minimum required if you are going to be a commercial (reimbursed) pilot.

Q.  I am an active military flight crewmember, do I still need to get an FAA medical?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Where do I get an FAA medical?
A.  We have a list of local doctors here, or you can go through the FAA website to search.  The cost varies.

Q.  I am an AF (or other military branch) pilot; what do I need to do to fly at the aero club?
A.  That depends.  If you have an FAA pilot’s license and it has single-engine land on it already, it is only a matter of a checkout for you to fly a single-engine airplane.  If you do not have that on your license already, we will need to talk to you to determine what aircraft you’ve flown, etc., and what needs to be done.  If you have an FAA license with multi-engine land on it, we will have to see if you have a centerline thrust restriction or not.

Q.  Do I need to prove my citizenship?
A.  Yes, we need to see a raised seal birth certificate or current passport before you start any training, in accordance with TSA rules.

Q.  What if I am not a U.S. citizen?
A.  There is a process you must go through that is outlined on the TSA website.

Q.  How soon can I start training?
A.  As soon as you can prove your citizenship and medical fitness for flight.

Q.  What days/times can I fly?
A.  We operate 24/7/365 and you can fly at any time that you can get an instructor to go with you for a lesson, or at any time if you are already a qualified pilot.

Q.  Is it safe?
A.  Despite the news media’s slant, light aircraft are very safe, and the aero club system has an even better safety record.

Q.  Do the planes have GPS?
A.  Most of them do not, but for the Private Pilot course you do not need it.

Q.  What can I do with my license once I get it?
A.  You can fly locally or long distance.  If you get sent on a TDY you can fly yourself there with an aero club plane and get reimbursed up to your expense or the cost of the airline ticket, whichever is lower.  If you carry other people (that are required to go) for the TDY, you can get reimbursed for the cost of their airline tickets also, since you provided their transportation.  If you carry friends somewhere you can legally share the expenses with them.