Hobbies And Interests
Ground School
Though ground school is not required by the Federal Aviation Administration, pilots attend classes to better prepare for upcoming flight training and exams. In ground school, students are taught everything there is to know about flying, without actually being up in the air. Tools used in ground school include books, videos and computer simulators that teach students how to read instruments and handle equipment found in the cockpit of an airplane.
Flight Training
Flight training is when a student will learn how to actually fly the plane with the assistance, guidance and training from a flight instructor. The instructor will determine if the student is ready to fly solo to conclude his training. While learning how to fly, a student cannot fly the plane alone or with a passenger until the instructor has signed off on his training.
Exams
To obtain your pilot's license you must complete three exams: a written, an oral and a practical exam. The exams are completed in the presence of a certified flight instructor, and you must receive his endorsement before getting issued a pilot's license. You can take your exam immediately upon finishing ground school and the time you have to wait to take the practical depends upon how you score on the written and oral exams. You must take the practical exam within two years of passing the written and oral, otherwise you have to retake the other exams.
Practical Requirements
The amount of time you have to wait to take the practical exam after completing the knowledge exams depends on a couple of factors and can be as long as 90 days. One factor is how well you scored on your knowledge exams and what type of license exams you are taking. Another factor is how many flight hours you have logged since you started training for your license. For example, you are required to have 40 flight hours, at least 20 with instructor and 10 solo, to receive your private pilot's license.