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Flying a plane had away been a dream of mine and I am sure a dream of many and it is not a difficult task to achieve. In this article I will share with you the steps that you need to follow to gain your ticket to the sky.
In selecting your flying school, scout around at a few schools before making a decision on which one you will enroll with. Some key points may appear simple, but are very important. Ensure that the institution is clean as this points to how much detail is paid to maintenance of the office and the planes. As in all businesses customer service is very important and the aviation industry is no exception. Enquire about the number of flight instructors available as with too few instructors you may find yourself watching other people fly, while you sit on the bench waiting. Find out about the aircraft that are used for training (generally Cessna 152 or Cessna 172 or the Katana). Find out about their Insurance policy, maintenance schedule as well as their accident history (if any, how many and the details). Enquire about the fleet size and complement so that you can fly when you want to and you won’t have to wait long to get into the sky due to aircraft shortage.
The person who gave you the tour of the facilities will probably be the person who will become your flight instructor. One thing to keep in mind is that you are the client and that you are paying for flight instruction. If during the course of training you become dissatisfied with his/her training due to tardiness, etc. consult the owner and get a new instructor. Remember your paying big bucks for your pilot's license.
Now that you have your flying school and flight instructor chosen it time to get airborne. Before you start shelling out large sums of money for books and other training aids, request a familiarization flight, which usually lasts about 30 minutes. This will give you a good idea if you really want to become a pilot. The flight will cost you about sixty dollars. Once back on land you will be enrolled in a ground school program and a flight program by you instructor. In addition you will be given the name of a Aviation medical doctor who will give you a medical examination, which once passed will allow you to obtain a Student Pilots license.
Your private pilot's license will cost approximately $4000 US dollars, which is based on 40 hours of flying plus manuals. To be eligible for this license you must be 17 years of age and able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. Prior to the final examinations you will require a logbook endorsement from your flight and ground instructor certifying that your are ready for the knowledge test and that you have received the required flight instruction for the practical flight test. A designated Federal Aviation Administration examiner gives the test.
Once this examination is passed you will be given your Private Pilots license, your ticket to the skies.
HAPPY FLYING!
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