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How To Become A PilotSo, you want to become a pilot? Great! I'm here to help you do just that. Did you know that for about half the cost of a used car you can learn to fly, become a pilot and enjoy a lifetime of memorable flying experiences? It's true, and I'm going to show you how. SIDEBAR: Be a part of an exclusive group. It's a fact that fewer than 2% of the population will ever bother to get a pilots license.  Different Licenses for Different PurposesSo, where do we go from here? Well, that sort of depends on what your more specific goals are. We have already established the fact that you want to become a pilot. Pilots come in a lot of different varieties, shapes and sizes...AND...have a variety of reasons for why they want to became a pilot. The FAA, being the helpful folks they are (grin), have licenses and ratings to fit everyone's need! You have the weekend warrior who is just interested in "flying around the patch" on a nice, sunny Sunday afternoon, the more serious recreational pilot who likes the occasional "$100 Hamburger" hop, the business person who flies between various cities, and of course the serious career-minded pilot who dreams of flying the big iron. Different people with different needs and goals in mind for becoming a pilot. Now, like I said before, there are different licenses and ratings to go for, so let's talk about some of those a bit.  Become A Pilot - Get Your Sport Pilot LicenseThe FAA recently created a whole new class of airplanes and pilot licenses, perfect for that "weekend warrior" person I referred to above. The Sport Pilot License has reduced training requirements for becoming a pilot compared to the Private Pilot License and requires no special medical examination as long as the Sport Pilot applicant has a valid and current driver's license. Sport Pilots can fly Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) which are one and two passenger airplanes, which can be factory built or home built experimental aircraft. An LSA can have a maximum gross weight of 1,320 pounds, a maximum speed in level flight of 120 knots (138 mph) and a single engine with a maximum of 100 horsepower. Sport pilots can operate as pilot in command of a Light Sport Aircraft, carry one passenger, fly during the daytime in visual weather conditions, fly cross-country anywhere in the US and fly up to 10,000 feet above sea level. There are however some limitations to the Sport Pilot License which may make getting the additional training to become a Private Pilot more attractive for some people. These limitations include:
 Become A Pilot - Get Your Private Pilot LicenseFor more serious pilots who want or need to do more than just daytime flying in a two passenger airplane, there is the old tried and true Private Pilot License! With a Private Pilot License - and possibly the addition of some appropriate ratings - A pilot may fly larger, more powerful single engine and multi engine aircraft, fly higher, carry more passengers, fly longer cross-country flights, even fly to other countries! The FAA will require the Private Pilot student to log a minimum of 40 hours (or a minimum of 35 hours at some FAA approved schools) of pilot training with at least 10 hours of SOLO flight time in order to qualify for the FAA Private Pilot Practical Test. There is also a Knowledge Exam - some call it a written test even though nowadays it's all done on computers - with 60 multiple choice questions covering a wide range of topics such as aviation weather, regulations, navigation and airspace. Ratings and endorsements which can be added to a Private Pilot License include:
SIDEBAR: Basically, a Private Pilot can do anything that a Commercial Pilot may do....except...fly for hire. Find an Aviation School
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