Hobbies And Interests
Law
The authority of the FAA to issue pilot licenses is described under Title 14, Parts 61 and 141 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Categories and Types
Licenses are issued for various categories of powered flight. The best known are airplane (all propeller and jet-driven aircraft) and rotorcraft (helicopters). Others include lighter-than-air craft (blimps and balloons), gliders, and powered parachutes. Therefore, airplane pilots are not in any way legally cleared for flying gliders, even though some of the skills overlap. There are also type designations, which clear a pilot to fly a particular type of aircraft. Type clearance is required for any individual aircraft that weighs more than 12,500 lbs or has at least one jet engine.
Privileges
Licenses are rated in levels of increasing privilege. At the bottom is student, who cannot fly unless with a licensed instructor. Next is sport, which is good for only light sport airplanes (weighing less than 1320 lbs). This is followed by recreation, which extends to 180 hp, 4-seat airplanes and daylight flying. This is followed by private pilot, who with an additional Instrument Rating can fly under all conditions for private purposes. There is also the commercial pilot, who can do the same for pay. Finally there is air transport pilot (ATP), who is qualified to be the lead pilot for an airline or air freight company. ATP licenses automatically include Instrument Ratings.
Student Requirements
Student pilots in the United States must be at least 17 years old and fluent in English. They must also pass a basic medical examination.
Recreational and Sport Licenses
To graduate to recreational pilot, students must pass a knowledge test and a practical test. The practical test covers all aspects of taking off, basic flight maneuvers, navigation, and landing. The sport pilot license also requires taking a written and a practical test. These exams are similar in nature to those required for a recreational license, but less extensive and demanding. For example, the requirements include 15 hours of logged flight time under instruction and 5 hours of solo flight time. This is much less than is necessary for virtually any student to pass the practical test. This is because the light sport aircraft is a much less demanding plane to fly.
Private Pilot
To move up from recreational to private pilot, an applicant must pass another written or computerized exam, as well as an oral exam. The candidate must also meet several experience and training requirements. The pilot must have at least 40 hours of flight time, with a minimum of 10 solo hours that includes at least one 150 mile cross-country flight with at least three take-off and landing stops. They must also receive at least 3 hours of night-flying training, make a 100-mile cross-country night flight, and make 10 take-off and landings at night.
Commercial Pilots
Commercial pilots must be at least 18 years old, hold a private pilot's license, and must have a minimum of either 190 or 250 hours of flight experience, depending on which set of regulations they apply under. They must also be cleared to fly a complex airplane type, and pass both a written and an oral examination. Moving up to ATP certification requires a minimum age of 23; 1,500 hours of flight experience, with at least 500 hours of it being cross-country; and a written examination.