How to Learn to Fly a Cessna

Select a flight school in your area. You may develop a list using the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association website (see Resources below). You may also choose to find a school via Cessna's directory of Cessna Pilot Centers. A Cessna Pilot Center is a flight school that bears the Cessna stamp of approval.

Purchase the tools you'll need to learn how to fly. To train as a pilot, you'll need a logbook to keep track of flight time. You'll also need a protractor/plotter for navigation, a flight computer and a calculator. A headset may also be useful as you learn--these facilitate communication between you and your instructor while in flight.

Take an aviation medical exam and obtain a medical certificate. This is necessary to qualify you for flight. The certificate must be renewed every two or three years, depending on your age.

Decide how you plan to pay for your schooling. Flight school can be costly. Cessna Pilot Centers offer you the opportunity to finance your lessons via a Sallie Mae Financial Corporation professional education loan.

Juggle your schedule. For most pilots-in-training, it takes about 60 to 75 flight hours to get the private certificate necessary to fly a Cessna.