Twin Engine Flying
The basic flying and handling characteristics of a twin engine are the same as a single engine. When you start the engine and push the throttle forward, air flows over the wings and creates lift. That doesn’t change no matter how many engines are on the airplane.

Inside the cockpit, the pilot simply adjusts two throttles instead of one throttle. If the airplane is equipped with adjustable pitch propellers, the pilot adjusts two propellers instead of zero propellers in an airplane with fixed-pitch props.

When everything on the twin engine aircraft is working properly, there’s almost no difference in flying characteristics. The airplane still goes up when you pull back on the yoke, and it still dives when you push the yoke forward. The airspeed still increases when you push the throttles forward and decreases when you pull the throttles back.

Differences
The differences between the twin engine airplane and the single engine airplane are in the emergency procedures and handling during emergency procedures. Instead of having to worry about one engine failing, the pilot has to worry about one or both engines failing.

When one engine fails on a twin engine aircraft, the power loss can be as much as 80 or 90 percent, not the 50 percent you’d expect. This is due to the added drag of the second engine. When the second engine isn’t producing power, it is a big bulky drag inducer hanging out on the wing. It also causes the twin engine airplane to yaw in the direction of the inoperable engine. In fact, that’s part of how to can tell the engine is out. The airplane yaws towards the dead engine requiring the application of rudder to correct the yaw and a 5 degree bank towards the good engine.

After that, it’s gear up and flaps up to reduce drag and trimming to maintain the appropriate airspeed for the type of twin engine aircraft you’re flying. At that point, the twin engine airplane will still lose a minimum of 200 feet per second. If you’ve ever heard a twin engine pilot say that the only thing that second engine is good for is getting to the scene of the crash, that’s why. Small twin engine airplanes cannot maintain altitude on one engine. When one engine goes out, there’s no flying to the nearest airport unless it happens to be off your wingtip, and you have enough altitude to get there. Most times, you’ll be landing in a field or along an empty road. It’s the same scenario as if you were flying a single engine aircraft and lost power to the engine.

Why Fly A Twin Engine?
Twin engine airplanes go farther and faster than single engine airplanes. They are also able to carry more passengers and cargo than a single engine airplane. A twin engine rating is also a good idea if you plan to get your Commercial Pilot’s License. Very few commercial aviation companies fly single engine aircraft. Most of the time they are flying twin engine aircraft due to the speed and distance they can travel. Plus, the more cargo and passengers you can fit on a plane during a flight, the more profitable the flight.

All in all, a twin engine rating is a good idea for pilots who want to learn how to fly a twin engine aircraft, want to become a commercial pilot and fly for hire, and those pilots who want to buy their own twin engine aircraft for trips and vacation. Plus, they’re just plain fun to fly.

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Length Of Trip
The first thing you’ll want to determine is the length of your trip both in terms of days and distance. Do you want to tour for two days, three, a week, two weeks, a month or longer? Each trip length comes with its own increased costs for food, hotels and rental cars. Distance matters because the farther you fly, the more avgas you will burn. That also amounts to an increase in cost. So, before you depart the runway on your flying tour, determine the length of your trip both in days and distance and the amount of money you wish to spend on your trip for travel and souvenirs.

Aircraft
It is recommended that you fly your tour in at least a four seat aircraft. This is so that you can accommodate other guests and all your baggage on your trip. After all, touring, like road trips, is more fun when there’s more than one person joining you on the trip.

Destinations
Where would you like to go? What would you like to see? Touring on a PPL is all about seeing the sights both from the air and the ground. When I went on my tour, I flew from Indiana to Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Key West and finally Jamaica before flying back to Indiana.

During my flight I got to see open expanses of land and water. I visited the dance clubs in Florida, the beach clubs in Key West and the beaches and casinos in Jamaica. I refueled in Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Key West and Jamaica.

I spent a total of seven days flying and touring, and it was a blast. I got to see airports that I had never seen and experience the rich culture of the islands.

In the U.K. and Europe you might choose to fly to various airport in the U.K., Scottland, Wales and Ireland, or you might choose to fly south and visit France, Spain, Italy and even North Africa. There’s really no limit to where you can fly when you’re touring in your aircraft. All you have to do is make sure you plan enough stops and time to refuel and see the sights.

Pack
Once you determine the length of your trip and your stops, it’s time to pack. Remember to bring all your normal aviation gear and charts for every route and destination airport. It’s important to know all the airports you plan to land at and the airports’ radio frequencies and runways.

Remember to pack your identification and any travel papers you need such as a passport or birth certificate. The latter two are important when flying into different countries. If you plan to fly into multiple countries, make sure you are up to date on the personal documents you need in order to enter and exit the countries you wish to visit. Different countries have different requirements.

Pack enough clothes to last the entire trip and food and water for your journey. Remember, if you forget to bring food and drinks, you have to land in order to eat. Of course, I always choose to eat at the airports or in the towns I refueled at along my flight paths. Small airports, towns and local restaurants can be just as interesting as your main destinations.

Safety
The number one item to stay on top of is the weather. Get a weather briefing before you start your flight and for each leg of your trip. Periodically, get weather updates enroute as well to avoid flying into deteriorating or stormy conditions. When you land to refuel get a weather briefing. Weather can change quickly and unexpectedly. Therefore, it is important to remain up to date on the latest weather developments.

If you’re flying over water, your aircraft has to be equipped with floatation devices for the pilot and every passenger. Also make sure to brush up on the aviation regulations for overwater flights and flights into other countries.

Lastly, always know where the closest airport is to your location. This is important in case of in-flight emergencies such as power loss, engine failure or instrument loss. In the event of an emergency, turn towards the nearest airport, notify the tower or the airport on their local frequency and land.

Have Fun!
Lastly, have fun. Touring on a PPL is a fun and fantastic experience. You’ll get to see some great scenery both in the air and on the ground, and you’ll get to visit places you’ve never been. It’s just like going on a road trip or a vacation, except you’re doing it in your own small aircraft at your own pace.

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Flying To A Rally
The best way to attend a rally is to fly there. In order to fly to a rally, you have to register with the airport and event. They typically want to know what type of aircraft you are flying, where you are flying from and what time you plan to land. This is so they know who’s attending with aircraft, when they’re going to arrive and how many aircraft are arriving. Generally, the aircraft are parked on the tarmac away from the main events in rows just like you’d see in a parking lot full of cars.

Flying to a rally is also a great way to get flight time. You can log the trip to and from the rally in your log book, and if the trip is long enough, it counts as a cross-country flight. Just remember to check the weather before your trip and during the day. When I flew to rallies and fly-ins, I always packed an overnight bag in case the weather turned bad while I was there.

Events
Depending on the type of rally, it could be centered around an air show, antique planes, food, kids, veterans, or getting people interested in flying. No matter the reason, fly-ins and rallies are an incredible amount of fun. They are packed with food, flying, pilots and all sorts of different aircraft from high wing to low wing and even bi-wing.

Talk To Other Pilots
Rallies and fly-ins attract pilots from across the country and across the world, and every pilot has their own unique set of experiences and knowledge. It’s always informative to chat with the other pilots about their flying experience. I once met a pilot who made his living flying impounded drug running planes to locations where they could be repaired and sold.

See Other Airplanes
Rallies and fly-ins are also great places to see other airplanes. Airplane owners love to show off their aircraft and a wide variety of aircraft can be found at every fly-in. Pilots bring antique aircraft, experimental aircraft, home-builts, old World War airplanes and helicopters as well as many other types of airplanes and aircraft. Owners also love to talk about their airplanes and how they acquired them. Some are even willing to take people up on flights.

During one of the rallies I attended, a man brought an old radial engine aircraft. He was willing to take people up on flights just so they could experience flying in a radial engine aircraft with an open canopy. Needless to say, I took him up on the offer. Those types of experiences are once in a lifetime.

Buy And Sell Aviation Gear
Rallies and fly-ins are also great places to buy new aviation gear. Most rallies have retail tents set up by flight schools and pilots shops. When I was a flight instructor running a pilot shop, I filled out a vender application for a rally and showed up with a table, flight gear and bottled water. During the six hours I was there, I sold out of all my water and most of my flight gear. I also got to see the newest headsets and aviation gear that the other flight shops were selling. It was a great day for me and my pilot shop.

All in all, rallies and fly-ins are a blast and every private pilot should fly into one at least once. There’s food, fun, airplanes, pilots and flight gear. Each rally and fly-in is a totally unique experience and definitely worth attending.

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Safety First

When learning to fly aerobatics, it is important to choose a flight instructor with experience in aerobatics and in teaching students aerobatics. It is also important and required to wear a parachute during acrobatic flight. In addition, the airplane must be certified for aerobatic flight and have a utility rating. Not all aerobatic airplanes can perform the same maneuvers. Specifically, some aerobatic aircraft can perform sustained inverted flight and some cannot.

It’s also important to understand how to operate the parachute in the event of an emergency and how to unlatch the doors on the aircraft in the event of an emergancy. Most aerobatic aircraft have hinge pins in the doors. Once those are pulled, the doors fly off the aircraft. Aerobatic aircraft are also equipped with five point harnesses instead of standard aviation seat belts which also contain quick release latches in the event of an emergency.

Restrictions

Aerobatic flight is only approved during VFR weather and can only be performed above 1,500 feet AGL. Aerobatic flight cannot be performed over any congested areas including towns, cities and settlements. Aerobatic flight cannot be performed over an open air assembly of people. This is to ensure that in the event of an accident that no one on the ground is hurt.

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Maneuvers

Aerobatic maneuvers consist of barrel rolls, loops, stalls, spins, hammerheads, Cuban eights, immelmans and inverted flight.

The first aerobatic maneuvers you’ll learn during your training are stalls, spins, loops and rolls. Stalls and spins are a basic flight maneuvers. You should be familiar with them from your private pilot training. In aerobatic training, you’ll learn everything there is to know about stalls, spins and recovery. By the end of your aerobatic flight training, you should be very familiar with stalls and spins and how to recover from them. In other words, stalls and spins should no longer cause you stress, anxiety or fear.

The loop is a 360 pitch change and resembles a vertical “O”. During a loop, the aircraft is pulled into a climb at an airspeed well above stall and is flown all the way around the loop. Entering the loop well above stall speed ensures that the aircraft never drops at or below stall speed during the loop. If the aircraft were to drop to stall speed, it would lose maneuverability and potentially cause an emergency.

Rolls are performed with the ailerons using zero rudder application. In a roll, the ailerons are deflected either to the left or to the right. In this maneuver, the aircraft rolls along its longitudinal axis wing over wing. In order to maintain lift, the roll is typically started at a slightly nose high pitch and ended at a slightly nose low pitch. You’re aerobatic instructor will teach you exactly how it’s performed in a safe and effective manner.

Hammerheads, Cuban eights and immelmans as well as inverted flight are all advanced aerobatic maneuvers. A hammerhead is a stall where either the left or right rudder is pressed at the top of the stall. To perform a hammerhead, you climb the aircraft at full throttle, pull the aircraft back to completely vertical flight then cut the throttle to about a quarter power. As the plane approaches stall apply full rudder to either the left or the right. The plane will fall sideways. As the plane keels over in the direction of the rudder pressed, release the rudder and allow the plane to fall straight and nose down. To exit the maneuver, pull the plane to level flight and apply power.

A Cuban eight resembles an eight on its side. A Cuban eight is performed by entering a loop and completing it to the 45 degree line then performing a half roll down the 45 degree line, leveling the plane, performing another partial loop with a half roll on the 45 degree line and ending with straight and level flight.

Immelmans were originally used in dog fighting in order to quickly get above and behind and enemy plane. The aerobatic immelman is quite a lot like the dog fighting maneuver. The pilot enters the maneuver as if he or she were performing a loop. Once inside the loop, the pilot climbs vertically until he or she is above their entrance altitude then the pilot pulls back into inverted flight. The maneuver is exited with a half roll to return to level flight above the entrance altitude. An immelman is basically half a loop with half a roll.

In short, aerobatics are fun to perform and help you perfect your flying ability. The only things to remember are, safety first, find a reputable and knowledgeable instructor and have fun.

The Instrument Rating allows you to fly in inclement weather, or weather that doesn’t meet the definition for VFR flight. With an Instrument Rating, you can fly under the instrument flight rules or IFR flight rules. Whereas with just a PPL you are limited to VFR flight rules only.

Foggles Or IFR Hood

Learning to fly IFR is a lot like playing a video game. You have to make the aircraft do what you want using only the instruments on the instrument panel. During training, this is ensured by the use of foggles or an IFR hood.
Due to the bulkiness of IFR hoods, I always preferred the foggles as they are the same size as a pair of safety glasses. In fact, foggles look a lot like safety glasses and are just as easy to store. Both options prevent the ability to see outside which is essential for learning how to fly in IFR conditions.

Learning To Fly IFR

During IFR flight training and while flying in IFR conditions, you must only use the instruments to fly the plane. This is due to the fact that there are no outside references in IFR conditions. You’ll be lucky to see to the end of the wing. Therefore, looking outside is absolutely pointless. There’s nothing to see, and it can confuse you and your body.

In fact, while flying IFR, you have to ignore the sensations of your body. Your body is no longer a reliable tool when flying in IFR conditions. So, while your instructor may have taught you how to fly “by the seat of your pants” during your private pilot training, that is exactly what you do not want to do during IFR training or while flying in actual IFR conditions.

That’s why I say that flying IFR is a lot like playing a video game. You have to rely solely on the instruments on your instrument panel. If the altimeter says you’re climbing or descending, you must believe that and make corrections no matter what your body is telling you. If the heading indicator says you’re turning away from your heading, you must make the correction back to your heading. You must absolutely believe your instruments and what they are telling you because during IFR flight, you have no ground references to help you pinpoint your location.

IFR Flight Training

During your flight training, you and your instructor will fly in both VFR and IFR conditions. As an Instrument Rating student, you need to know what it’s like to fly in actual IFR conditions before you get your Instrument Rating. Though, there is no specific requirement involving flying in IFR conditions prior to receiving your Instrument Rating.

IFR Flight Plan

Every IRF flight begins with an IFR flight plan that must be on file before you depart the runway. During IFR flight, you will be in constant radar and radio contact with aircraft controllers. This is so they can monitor your progress and advise you in the event you approach another aircraft or veer off course. Remember, during an IFR flight in IFR conditions, you have no visual references. The only people that can see other planes or aircraft in your path are the air traffic controllers. An IFR flight plan is both required in order to depart the runway in IFR conditions, and it is essential for the safety of the flight.

IFR Navigation

IFR navigation is done through the use of VOR, GPS, RNAV, WAAS, ILS and LVP navigation systems. VOR, GPS and RNAV navigation systems are all enroute navigation tools that help you stay on course and fly from point to point during your IFR flight. The reason I say point to point rather than departure to destination is because IFR flight requires that you fly from navigational aide to navigational aide rather than in a straight line. IFR flight routes are depicted on your IFR navigation charts. You will need IFR navigation charts for the areas you are flying for every IFR flight.

WAAS, ILS and LVP are systems that allow you to approach an airport to land. Depending on your equipment, the approaches will either line you up with the runway or take you down to the runway. It depends on the precision of the approach equipment and the equipment you have onboard the aircraft.

The approach and landing will generally be the only times you look outside the aircraft during IFR flight. In order to land, you have to have visual contact with the runway. If you don’t see the runway, you have to abort the landing and try again or divert to another airport with better weather conditions.

In short, the Instrument Rating will allow you to fly in conditions that are less than VFR. As always, you’ll have to use judgment when it comes to the safety of the flight. When faced with IFR conditions, you’ll have to decide whether the IFR conditions are something you can handle or if you should wait another day and fly in better conditions. Remember, the safety of the flight begins when you make the go/ no-go decision.

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The Instrument Rating is a test of not only the student's ability to fly accurately on Instruments, the foundation, but also the ability to cope under a number of pressures. This book attempts to supplement the instruction a student receives during his or her course.

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Night Vision

During the day, our eyes see best in the center of our vision. At night, the reverse is true. This is due to the makeup of the eye itself. Our eyes consist of cones and rods. The cones are located in the center of the eye while the rods are located on the outside of the eye. During the day, both the cones and rods help us see objects and detect movement. At night, the cones become ineffective while the rods become the basis of our vision.

The rods in our eyes take a minimum of 30 minutes to fully acclimate to the dark. It is recommended that pilots take the full 30 minutes to allow their eyes to fully acclimate to the darkness and not go back into bright light or expose their eyes to bright light.

If you are exposed to bright light either right before or during the flight, close one eye to maintain your night vision in that eye. It is also recommended to avoid smoking prior to a night flight as smoking affects vision negatively, and as always, do not drink or take drugs prior to your night flight or any flight.

Supplies For Night Flying

The supplies for a night flight are very similar to those needed during the day. You’ll need your Pilots Operating Handbook, a fuel strainer, headset and aeronautical charts. You will also need a flashlight with both a white and red light. Flashlights with both white and red lights can be bought at flight shops or at online pilot supply stores.

The white light is used during the preflight check to check the exterior of the aircraft. The red light is used inside the plane during the flight. This is because a red light will not affect night vision. Though, it is wise to remember that when using a red light the red lines on aeronautical charts will not be visible.

Aircraft Prep

In order to take off at night, the aircraft has to have a specific set of equipment, and all of that equipment must be operational in order to depart the runway. The aircraft must have working instrument lights, a battery for electrical power, spare fuses, a flashing or rotating beacon, a red light on the left wingtip, a green light on the right wingtip and a white light on the tail. If all those lights are present and operational, the airplane has the required lights to depart the runway.

In addition to the lights, the aircraft must have an operational altimeter, attitude indicator and heading indicator. Most airplanes have those instruments and more. I’d also recommend making sure your compass is set correctly and the airspeed indicator is working correctly as well as the NAVAIDS.

Navigation at Night

VFR night flying is very similar to IFR flying. The ground references that you use during the day will not be visible. You won’t be able to see the house you turn base leg at or the hill that marks where the airport resides. Instead, you’ll have to rely on your navigation charts and the airport lights and runway lights.

Navigation charts are wonderful tools for remaining oriented at night. The cities on the charts are marked in a similar pattern to the lights in the city. This means that if the city looks like a square, hexagon or circle on the chart, the lights of the city will also resemble that shape. Roads also become very easy to see at night due to the lights on the sides of the road. In other words, your chart is going to become an invaluable tool during your night flight.

Be Alert

Night flying requires a higher level of alertness during the day. This is due to the change in visual landmarks, human vision and the night itself. It is incredibly important to continually scan the windscreen for other aircraft and deteriorating weather conditions.

Other aircraft can be spotted and their positions determined due to their position lights. If you see a red light, a green light and a white light, the aircraft is headed towards you. If you see a white light, then the aircraft is headed away from you. The other aircraft’s position is dependent on which lights you see.

Deteriorating weather conditions are also a concern at night. At night, it is nearly impossible to see clouds and fog. The only way to determine deteriorating conditions is to remain vigilant. If the stars disappear then you are in cloudy/ overcast conditions. If the lights start disappearing below you, you could be flying in to fog or low lying clouds. In both scenarios, you’ll want to get an updated weather briefing and turn the plane to avoid flying into IFR conditions.

Remember, when flying at night, remain vigilant, protect your night vision, use your charts, and continually scan the windscreen for other aircraft and deteriorating weather conditions.

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So, What’s next? The obvious answer is more flying. You are now free to fly wherever you want and take passengers along for the ride. You no longer need a flight instructor. You can fly yourself on vacations in small single engine airplanes, and you can immediately start working on your next rating.

More Flying

Once you have your Private Pilot’s Certificate, you are free to fly anywhere you want and take passengers. As a private pilot, you can’t fly for hire or charge your passengers for your time, but you can take passengers along with you during your flights. You no longer need a flight instructor with you in the aircraft. You can fly to the airports you flew to as a student pilot. You can fly to new airports. You can fly longer trips. All you have to pay for is the fuel and the rental of the aircraft. You can also fly any small single engine aircraft. Though, I recommend sticking to the types you trained in. If you try a different type of single engine aircraft like a low wing when you trained in a high wing, I recommend getting a couple hours with an instructor to become familiar with the plane. When it comes to flying, safety is always first.

Flying Vacations

As a private pilot you can now fly yourself on vacation. Of course, you have to pay for the flight time on the aircraft and the fuel. Some airports will even charge a fee due to the aircraft being unavailable. You’ll have to work out the payment details with your FBO.

If you opt to buy your own airplane, all you have to pay for is the fuel and loan payments if you didn’t buy it in cash. Of course, there are other expenses associated with owning your own aircraft, but it’s yours to fly when and wherever you want.

I once flew from Indiana to Florida, Key West and Jamaica in a Cessna 172. I took another pilot with me, and we split the flight time and fuel costs for the week. The total trip was $1,300 including the hotel rooms. We spent four days in Florida, two days in Key West and a day in Jamaica. We were free to land at any small or large airport. We were free to takeoff and depart when we wanted. There were no security checks. It was extremely hassle-free and convenient.

More Flight Certificates And Ratings

After you attain your Private Pilot’s Certificate, you can also start working on your next rating. The next rating after the Private Pilot’s Certificate is the Instrument Rating, and it’s a good idea. The Instrument Rating allows you to fly in less than perfect weather using the instruments and navigation tools in your aircraft. As a private pilot, all you can do is fly during VFR weather. That means mostly clear skies and no storms.

Without an instrument rating, you’re also unprepared in the event you accidentally fly into deteriorating conditions, and it happens more often than you might think. I remember one flight where I scheduled a training flight with a student on a long cross-country flight. The weather was clear that morning and forecast to deteriorate that afternoon. Our flight time and stop and refuel time had us back at our home airport before 2 p.m. Unfortunately, the headwinds were stronger than anticipated. It was 3 p.m. before we departed our last airport. The clouds had fallen from 5,500AGL to 3,500 AGL, and we were flying over hilly terrain. As a flight instructor, I had an instrument rating. We could depart. If it had just been my student or a private pilot, he or she would have been trapped at that last airport until the weather cleared the following day.

In short, there’s a lot you can do after you attain your Private Pilot’s Certificate. You can fly anywhere you please, you can fly yourself on vacation, and you can immediately start working on your next rating.

Fly Three Times A Week

The most important thing to do after your solo is to fly three times a week. Any less than that and you risk losing skills in-between lessons. There is significant loss of skills if the lessons are separated by more than a few days. I recommend flying Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Students who fly less than three times a week tend to need more hours than students who fly three times a week. More hours equals more money and a longer wait before you can take your Private Pilot Checkride. Students who fly more than three times a week tend to need less hours and complete their training faster than those who fly three times a week. However, flying three times a week is the average and is recommended for maximum gain and optimal financial planning.

Make Every Hour Count

When it comes to flight training, make every hour count. Wasted time is wasted money. Instructors charge for their time. They charge for the preflight briefing, the flight and the post flight briefing. Student pilots are also required to pay for the rental of the aircraft. That means that when the engine is running, you are spending money whether you’re sitting on the ground talking to your flight instructor or practicing maneuvers in the air. The best use of time is obviously practicing maneuvers in the air, so don’t let your instructor sit with you on the ground talking. Talking can be done in the air or before or after the flight when your not paying for both the aircraft and the instructor.

Also keep your instructor abreast of what you expect out of each flight and how much time you want to spend in the air on each lesson. Some lessons run long, and you need to know that beforehand not after you’ve been in the air an hour and a half. Long lessons can be broken down into two flights, and most instructors are happy to accommodate that request.

Precision

It is in the best interest of the student pilot to learn to be precise with all their maneuvers. The student pilot must be able to hold an altitude within plus or minus 100 feet and be able to make turns within plus or minus 5 degrees.
When I taught student pilots how to fly, I made them hold their altitudes within plus or minus 50 feet and turns within plus or minus three degrees. This was to ensure they passed their practical checkride. A checkride causes instant nervousness and anxiety, so I figured if I taught them how to fly with shallower limitations, they’d be able to control the plane within the required limitations of the checkride to spite their nervousness.

Study

In order to pass a Private Pilot checkride (Skills Test), students have to complete written, oral and practical examinations. The first examination that the student pilot has to pass is a written examination. The written examination covers all the basics of flight, instrument use and aircraft knowledge. This test must be passed before the student is eligible to take the Private Pilot Checkride. The private pilot checkride consists of two parts. The first part is oral. The examiner asks the student pilot several questions related to flying, instruments, and aircraft knowledge.

The second and last part of the checkride is the practical test. This is where the student and examiner get into the aircraft and depart the runway. The examiner asks the student to complete several maneuvers such as climbs, descents, turns, turns about a point and stalls. The examiner watches the precision of the student pilot’s flying. The student pilot must be able to hold altitude within plus or minus 100 feet and turns within plus or minus a five degrees. The examiner will also cover emergencies and emergency procedures.

The final task is landings. The student pilot must be able to land the plane safely. If the student is deemed knowledgeable and safe, they are granted their Private Pilot’s Certificate. If not, the student pilot is told what he or she did wrong. The Private Pilot Checkride can be taken multiple times. It’s not a one shot pass or fail. Though, they aren’t cheap, so it’s financially advisable to be completely ready before attempting the Private Pilot Checkride.

CAA/FAA Medical
Every student pilot needs a medical before they can solo the airplane. The medical for a student pilot also doubles as their Student Pilot Certificate, and it allows the student to solo the airplane. Student pilots cannot solo the airplane without a Student Pilot Certificate/ medical.

Ideally, student pilots shouldn’t get too far along in their training without getting a medical. I recommend doing the intro flight and perhaps two more flights just to make sure flying is what you want to do with your free time and life, and then head to an FAA certified medical examiner and get your Student Pilot Certificate/medical.

An aviation physical checks for visual impairment including depth perception and color blindness. Pilots cannot be red/green color blind. The doctor also takes your height, weight and blood pressure and asks if you have or have had any illnesses or surgeries. Pilots have to be very healthy and not on many, if any medications. Most medications are not approved for use while flying.

The aviation physical examination also lets the student pilot know if they are airworthy. Just like the airplane, pilots also have to be airworthy and healthy enough to fly. Flight training is also very expensive. The more flight time you put in without getting your medical, the more money you might have wasted if you can’t pass the medical. Therefore, it is always a good idea to get a medical/Student Pilot Certificate as soon as possible.

Supplies
Every student pilot should have a copy of the F.A.R.s if they are in the U.S, or information from the Civil Aviation Authority in the U.K. Student pilots should also have a training syllabus, headset, fuel strainer and the pilots operating handbook for the type of aircraft they are flying. Most student pilots receive their training in Cessna 152s, but any single engine aircraft is fine for student pilot training.

Landings
A student pilot solo consists of three takeoffs and three landings. The reason the student pilot solo consists of three landings and three takeoffs is because the most dangerous parts of any flight are the takeoffs and landings. In both situations, the airplane is low to the ground and slow. There isn’t much time to react if something goes wrong. Therefore, the first thing student pilots are taught is how to takeoff and land and every available scenario and emergency procedure for landings and departures.

Memorize
Flying is all about memorization and critical thinking. The first thing every student pilot should do is memorize their checklists. This isn’t so they can skip going through the checklists in their pilots operating manual, but so that they know every step, every power setting, and every needed airspeed and throttle setting by memory.

Student pilots should also memorize the traffic pattern. Every traffic pattern at every airport is the same. They all consist of an upwind leg, crosswind leg, downwind leg, base leg and final approach.

I still remember the procedures to land at my small airport. I’d enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg. Once the wing was abeam the numbers, I’d pull the throttle back to 1,500RPM and add the first notch of flaps while trimming the airplane for level flight. This would slow the airspeed down to between 60 and 65 knots. Then, I’d turn the base leg and add the second notch of flaps while trimming the plane for 60 knots. When I turned final approach, I’d look at my airspeed, add the last notch of flaps and aim for the numbers. Once I was over the numbers, I’d pull the remaining throttle and descend down to the runway for a landing.

Questions
The final thing to remember is to ask questions. There are no stupid questions in aviation, and the more questions you ask, the faster you’ll learn and understand the material. In aviation, you’ll learn never to leave anything to chance. Everything has to be checked and double-check to ensure the highest possible safety standards.

At 3,000 feet AGL, the world makes sense. The houses, trees and fields are organized. It’s a bird’s eye view of the world, and there is nothing like it. Suddenly, it feels as though you can go anywhere. All you have to do is point the airplane’s nose in the direction of your destination.

I still remember my first flight. It was a 30 minute intro-flight. The instructor and I performed the preflight on the Cessna 152, checked the fuel and the tires, got inside, taxied to the runway and took off. The airplane left the runway, and I looked out my window and down. We were flying. My excitement and exhilaration were beyond words. I was hooked from that moment on.

Of course, there are practical reasons to learn how to fly as well, and there's no military training required.

No Military Required
You can learn to fly without going into the military and many pilots do. There are several small airports throughout the U.S. and the U.K. that employ flight instructors. Civilian flight instructors like military flight instructors are specifically trained to teach people how to fly in a safe and effective manner.

Vacations and Trips
Once you attain your Private Pilot’s Licence you can rent a plane and fly anywhere. You can also buy a plane and fly it anywhere. Of course, you have to stop and refuel depending on the length of the trip, but there’s no waiting in airport lines to go on vacation. All you have to pay for is the hourly rental of the airplane and the fuel.

Fly For Hire
With enough training, you can fly for hire. Private pilots and instrument pilots cannot fly for hire, but commercial pilot’s can. Once you attain Commercial Pilot’s Licence you can fly for hire. While it’s not likely that a company will hire you, you are free to work for yourself. You can take people up on sightseeing flights and photography flights and charge them. You can also transport limited cargo and people from one place to another.

Certified Flight Instructor
After the Commercial Pilot’s Certificate, there’s the Certified Flight Instructor Certificate. With a Certified Flight Instructor’s Certificate, you can teach people like yourself how to fly and get paid for it. The hourly rate depends on the skill of the flight instructor, the number of students at the airport and the flight instructor’s schedule. Busier flight instructors have the liberty of charging more for their time.

There’s also the added bonus of building flight time. Certified flight instructors log training flights as flight time in their logbooks, so not only do they get paid to fly, they are also building their own flight time and flying skill.

Airline Transport Pilot
The final certificate any pilot can earn is the Airline Transport Certificate (ATPL in the UK). This certificate allows pilots to fly for commercial airlines such as U.S. Airways, British Airways, FedEx and Delta as well as the airlines that provide the feeder flights for the major airlines.

For a pilot, this is where the steady income is at and the best scenery. Airline pilots fly all over the world. They essentially get paid to travel. Imagine flying 200 people from Chicago to Hawaii and having a 24 hour layover in Hawaii, or flying 300 people from the U.K. to New York and receiving a 48 hour layover before your next flight. Those are, in essence, mini-vacations.

There are lots of reasons to learn how to fly. The most basic reason is simply to enjoy the world from the perspective of a bird. The other reasons include being able to buy and fly your own airplane for your own enjoyment and for vacations, flying for hire and getting paid to travel. Whatever your reason for learning to fly or wanting to learn to fly, you can be assured that it is an experience like nothing else.