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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 187 (from laksa180)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa187.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://parttimepilot.com/step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://parttimepilot.com/step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot\/","crawl_time":1775978817,"first_indexed_time":1762464919,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,parttimepilot!\/step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot\/ s443","src_root_hash":"17154141832038423587","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Step by Step How to Become a Pilot in 2026","meta_descriptions":["Become a pilot in 2026 with this step-by-step guide from Part Time Pilot. Learn how to navigate flight training & ground school to earn your pilot certificate."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Home & FAQs\nHome\nFAQs on Flight Training\nAbout Us\nAffiliate Login\nSubscribe for Updates\nContact Us\nCourses & Simulators\nCourses\nPrivate Pilot Online Ground School\nPrivate Pilot Checkride Prep\nSport Pilot Online Ground School\nSport Pilot Checkride Prep\nIFR Online Ground School\nAll Products & Pricing\nATC & Checkride Simulators\nStudent Reviews\nStudents\nBest Ground School in 2025?\nStudent Dashboard\nFAQs on Flight Training\nScholarships\nRecommended Products\nMilitary Discount\n1st Responder Discount\nInstructors\nFree Instructor Access\nFree Stuff\nFree Ground School Lessons\nFree Mobile App\nFree PPL Study Guide\nFree Sport Pilot Resource Guide\nRead Full Transcript of Video:\nWhat’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that.\nSo, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started.\nStep one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right.\nOkay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other.\nStep three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it.\nNow for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate.\nOkay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right?\nSo five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future.   \nTLDR\nThis article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are:\nDetermine your goal for flying\nDetermine your plans to pay for flight training\nMeet requirements to become a pilot\nObtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot)\nObtain Student Pilot certificate\nComplete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam\nFind a flight school\/flight club\/instructor\nEarn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride\nTake and pass your Checkride\nHave you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show.\nSo how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot:\nStep by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate\nDetermine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.)\nDetermine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan\nMake sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations\/Requirements \nObtain the required Medical certificate\nObtain a Student Pilot certificate\nComplete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam\nFind a school\/ flight instructor to do your training\nGet through your flight training minimums\nTake & pass your your check ride \n#1 Your Goal for Flying\nIf your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates\nhere.\n#2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training\nThere are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option. \nIt is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail\nhere\nas well as which option is best for your specific goals. \n#3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate\nBe 17 years old\nBe able to read, speak, write, and understand English\nHave a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one)\nHave the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot)\nReceive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor\nPass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests\n*NOTE:\nYou don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor.\n#4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate\nCreate an online application with MedXPress\nSchedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)\nObtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate\nRead here\nfor more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying\n*NOTE:\nWe recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam.\n#5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate\nCreate an online application with\nIACRA\nSchedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English\nHave the RI submit the application\nWait for your student pilot certificate in the mail!\n#6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam\nDetermine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam.\nA good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training.\nIn fact, the Part Time Pilot\nPrivate Pilot Online Ground School\nand\nSport Pilot Online Ground School\nwere designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times.\n#7 Find A School\/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training\nOnce you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this.\nYou can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live.\n#8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements\nDepending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we\nexplain here\n,\nthat doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money.\nThere are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35\/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements\nhere.\n#9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot!\nLastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE.\nDuring your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA.\nThe Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program\nis designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material.\nThe number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly\nmanaging your time & money \nAnd the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and\nACTUALLY understanding the material\n5 years ago\nI saw NO ONE mentoring\nunsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s\nThis is why I created the\nPart Time Pilot Online Ground Schools\nThe ground schools were created with these ideas\nat the heart of our mission statement: \nMentoring students from start to finish\nProviding content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding \nLEARN MORE\nWhat is the Best Online Ground School?\nOver the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience.\nI have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option.\nThe guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more.\nRead the guide here\nFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)\nHere are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training. \nWhat are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?\nIn order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements:\nBe at least 16 years old when they fly solo\nBe at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\nBe able to read, speak, write and understand English\nObtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\nHold a US Student Pilot Certificate\nHow to become a Private Pilot?\nIn order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of:\nBe at least 16 years old when they fly solo\nBe at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\nBe able to read, speak, write and understand English\nObtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\nHold a US Student Pilot Certificate\nThen, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training:\n40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students\n35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article\nThen, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam. \nThen, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam. \nHow Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?\nThis varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor. \nThe FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document. \nStudents that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons. \nStudents that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months. \nAnd students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more. \nCan I get a PPL in 3 months or less?\nYes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons. \nHow much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?\nThe total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $14,000 to $17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US.\nHowever, there are many people who have spent more than this in the $20,000-$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as $10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend $10,000 or less, join our free course on\nHow to Become a Pilot and Save Money\n. \nHow much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?\nThe total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $65,000 to $135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish. \nThere are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline\nin this article here.\n \nHow long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?\nThe journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews.\nWhat's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?\nThe fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible:\nPerform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep\nPass the FAA Written before or early in your training\nFly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks\nTry to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training\nFly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable\nCome to each flight lesson prepared for the flight\nHow much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?\nThe following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate:\nCessna 152\n$110 to $160 per hour\nCessna 172\n$140 to $220 per hour\nCirrus SR20\n$235 to $435 per hour\nDiamond DA40\n$180 to $250 per hour\nSling TSI\n$180 to $250 per hour\nFor a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between $40 to $90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance. \nWhat is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?\nThe cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called\n“How to Become a Pilot and Save Money”\nand summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are:\nDoing Ground School before Flight Training\nDoing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep\nPlanning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck\nDoing flight training at a Flying Club\nDoing flight training in rural parts of the US\nTaking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training\nFlying during the sunniest months of the year\nBuying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate\nAnd more outlined in the Free\n“How to Become a Pilot & Save Money”\ncourse\nPrivacy Policy\nTerms and Conditions\nCopyright Part Time Pilot. All rights reserved. \nFacebook\nYoutube\nInstagram\nLinkedin\nSpotify","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tr?id=670178983492873&ev=PageView&noscript=1)\n\n- [Home & FAQs](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n  - [Home](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n  - [FAQs on Flight Training](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/ultimate-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-we-get-from-student-pilots\/)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/about-us\/)\n  - [Affiliate Login](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/affiliate-area\/ \"flight instructor flight school affiliate program online ground school\")\n  - [Subscribe for Updates](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/newsletter\/)\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/contact-us\/)\n- [Courses & Simulators](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)\n  - [Courses](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)\n    - [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/)\n    - 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[1st Responder Discount](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/first-responder-discount-for-pilot-online-ground-schools\/)\n- [Instructors](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access\/)\n  - [Free Instructor Access](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access\/)\n- [Free Stuff](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)\n  - [Free Ground School Lessons](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)\n  - [Free Mobile App](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ground-school-app\/)\n  - [Free PPL Study Guide](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-ppl-study-guide\/)\n  - [Free Sport Pilot Resource Guide](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-sport-pilot-resource-guide-organic\/)\n\n# Step by Step How to Become a Pilot in 2026\n[Read Full Transcript of Video:]()\n\nWhat’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that.\n\nSo, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started.\n\nStep one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right.\n\nOkay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other.\n\nStep three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it.\n\nNow for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate.\n\nOkay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right?\n\nSo five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future.\n\n**TLDR**\n\nThis article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are:\n\n- Determine your goal for flying\n- Determine your plans to pay for flight training\n- Meet requirements to become a pilot\n- Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot)\n- Obtain Student Pilot certificate\n- Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam\n- Find a flight school\/flight club\/instructor\n- Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride\n- Take and pass your Checkride\n\n![Step by step how to become a pilot](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)\n\n![Step by step how to become a pilot](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot-1024x1024.png)\n\nHave you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show.\n\nSo how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot:\n## Step by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate\n1. Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.)\n2. Determine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan\n3. Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations\/Requirements\n4. Obtain the required Medical certificate\n5. Obtain a Student Pilot certificate\n6. Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam\n7. Find a school\/ flight instructor to do your training\n8. Get through your flight training minimums\n9. Take & pass your your check ride\n## \\#1 Your Goal for Flying\nIf your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates[here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/the-difference-between-private-pilot-recreational-pilot-and-sport-pilot-certificates\/)\n\n## \\#2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training\nThere are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option.\n\nIt is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail [here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/how-to-pay-for-flight-training\/) as well as which option is best for your specific goals.\n## \\#3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate\n1. Be 17 years old\n2. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English\n3. Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one)\n4. Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot)\n5. Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor\n6. Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests\n\n***\\*NOTE:*** *You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor.*\n## \\#4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate\n1. Create an online application with MedXPress\n2. Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)\n3. Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate\n4. [Read here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/how-to-get-your-pilot-medical-certificate\/)\n   for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying\n\n***\\*NOTE:*** *We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam.*\n## \\#5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate\n1. Create an online application with [IACRA](https:\/\/iacra.faa.gov\/IACRA\/Default.aspx)\n2. Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English\n3. Have the RI submit the application\n4. Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail\\!\n## \\#6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam\nDetermine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam.\n\nA good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training.\n\nIn fact, the Part Time Pilot [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/) and [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/sport-pilot-online-ground-school\/) were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times.\n## \\#7 Find A School\/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training\nOnce you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this.\n\nYou can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live.\n## \\#8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements\nDepending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we [explain here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/part-61-vs-part-141-pilot-training\/) , that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money.\n\nThere are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35\/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements [here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/the-required-minimum-hours-needed-to-get-your-private-pilot-license\/)\n## \\#9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot\\!\nLastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE.\n\nDuring your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA.\n\n[The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-practical-test-prep\/)is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material.\n\nThe number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly **managing your time & money**\n\nAnd the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and **ACTUALLY understanding the material**\n\n5 years ago **I saw NO ONE mentoring** unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them \\$1000s\n\n**This is why I created the [Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)**\n\nThe ground schools were created with these ideas **at the heart of our mission statement:**\n\n- Mentoring students from start to finish\n- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding\n\n[LEARN MORE](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/)\n\n**What is the Best Online Ground School?**\n\nOver the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience.\n\nI have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option.\n\nThe guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more.\n\n**[Read the guide here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/what-is-the-best-online-ground-school\/)**\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)\nHere are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training.\n\n[What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?]()\n\nIn order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements:\n\n- Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo\n- Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\n- Be able to read, speak, write and understand English\n- Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\n- Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate\n\n[How to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nIn order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of:\n\n- Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo\n- Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\n- Be able to read, speak, write and understand English\n- Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\n- Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate\n\nThen, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training:\n\n- 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students\n- 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article\n\nThen, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam.\n\nThen, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam.\n\n[How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nThis varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor.\n\nThe FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document.\n\nStudents that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons.\n\nStudents that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months.\n\nAnd students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more.\n\n[Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less?]()\n\nYes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons.\n\n[How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?]()\n\nThe total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \\$14,000 to \\$17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US.\n\nHowever, there are many people who have spent more than this in the \\$20,000-\\$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as \\$10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend \\$10,000 or less, join our free course on [*How to Become a Pilot and Save Money*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/).\n\n[How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?]()\n\nThe total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \\$65,000 to \\$135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish.\n\nThere are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline [in this article here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/tips-to-save-time-money-during-flight-training\/)\n\n[How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?]()\n\nThe journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews.\n\n[What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nThe fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible:\n\n- Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep\n- Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training\n- Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks\n- Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training\n- Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable\n- Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight\n\n[How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?]()\n\nThe following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate:\n\n- **Cessna 152**\n  - \\$110 to \\$160 per hour\n- **Cessna 172**\n  - \\$140 to \\$220 per hour\n- **Cirrus SR20**\n  - \\$235 to \\$435 per hour\n- **Diamond DA40**\n  - \\$180 to \\$250 per hour\n- **Sling TSI**\n  - \\$180 to \\$250 per hour\n\nFor a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between \\$40 to \\$90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance.\n\n[What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?]()\n\nThe cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called [*“How to Become a Pilot and Save Money”*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/) and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are:\n\n- Doing Ground School before Flight Training\n- Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep\n- Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck\n- Doing flight training at a Flying Club\n- Doing flight training in rural parts of the US\n- Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training\n- Flying during the sunniest months of the year\n- Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate\n- And more outlined in the Free [*“How to Become a Pilot & Save Money”*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/) course\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/terms-conditions\/)\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/terms-conditions\/)\n\nCopyright Part Time Pilot. All rights reserved.\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20160%20160'%3E%3C\/svg%3E)![](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Logo-Small-2.jpg)](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/part.time.pilot1)     [Youtube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PartTimePilot)     [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/part.time.pilot\/)     [Linkedin](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/part-time-pilot)     [Spotify](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"- [Home & FAQs](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n  - [Home](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n  - [FAQs on Flight Training](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/ultimate-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-we-get-from-student-pilots\/)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/about-us\/)\n  - [Affiliate Login](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/affiliate-area\/ \"flight instructor flight school affiliate program online ground school\")\n  - [Subscribe for Updates](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/newsletter\/)\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/contact-us\/)\n- [Courses & Simulators](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)\n  - [Courses](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)\n    - [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/)\n    - [Private Pilot Checkride Prep](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/private-pilot-practical-test-prep\/)\n    - [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/sport-pilot-online-ground-school\/)\n    - [Sport Pilot Checkride Prep](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/sport-pilot-checkride-test-prep\/)\n    - [IFR Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/step\/ifr-online-ground-school\/)\n    - [All Products & Pricing](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)\n  - [ATC & Checkride Simulators](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/ppl-interactive-ai-tools\/)\n  - [Student Reviews](https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/parttimepilot.com)\n- [Students](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/my-account\/)\n  - [Best Ground School in 2025?](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/?p=137828)\n  - [Student Dashboard](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/my-account\/)\n  - [FAQs on Flight Training](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/ultimate-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-we-get-from-student-pilots\/)\n  - [Scholarships](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/scholarships\/)\n  - [Recommended Products](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/recommended-products-for-student-pilots\/)\n  - [Military Discount](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/military-veterans-discount-for-pilot-ground-schoolf\/)\n  - [1st Responder Discount](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/first-responder-discount-for-pilot-online-ground-schools\/)\n- [Instructors](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access\/)\n  - [Free Instructor Access](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access\/)\n- [Free Stuff](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)\n  - [Free Ground School Lessons](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)\n  - [Free Mobile App](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ground-school-app\/)\n  - [Free PPL Study Guide](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-ppl-study-guide\/)\n  - [Free Sport Pilot Resource Guide](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-sport-pilot-resource-guide-organic\/)\n\n[Read Full Transcript of Video:]()\n\nWhat’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that.\n\nSo, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started.\n\nStep one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right.\n\nOkay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other.\n\nStep three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it.\n\nNow for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate.\n\nOkay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right?\n\nSo five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future.\n\n**TLDR**\n\nThis article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are:\n\n- Determine your goal for flying\n- Determine your plans to pay for flight training\n- Meet requirements to become a pilot\n- Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot)\n- Obtain Student Pilot certificate\n- Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam\n- Find a flight school\/flight club\/instructor\n- Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride\n- Take and pass your Checkride\n\n![Step by step how to become a pilot](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot-1024x1024.png)\n\nHave you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show.\n\nSo how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot:\n\nStep by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate\n\n1. Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.)\n2. Determine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan\n3. Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations\/Requirements\n4. Obtain the required Medical certificate\n5. Obtain a Student Pilot certificate\n6. Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam\n7. Find a school\/ flight instructor to do your training\n8. Get through your flight training minimums\n9. Take & pass your your check ride\n\n\\#1 Your Goal for Flying\n\nIf your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates[here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/the-difference-between-private-pilot-recreational-pilot-and-sport-pilot-certificates\/)\n\n\\#2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training\n\nThere are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option.\n\nIt is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail [here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/how-to-pay-for-flight-training\/) as well as which option is best for your specific goals.\n\n\\#3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate\n\n1. Be 17 years old\n2. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English\n3. Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one)\n4. Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot)\n5. Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor\n6. Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests\n\n***\\*NOTE:*** *You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor.*\n\n\\#4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate\n\n1. Create an online application with MedXPress\n2. Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)\n3. Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate\n4. [Read here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/how-to-get-your-pilot-medical-certificate\/)\n   for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying\n\n***\\*NOTE:*** *We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam.*\n\n\\#5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate\n\n1. Create an online application with [IACRA](https:\/\/iacra.faa.gov\/IACRA\/Default.aspx)\n2. Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English\n3. Have the RI submit the application\n4. Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail\\!\n\n\\#6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam\n\nDetermine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam.\n\nA good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training.\n\nIn fact, the Part Time Pilot [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/) and [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/sport-pilot-online-ground-school\/) were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times.\n\n\\#7 Find A School\/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training\n\nOnce you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this.\n\nYou can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live.\n\n\\#8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements\n\nDepending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we [explain here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/part-61-vs-part-141-pilot-training\/) , that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money.\n\nThere are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35\/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements [here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/the-required-minimum-hours-needed-to-get-your-private-pilot-license\/)\n\n\\#9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot\\!\n\nLastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE.\n\nDuring your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA.\n\n[The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-practical-test-prep\/)is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material.\n\nThe number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly **managing your time & money**\n\nAnd the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and **ACTUALLY understanding the material**\n\n5 years ago **I saw NO ONE mentoring** unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them \\$1000s\n\n**This is why I created the [Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing\/)**\n\nThe ground schools were created with these ideas **at the heart of our mission statement:**\n\n- Mentoring students from start to finish\n- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding\n\n[LEARN MORE](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/private-pilot-online-ground-school\/)\n\n**What is the Best Online Ground School?**\n\nOver the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience.\n\nI have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option.\n\nThe guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more.\n\n**[Read the guide here](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/what-is-the-best-online-ground-school\/)**\n\nFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)\n\nHere are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training.\n\n[What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?]()\n\nIn order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements:\n\n- Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo\n- Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\n- Be able to read, speak, write and understand English\n- Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\n- Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate\n\n[How to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nIn order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of:\n\n- Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo\n- Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate\n- Be able to read, speak, write and understand English\n- Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate\n- Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate\n\nThen, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training:\n\n- 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students\n- 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article\n\nThen, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam.\n\nThen, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam.\n\n[How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nThis varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor.\n\nThe FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document.\n\nStudents that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons.\n\nStudents that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months.\n\nAnd students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more.\n\n[Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less?]()\n\nYes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons.\n\n[How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?]()\n\nThe total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \\$14,000 to \\$17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US.\n\nHowever, there are many people who have spent more than this in the \\$20,000-\\$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as \\$10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend \\$10,000 or less, join our free course on [*How to Become a Pilot and Save Money*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/).\n\n[How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?]()\n\nThe total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \\$65,000 to \\$135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish.\n\nThere are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline [in this article here.](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/tips-to-save-time-money-during-flight-training\/)\n\n[How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?]()\n\nThe journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews.\n\n[What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?]()\n\nThe fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible:\n\n- Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep\n- Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training\n- Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks\n- Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training\n- Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable\n- Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight\n\n[How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?]()\n\nThe following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate:\n\n- **Cessna 152**\n  - \\$110 to \\$160 per hour\n- **Cessna 172**\n  - \\$140 to \\$220 per hour\n- **Cirrus SR20**\n  - \\$235 to \\$435 per hour\n- **Diamond DA40**\n  - \\$180 to \\$250 per hour\n- **Sling TSI**\n  - \\$180 to \\$250 per hour\n\nFor a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between \\$40 to \\$90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance.\n\n[What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?]()\n\nThe cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called [*“How to Become a Pilot and Save Money”*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/) and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are:\n\n- Doing Ground School before Flight Training\n- Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep\n- Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck\n- Doing flight training at a Flying Club\n- Doing flight training in rural parts of the US\n- Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training\n- Flying during the sunniest months of the year\n- Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate\n- And more outlined in the Free [*“How to Become a Pilot & Save Money”*](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/free-how-to-become-a-pilot\/) course\n\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/terms-conditions\/)\n\nCopyright Part Time Pilot. All rights reserved.\n\n[![](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Logo-Small-2.jpg)](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/)\n\n[Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/part.time.pilot1)     [Youtube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PartTimePilot)     [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/part.time.pilot\/)     [Linkedin](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/part-time-pilot)     [Spotify](https:\/\/parttimepilot.com\/audio-ground-school-podcast\/)","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Home & FAQs Home FAQs on Flight Training About Us Affiliate Login Subscribe for Updates Contact Us Courses & Simulators Courses Private Pilot Online Ground School Private Pilot Checkride Prep Sport Pilot Online Ground School Sport Pilot Checkride Prep IFR Online Ground School All Products & Pricing ATC & Checkride Simulators Student Reviews Students Best Ground School in 2025? Student Dashboard FAQs on Flight Training Scholarships Recommended Products Military Discount 1st Responder Discount Instructors Free Instructor Access Free Stuff Free Ground School Lessons Free Mobile App Free PPL Study Guide Free Sport Pilot Resource Guide Read Full Transcript of Video: What’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that. So, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started. Step one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right. Okay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other. Step three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it. Now for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate. Okay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right? So five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future. TLDR This article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are: Determine your goal for flying Determine your plans to pay for flight training Meet requirements to become a pilot Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot) Obtain Student Pilot certificate Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam Find a flight school/flight club/instructor Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride Take and pass your Checkride Have you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show. So how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot: Step by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.) Determine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations/Requirements Obtain the required Medical certificate Obtain a Student Pilot certificate Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam Find a school/ flight instructor to do your training Get through your flight training minimums Take & pass your your check ride #1 Your Goal for Flying If your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates here. #2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training There are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option. It is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail here as well as which option is best for your specific goals. #3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate Be 17 years old Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one) Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot) Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests NOTE: You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor. #4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate Create an online application with MedXPress Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate Read here for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying NOTE: We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam. #5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate Create an online application with IACRA Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English Have the RI submit the application Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail! #6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam Determine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam. A good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training. In fact, the Part Time Pilot Private Pilot Online Ground School and Sport Pilot Online Ground School were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times. #7 Find A School/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training Once you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this. You can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live. #8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements Depending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we explain here , that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money. There are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements here. #9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot! Lastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE. During your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA. The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material. The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material 5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s This is why I created the Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement: Mentoring students from start to finish Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding LEARN MORE What is the Best Online Ground School? Over the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience. I have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option. The guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more. Read the guide here Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training. What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot? In order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements: Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate Be able to read, speak, write and understand English Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate How to become a Private Pilot? In order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of: Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate Be able to read, speak, write and understand English Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate Then, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training: 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article Then, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam. Then, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam. How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot? This varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor. The FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document. Students that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons. Students that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months. And students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more. Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less? Yes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons. How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost? The total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $14,000 to $17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US. However, there are many people who have spent more than this in the $20,000-$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as $10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend $10,000 or less, join our free course on How to Become a Pilot and Save Money . How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost? The total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from $65,000 to $135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish. There are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline in this article here. How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot? The journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews. What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot? The fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible: Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane? The following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate: Cessna 152 $110 to $160 per hour Cessna 172 $140 to $220 per hour Cirrus SR20 $235 to $435 per hour Diamond DA40 $180 to $250 per hour Sling TSI $180 to $250 per hour For a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between $40 to $90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance. What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot? The cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called “How to Become a Pilot and Save Money” and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are: Doing Ground School before Flight Training Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck Doing flight training at a Flying Club Doing flight training in rural parts of the US Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training Flying during the sunniest months of the year Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate And more outlined in the Free “How to Become a Pilot & Save Money” course Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Copyright Part Time Pilot. All rights reserved. Facebook Youtube Instagram Linkedin Spotify
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[Free PPL Study Guide](https://parttimepilot.com/free-ppl-study-guide/) - [Free Sport Pilot Resource Guide](https://parttimepilot.com/free-sport-pilot-resource-guide-organic/) # Step by Step How to Become a Pilot in 2026 [Read Full Transcript of Video:]() What’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that. So, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started. Step one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right. Okay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other. Step three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it. Now for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate. Okay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right? So five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future. TLDR This article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are: - Determine your goal for flying - Determine your plans to pay for flight training - Meet requirements to become a pilot - Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot) - Obtain Student Pilot certificate - Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam - Find a flight school/flight club/instructor - Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride - Take and pass your Checkride ![Step by step how to become a pilot](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3C/svg%3E) ![Step by step how to become a pilot](https://parttimepilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot-1024x1024.png) Have you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show. So how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot: ## Step by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate 1. Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.) 2. Determine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan 3. Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations/Requirements 4. Obtain the required Medical certificate 5. Obtain a Student Pilot certificate 6. Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam 7. Find a school/ flight instructor to do your training 8. Get through your flight training minimums 9. Take & pass your your check ride ## \#1 Your Goal for Flying If your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates[here.](https://parttimepilot.com/the-difference-between-private-pilot-recreational-pilot-and-sport-pilot-certificates/) ## \#2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training There are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option. It is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail [here](https://parttimepilot.com/how-to-pay-for-flight-training/) as well as which option is best for your specific goals. ## \#3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate 1. Be 17 years old 2. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English 3. Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one) 4. Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot) 5. Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor 6. Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests **\NOTE:*** You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor. ## \#4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate 1. Create an online application with MedXPress 2. Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) 3. Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate 4. [Read here](https://parttimepilot.com/how-to-get-your-pilot-medical-certificate/) for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying **\NOTE:*** We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam. ## \#5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate 1. Create an online application with [IACRA](https://iacra.faa.gov/IACRA/Default.aspx) 2. Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English 3. Have the RI submit the application 4. Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail\! ## \#6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam Determine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam. A good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training. In fact, the Part Time Pilot [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-online-ground-school/) and [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/sport-pilot-online-ground-school/) were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times. ## \#7 Find A School/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training Once you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this. You can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live. ## \#8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements Depending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we [explain here](https://parttimepilot.com/part-61-vs-part-141-pilot-training/) , that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money. There are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements [here.](https://parttimepilot.com/the-required-minimum-hours-needed-to-get-your-private-pilot-license/) ## \#9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot\! Lastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE. During your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA. [The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-practical-test-prep/)is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material. The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material 5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them \$1000s This is why I created the [Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing/) The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement: - Mentoring students from start to finish - Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding [LEARN MORE](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-online-ground-school/) What is the Best Online Ground School? Over the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience. I have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option. The guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more. [Read the guide here](https://parttimepilot.com/what-is-the-best-online-ground-school/) ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training. [What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?]() In order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements: - Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo - Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate - Be able to read, speak, write and understand English - Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate - Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate [How to become a Private Pilot?]() In order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of: - Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo - Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate - Be able to read, speak, write and understand English - Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate - Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate Then, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training: - 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students - 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article Then, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam. Then, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam. [How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?]() This varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor. The FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document. Students that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons. Students that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months. And students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more. [Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less?]() Yes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons. [How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?]() The total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \$14,000 to \$17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US. However, there are many people who have spent more than this in the \$20,000-\$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as \$10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend \$10,000 or less, join our free course on [How to Become a Pilot and Save Money](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/). [How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?]() The total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \$65,000 to \$135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish. There are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline [in this article here.](https://parttimepilot.com/tips-to-save-time-money-during-flight-training/) [How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?]() The journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews. [What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?]() The fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible: - Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep - Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training - Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks - Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training - Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable - Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight [How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?]() The following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate: - Cessna 152 - \$110 to \$160 per hour - Cessna 172 - \$140 to \$220 per hour - Cirrus SR20 - \$235 to \$435 per hour - Diamond DA40 - \$180 to \$250 per hour - Sling TSI - \$180 to \$250 per hour For a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between \$40 to \$90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance. [What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?]() The cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called [“How to Become a Pilot and Save Money”](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/) and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are: - Doing Ground School before Flight Training - Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep - Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck - Doing flight training at a Flying Club - Doing flight training in rural parts of the US - Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training - Flying during the sunniest months of the year - Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate - And more outlined in the Free [“How to Become a Pilot & Save Money”](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/) course - [Privacy Policy](https://parttimepilot.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms and Conditions](https://parttimepilot.com/terms-conditions/) - [Privacy Policy](https://parttimepilot.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms and Conditions](https://parttimepilot.com/terms-conditions/) Copyright Part Time Pilot. 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Readable Markdown	- [Home & FAQs](https://parttimepilot.com/) - [Home](https://parttimepilot.com/) - [FAQs on Flight Training](https://parttimepilot.com/ultimate-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-we-get-from-student-pilots/) - [About Us](https://parttimepilot.com/about-us/) - [Affiliate Login](https://parttimepilot.com/affiliate-area/ "flight instructor flight school affiliate program online ground school") - [Subscribe for Updates](https://parttimepilot.com/newsletter/) - [Contact Us](https://parttimepilot.com/contact-us/) - [Courses & Simulators](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing/) - [Courses](https://parttimepilot.com/step/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing/) - [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/step/private-pilot-online-ground-school/) - [Private Pilot Checkride Prep](https://parttimepilot.com/step/private-pilot-practical-test-prep/) - [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/step/sport-pilot-online-ground-school/) - [Sport Pilot Checkride Prep](https://parttimepilot.com/sport-pilot-checkride-test-prep/) - [IFR Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/step/ifr-online-ground-school/) - [All Products & Pricing](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing/) - [ATC & Checkride Simulators](https://parttimepilot.com/ppl-interactive-ai-tools/) - [Student Reviews](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/parttimepilot.com) - [Students](https://parttimepilot.com/my-account/) - [Best Ground School in 2025?](https://parttimepilot.com/?p=137828) - [Student Dashboard](https://parttimepilot.com/my-account/) - [FAQs on Flight Training](https://parttimepilot.com/ultimate-faqs-frequently-asked-questions-we-get-from-student-pilots/) - [Scholarships](https://parttimepilot.com/scholarships/) - [Recommended Products](https://parttimepilot.com/recommended-products-for-student-pilots/) - [Military Discount](https://parttimepilot.com/military-veterans-discount-for-pilot-ground-schoolf/) - [1st Responder Discount](https://parttimepilot.com/first-responder-discount-for-pilot-online-ground-schools/) - [Instructors](https://parttimepilot.com/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access/) - [Free Instructor Access](https://parttimepilot.com/free-flight-instructor-ground-school-access/) - [Free Stuff](https://parttimepilot.com/audio-ground-school-podcast/) - [Free Ground School Lessons](https://parttimepilot.com/audio-ground-school-podcast/) - [Free Mobile App](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-ground-school-app/) - [Free PPL Study Guide](https://parttimepilot.com/free-ppl-study-guide/) - [Free Sport Pilot Resource Guide](https://parttimepilot.com/free-sport-pilot-resource-guide-organic/) [Read Full Transcript of Video:]() What’s up everybody? My name is Nick. I’m the founder and creator of Part-Time Pilot. You can find us on Instagram, part.time.pilot. We got a bunch of good information on there. Or you can join our Facebook group. Just type in Part Time Pilot under groups and ask to join. It’s a great place to ask questions and get a lot of free information. All right, let’s get started. I’m going to make a few videos on how to get your private pilot license and everything that goes into doing that, all the requirements that go in to doing that. So, this video in particular is very good for anyone who has already started training and needs a review of what requirements they need to meet to move on to the next step, wherever that might be, or someone who has not started but wants to get their private pilot’s license and wants to know how the heck they do that. So, let’s get started. Step one, find a CFI, certified flight instructor, and an airplane. So, this can be at a flight school, you know, where you go, you pay tuition, you live on campus, all that stuff. Or you can do a flying club where you just pay dues. They have a bunch of aircraft and a bunch of instructors that they’ll pair you up with. Or you can find your own airplane and any CFI and pair the two and get training that way. The difference lies between what type of school you want to go to. There’s part 141 schools and there’s part 61 schools. The major difference is part 141 schools have to have their curriculum okayed by the FAA. So this is what you’ll find at flight schools and flying clubs most often. Part 61 is a different set and it of requirements and it basically allows you to do your own self-study all that stuff for the ground portion. You still need a certified flight instructor to do your flight training and you still need the same endorsements from instructors but you can kind of go at your own pace. you can train and study uh your own way. It’s not from a okay syllabus. All right. Okay. So, step two, you must meet the following requirements to start your flying lessons. To start flying lessons, you can be at any age. However, you have to be at least 16 years old to solo and you must be 17 by the time you take your final check ride. because of those two things. That’s why you rarely see anybody younger than that do flying lessons, but it’s totally acceptable to do so as long as you’re not soloing. And then you need to be 17 to take your check ride. The second one, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English proficiently. So, for all you foreign speakers out there, unfortunately, this is just something you got to work on. It’s very important. It keeps us all safe that we can communicate efficiently with each other. Step three, before you can fly solo, you need a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. So the student pilot certificate can be you can get that at the integrated airman certificate and rating application website or so. So let’s go there and let me just show you real quick how you can do that. Okay, so I’m here on Google and I just typed in ICRA and as you can see I’ve clicked on a few of these links. We’ll want to click on the register link. All right, so now here we’re going to click the applicant And then we’re going to go down here and agree to the terms of service. For certificate information, if you are a new student pilot and have never done this, then you do not have a certificate number and don’t have to enter that. For personal information, you’re going to input your name, date of birth, sex, email address, answer some security questions, and then input your username and password, and then bam, just click register. And that’s it. Now for your third-class medical certificate, this can be acquired by scheduling an examination similar to a physical with an aviation medical examiner or an AM. Now you can find an AM close to you by visiting the FAA help page on AMES. Let’s go check that out. All right, so to get here you can follow the link provided or you can just Google FAA. All right, so now there’s a bunch of good information on here. You can request medical records. You can look at aviation medical examiners. You can look at the drug and alcohol program. There’s lot of frequent questions and answers. How to obtain a medical certificate, all that stuff. But the basics is you just want to find an AM. You want to call them, schedule an examination, go to the examination, and get your medical. So to do that, let’s click on this last one, locate an AM. Then we’re going to click on search for an aviation medical examiner, drop down, under the dropdown, we’re going to select AM. We’re going to do a location search. Then we just enter a city, state, county, and postal code. Click search. It’s going to pull up the AMEs in your area. You can click one, call them, set up an appointment, and just like that, you’ll have your third class medical certificate. Okay. So, step four. Now that you have your student pilot, you have your third-class medical, you have your flight instructor, you’re able to fly solo. Now, you have to essentially meet two requirements. You have to pass an FAA written test and you have to pass a practical flight test. Okay? So, to pass the FAA written test, you have to get an endorsement in your log book in order to take the test and then of course you have to pass the test. Okay? So, this endorsement must be from either a certified ground instructor or a certified flight instructor. So, a certified ground instructor can give endorsements for the FAA written exam and they can teach you the ground knowledge. FAA flight instructor can teach you the ground knowledge and give you an endorsement for the FAA written. But they can also conduct flight training and give you endorsements for flying flight requirements. Okay? So, you can study on your own on an online ground school or at an in-person ground school. And again, this depends on whether you want to do part 141 or part 61 schools. All right? So five. Now you must receive a logbook endorsement, have passed the FAA written, and meet the minimum flight experience requirements to take the FAA checkride and pass the FAA checkride. All right. So in summary, we have a written test that we have to get an endorsement from and pass the test. Then we have a practical test where we have to have passed written. We have to have passed the written test. We have to have an endorsement, a different endorsement for the practical test and then we have to pass the check ride. Okay. So now, in order to do this, to take the check ride, you have to be at least 17 years old. Your endorsement for the check ride has to be from a certified flight instructor, not a ground instructor. And it has to be from the flight instructor who did your flight training. You can’t train with one instructor and then get endorsement from someone else. And then in order to give you an endorsement, the CFI is going to look at two things. They’re going to see are you proficient in the required areas for the aircraft rating and private pilot. And then two, have you met the aeronautical experience requirements? That’s a number of hours in certain types of flight which I will go over both of these things in separate videos in the near future. TLDR This article from Part Time Pilot details step by step how to become a pilot in 2026 and earn your first pilot certificate (private pilot or sport pilot). The steps detailed are: - Determine your goal for flying - Determine your plans to pay for flight training - Meet requirements to become a pilot - Obtain Medical certificate (if not Sport Pilot) - Obtain Student Pilot certificate - Complete a good ground school such as Part Time Pilot & receive endorsement to take & pass FAA Written exam - Find a flight school/flight club/instructor - Earn minimum hours required for certificate & receive Endorsement from instructor for your Checkride - Take and pass your Checkride ![Step by step how to become a pilot](https://parttimepilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Step-by-step-how-to-become-a-pilot-1024x1024.png) Have you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and experiencing the joy of flying? If you’re like me than you have probably wanted to be a pilot since you were a kid watching Apollo 13 or Top Gun or the Blue Angels at a flight show. So how do you become a pilot? Let’s break it down, step by step how to become a pilot: Step by Step how to Get Your Pilot Certificate 1. Determine your goal for flying (do you want to fly as a hobby or a career) and choose the pilot certificate you want to train for (private, recreational, sport, etc.) 2. Determine how you are going to pay for flight training and make a plan 3. Make sure you meet the requirements set forth in FAA Regulations/Requirements 4. Obtain the required Medical certificate 5. Obtain a Student Pilot certificate 6. Complete ground school (such as Part Time Pilot) to learn the required knowledge and take & pass the FAA written exam 7. Find a school/ flight instructor to do your training 8. Get through your flight training minimums 9. Take & pass your your check ride \#1 Your Goal for Flying If your goal for flying is to make a career out of it, then you will need to start with a Private Pilot certificate before getting an IFR rating and a Commercial rating. If your goal is to fly as a hobby or for fun and go on some cool trips with yourself and maybe another passenger then you can get a Recreational or Sport Pilot certificate. They have more limitations (like altitudes, airspeeds, passengers and aircraft), which we talk about in another lesson but they also have more flexibility. For example, a Sport Pilot does NOT require you to get a Medical Certificate. In fact, you only need a Driver’s License. So if you are someone who knows you might struggle passing a 3rd Class Medical certificate exam (which you need for a Private Pilot certificate) then you will want to look into the Sport Pilot route. You can read more about the differences between Private, Recreational and Sport pilot certificates[here.](https://parttimepilot.com/the-difference-between-private-pilot-recreational-pilot-and-sport-pilot-certificates/) \#2 Determine your Plan to Pay for Flight Training There are several ways to pay for flight training. You can save up money and draw from savings, you can pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis, you can earn scholarships, you can take out a loan, you can use credit cards, you can use the military, etc.. No matter which one you choose, it is important that you have a plan in mind before you start flight training and that you understand the pros and cons of each option. It is also important that you choose the payment option that best fits your goals. Is your goal to save the most amount of money? Or is your goal to become a pilot as quickly as possible? We discuss each of these options in greater detail [here](https://parttimepilot.com/how-to-pay-for-flight-training/) as well as which option is best for your specific goals. \#3 FAA Requirements to Get your Pilot Certificate 1. Be 17 years old 2. Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English 3. Have a student pilot certificate (must be at least 16 years old to get one) 4. Have the necessary medical certificate that is current & valid (not required for Sport Pilot) 5. Receive ground and flight instruction logbook endorsements from certified instructor 6. Pass aeronautical knowledge and practical tests **\NOTE:*** You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate to start training with a flight instructor or take a ground school or even take and pass the FAA Written exam. You only need a student pilot certificate and medical certificate once you get to the point in your training where you fly solo without your instructor. \#4 Obtaining A Pilot Medical Certificate 1. Create an online application with MedXPress 2. Schedule an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) 3. Obtain a minimum of 3rd class medical certificate 4. [Read here](https://parttimepilot.com/how-to-get-your-pilot-medical-certificate/) for more in depth detail on how to get your medical certificate and what conditions might be disqualifying **\NOTE:*** We recommend that if you know you want to become a private pilot that you get your medical certificate prior to doing too much flight training, if any at all. We don’t want you spending a bunch of money to only find out you are medically not cleared to be a pilot. Also, as we mention here… we highly recommend being examined by your regular doctor and then calling and chatting with an aviation medical examiner (AME) BEFORE having your official exam. Too many people get denied or deferred on their medical for things that could have been avoided by a phone call or pre-exam. \#5 Obtaining A Student Pilot Certificate 1. Create an online application with [IACRA](https://iacra.faa.gov/IACRA/Default.aspx) 2. Schedule an appointment with a recommending instructor (RI) (this can be done with your flight instructor once you have one) to prove you are who you say you are and can read, write and speak English 3. Have the RI submit the application 4. Wait for your student pilot certificate in the mail\! \#6 Complete A Ground School to Learn Required Knowledge then Take & Pass the FAA Written Exam Determine what kind of school you are going through such as part 141 or part 61 (we recommend part 61 for most people… more on this in a future article). Once you determine what school you will be doing, complete a ground school that will meet the knowledge requirements. This teaches the fundamentals and background knowledge needed to obtain a pilot license. Once you complete this, you will receive an endorsement that will allow you to take the written exam. A good ground school should not only prepare you for the written exam but also for your flight lessons. This makes you more competent and safe by the time you get to soloing an aircraft. It actually blows my mind that the FAA even allows students to fly solo without completing a ground school first. This, along with the fact that it will save you money in the end is why we HIGHLY recommend completing ground school prior to flight training. In fact, the Part Time Pilot [Private Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-online-ground-school/) and [Sport Pilot Online Ground School](https://parttimepilot.com/sport-pilot-online-ground-school/) were designed with this exact idea in mind… to prepare are students to not only pass the Written exam (we have a 99% success rate here) but also prepare them for their flight lessons so they are flying mentally one step ahead of the aircraft at all times. \#7 Find A School/ Flight Instructor To Do Your Training Once you have your ground school out of the way and the Written Exam out of the way you are all set to start flight training. You can start flight training whenever you want (even before ground school) but like we mentioned above, we highly recommend against this. You can fly at a flight school, flying club or even with a freelance instructor and aircraft. Whatever works best for you and the area that you live. \#8 Meet the Minimum Flight Experience Requirements Depending on whether you fly under Part 61 or Part 141 the minimum amount of hours and flight experience is a little bit different. We explain this in another free lesson but ultimately you need a total of 40 hours under Part 61 and 35 under Part 141. But as we [explain here](https://parttimepilot.com/part-61-vs-part-141-pilot-training/) , that doesn’t exactly make Part 141 less expensive. Be sure to read up on the differences before thinking you are going to save money. There are other, more specific flight experience requirements underneath the overall total hours of 35/40. For example, you need to have a certain number of hours with your instructor, a certain number of hours flying solo, cross-country flights, night flights, flight with instruments and even flights in preparation for your checkride. Read the exact requirements [here.](https://parttimepilot.com/the-required-minimum-hours-needed-to-get-your-private-pilot-license/) \#9 Take & Pass Your Checkride, Become a Pilot\! Lastly, once all your minimum have been met and you’ve receive the necessary endorsements from your flight instructor, it’s time to take your practical check ride! This consists of an oral exam and a flying exam that you will schedule with someone called a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE. During your checkride you will be quizzed on your knowledge, including what you missed on the FAA Written Exam, and then you will be tested on your skills and abilities in the aircraft. The examiner will have you walk them through the whole entire process of ensuring the aircraft is airworthy, ensuring you are fit to fly, calculating weight and balance, planning a cross-country flight, pre-flighting the aircraft, taxiing, taking off, climbing out, flying cross-country checkpoints, diverting from emergencies, lost procedures, slow flight, stall recovery, ground reference maneuvers, landings and more! And throughout the entire process the examiner will quiz you on situational based questions to try and gauge that you understand all concepts required of you by the FAA. [The Part Time Pilot Checkride Prep program](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-practical-test-prep/)is designed in the exact same format and flow of your checkride and has situational based questions you might get from your examiner (and how to answer them) throughout the material. The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material 5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them \$1000s This is why I created the [Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-ifr-course-pricing/) The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement: - Mentoring students from start to finish - Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding [LEARN MORE](https://parttimepilot.com/private-pilot-online-ground-school/) What is the Best Online Ground School? Over the years, I have seen 1000s of student pilots go through ground and flight training. I have heard their complaints and their praises about what makes a good ground school experience. I have taken that knowledge, included it with my own experience becoming a pilot, an instructor, and an aerospace engineer, and created the Ultimate Buyer’s Guide for student pilots looking for the best ground school option. The guide breaks down the best options across several categories, including the best for affordability, the best for visual learners, the best for mobile users on the go, and more. [Read the guide here](https://parttimepilot.com/what-is-the-best-online-ground-school/) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the costs of flight training. [What are the Eligibility Requirements to become a Pilot?]() In order to be eligible to become a private pilot, someone must meet the following requirements: - Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo - Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate - Be able to read, speak, write and understand English - Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate - Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate [How to become a Private Pilot?]() In order to become a Private Pilot, someone must first meet the eligibility requirements of: - Be at least 16 years old when they fly solo - Be at least 17 years when they receive their Private Pilot certificate - Be able to read, speak, write and understand English - Obtain at least a 3rd Class FAA Medical Certificate - Hold a US Student Pilot Certificate Then, they must meet the minimum hour requirements according to their type of training: - 40 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article for Part 61 students - 35 total hours minimum plus sub-requirements listed above in this article Then, this person must receive endorsements for both the FAA knowledge exam and FAA practical checkride from the certified instructor who performed their training stating that they are ready for the specific exam. Then, this person must pass the FAA knowledge exam with a 70% or higher prior to passing the FAA practical checkride oral and flight exam. [How Long does it take to become a Private Pilot?]() This varies depending upon several factors but mostly on how often you perform flight training lessons and how quickly you progress through the lessons in the eyes of your flight instructor. The FAA minimum number of hours to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours for Part 61 or 35 hours for Part 141. However, there are several underlying requirements such as solo flight hours, night flight hours, cross-country flight hours, simulated instrument flight hours, ground training and more. Even if you meet all minimum hour requirements, your flight instructor still needs to endorse you for your final checkride exam to become a pilot. In order for your instructor to endorse you, they must deem you proficient in all areas required by the FAA in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) document. Students that are able to progress and gain proficiency quickly while flying full-time (every day or every other day) can finish near the minimum hour requirement (35 to 50 hours) in about 2-3 months. These students also perform their ground training and have a good understanding of the knowledge prior to starting flight lessons. Students that aren’t able to fly full-time but on the weekends or off-days from work are more likely to finish in 50-70 hours and in about 4-6 months. And students that have gaps in their training lasting multiple weeks or that aren’t able to fly each week are going to finish in the higher range of 70-100 hours and 6 months to a year or more. [Can I get a PPL in 3 months or less?]() Yes it is possible to get a Private Pilot certificate in 3 months or less if and only if you are flying multiple times per week, gaining proficiency in the required skills quickly and you have performed ground training at a high level prior to your flight lessons. [How much does becoming a Private Pilot cost?]() The total cost of becoming a Private Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \$14,000 to \$17,000 on average to become a Private Pilot in the US. However, there are many people who have spent more than this in the \$20,000-\$30,000 range and there are also people who have spent as low as \$10,000 or less. If you want to learn how to spend \$10,000 or less, join our free course on [How to Become a Pilot and Save Money](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/). [How much does becoming an Airline Pilot cost?]() The total cost of becoming an Airline Pilot varies from person to person and the differences in their training journey. Typically, it costs anywhere from \$65,000 to \$135,000 or more to become an Airline Pilot from start to finish. There are ways to plan your training strategically and stay on the low end of these costs such as flight instructing, buying your own aircraft, scholarships, training where costs are lower and more that we outline [in this article here.](https://parttimepilot.com/tips-to-save-time-money-during-flight-training/) [How long does it take to become an Airline Pilot?]() The journey to becoming an airline pilot is a multi-stage process that typically takes 2.5 to 5 years from starting with no flight experience to being eligible for airline employment. This comprehensive timeline includes earning your Private Pilot Certificate (3-6 months), Instrument Rating (2-4 months), Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine rating (6-12 months), and then gaining the crucial flight experience necessary for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate, often by working as a flight instructor for 1.5 to 2.5 years to reach the required 1,000-1,500 flight hours. The final steps involve completing the ATP Certification Training Program and passing the ATP knowledge and practical tests, leading to readiness for airline interviews. [What's the fastest way to become a Private Pilot?]() The fastest way to become a private pilot is all up to the student and the availability of their instructor and aircraft rental. Other factors such as weather, aircraft maintenance and a student’s finances also come into play. It doesn’t matter if you are training under Part 141 or Part 61 for the following things to help you achieve your private pilot license in as little time and as little money as possible: - Perform ground school first and use a comprehensive ground school and written test prep - Pass the FAA Written before or early in your training - Fly as often as possible 4-6 times per week with no breaks - Try to fly with the same aircraft and instructor throughout your training - Fly when the weather has the best chances of being clear and stable - Come to each flight lesson prepared for the flight [How much does it cost to Rent an Airplane?]() The following rates are averages across the US and will vary from location to location. Typically in more urban areas the rates are higher than in rural areas. The rates below are also “wet” meaning it includes the cost of fuel and students don’t have to pay for the fuel they use on top of the rental rate: - Cessna 152 - \$110 to \$160 per hour - Cessna 172 - \$140 to \$220 per hour - Cirrus SR20 - \$235 to \$435 per hour - Diamond DA40 - \$180 to \$250 per hour - Sling TSI - \$180 to \$250 per hour For a total cost of flight training a student should also keep in mind the hourly rate of their instructors which can range between \$40 to \$90 per hour, ground school, gear and insurance. [What is the Cheapest Way to become a Pilot?]() The cheapest way to become a pilot explained step by step in Part Time Pilot’s free email course called [“How to Become a Pilot and Save Money”](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/) and summarized below. There is no one trick or one flight school that allows a student pilot to save the most money. Rather, it is a series of things student pilots can prepare and plan ahead for that will make their flight training journey as cheap and as stress-free as possible. Some of those things are: - Doing Ground School before Flight Training - Doing a complete Ground School & understanding the concepts in the material rather than just doing FAA Written Test Prep - Planning ahead financially instead of flying paycheck to paycheck - Doing flight training at a Flying Club - Doing flight training in rural parts of the US - Taking time off work and avoiding travel during flight training - Flying during the sunniest months of the year - Buying your own aircraft if you plan to fly a significant amount after receiving a Private Pilot certificate - And more outlined in the Free [“How to Become a Pilot & Save Money”](https://parttimepilot.com/free-how-to-become-a-pilot/) course - [Privacy Policy](https://parttimepilot.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms and Conditions](https://parttimepilot.com/terms-conditions/) Copyright Part Time Pilot. All rights reserved. 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