Blog

Updated May 15, 2025

1. Determine Your Aviation Goals

Before you dive in, clarify why you want to fly. Are you dreaming of weekend recreational flying, or do you envision piloting airliners? Determining your end goal will help shape your training path:

Recreational Pilot or Private Pilot for Personal Flying

If you simply want to fly small aircraft for fun (perhaps with friends and family along), your journey might stop at a Private Pilot Certificate (or even a Sport Pilot or Recreational Pilot license, which have fewer requirements but more restrictions). A private pilot cannot be paid to fly, but can share operating expenses with passengers. This level is perfect for hobbyists, weekend flyers, and aircraft owners who fly themselves.

Professional Pilot Career

If your aim is to fly for a living – whether for airlines, corporate aviation, charter, or any commercial operation – you will need advanced certifications beyond private pilot.

This typically means progressing through instrument rating, commercial pilot license, and possibly flight instructor certificates, culminating in an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate for airline flying.

You’ll also want to plan for multi-engine training, as virtually all airline and many corporate aircraft are multi-engine.

Understanding your goals helps in making decisions like choosing a flight school, a training pace, and how much to invest at each stage.

It can also influence whether you train under Part 61 or Part 141 regulations (more on that in the next section) and if you pursue a college aviation degree.

Take time to envision where you want this journey to lead – you can always adjust later, but having a general roadmap from day one is beneficial.

2. Ensure You Meet Basic Requirements (Age, Language, Education)

To start flight training in the U.S., you’ll need to meet a few baseline requirements:

Age

You can begin taking flying lessons at any age, but to fly solo as a student pilot you must be at least 16 years old (or 14 for gliders and balloons). The Private Pilot Certificate requires a minimum age of 17 (16 for gliders/balloons) by the time of the checkride. Higher certificates have higher age minimums (e.g. 18 for a Commercial Pilot, 23 for an unrestricted ATP).

Language Proficiency

You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand English, as English is the international language of aviation. This is important for communication with air traffic control and understanding technical materials.

Education and Math

There’s no formal degree required to become a pilot – a high school diploma will suffice – but you will need to grasp basic math and physics concepts. For example, you should be comfortable with arithmetic (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) and understanding units, as these are used in flight planning calculations. Many pilot knowledge exams also include questions on weather, aerodynamics, and navigation that involve some math and science reasoning.

Background Check

When you eventually go for your student pilot certificate, you will be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) if you are a non-U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens just need to show proof of citizenship (like a birth certificate or passport) to the flight school under TSA’s rules. Generally, as long as you can lawfully be in the U.S. and meet the above requirements, you can learn to fly.

Most prospective pilots meet these requirements without issue. If you’re unsure about any (for example, English isn’t your first language), consider addressing them early – perhaps taking an aviation English class or brushing up on math skills – so you have a smooth start to training.

3. Obtaining an FAA Medical Certificate

One crucial prerequisite to flying solo (and certainly to flying as a licensed pilot) is being medically fit to fly. The FAA requires most pilots to hold a valid medical certificate, obtained through an FAA-approved Aviation Medical Examiner (AME):

Types of Medical Certificates

There are three classes. A Third-Class Medical is the minimum for private pilots and student pilots flying solo – it’s valid for 60 months if you’re under 40 (24 months if over 40). A Second-Class Medical is needed when you start exercising commercial pilot privileges (e.g., flying for hire) – it has a 12-month duration (then reverts to third-class privileges for up to 60 months if under 40).

A First-Class Medical is required for airline transport pilots (ATP) flying as an airline captain or first officer – it lasts 12 months (if under 40) or 6 months (over 40) before reverting to second/third class standards. If you’re aiming for an airline career, it’s wise to obtain a first-class medical early in your training to ensure you meet the highest medical standard.

Common Medical Requirements

You’ll fill out an online form (via MedXPress) and then visit an AME for a physical exam.

They’ll check things like vision (you must have at least 20/40 correctable, and color vision sufficient to see aviation color signals), hearing, blood pressure, and look for any conditions that might pose a sudden risk (like seizure disorders or serious heart conditions).

For a third-class medical, the standards are fairly accessible for most healthy individuals.

BasicMed (Alternative for Private Flying)

Since 2017, the FAA allows an alternative called BasicMed for pilots flying strictly non-commercial operations in aircraft up to 6 seats and 6,000 lbs.

BasicMed lets pilots who have held an FAA medical at least once since 2006 continue flying without renewing the medical through an AME exam – instead, you take a free online course and visit a state-licensed physician (your regular doctor) every 4 years. BasicMed has some operational limits (e.g., no flying above 18,000’ or faster than 250 knots, and no international flying unless the other country accepts it), but it’s a great way for many private pilots to avoid the cost and hassle of periodic FAA medical exams, especially if you have a well-managed health condition.

Important: As a student pilot, you do need at least one regular FAA medical to solo (BasicMed can only be used after you’ve obtained an initial medical certificate at some point). And if you plan to go professional, you’ll need the higher-class medicals eventually, so BasicMed is mainly mentioned for those who might continue as private pilots.

Medical Changes and Updates

The FAA has been making it easier for pilots to address health issues without losing certification. For example, in 2023 the FAA significantly eased policies around mental health – they now allow more pilots being treated for mild depression or anxiety to continue flying without a special issuance, and even approved certain antidepressant medications (like Wellbutrin and several SSRIs) without requiring onerous testing.

This is a big shift aimed at reducing the stigma so pilots can seek treatment if needed. Additionally, the FAA is improving application processes (AMEs can now upload documents electronically to speed up deferred cases). The takeaway: if you have a medical condition, don’t automatically assume you’re grounded.

Many conditions are considered acceptable with proper documentation or treatment. Always consult an AME if in doubt – they can advise confidentially.

Tip: It’s smart to get your FAA medical certificate early in your training (some schools even require it before you start). You don’t want to invest in lessons only to find a disqualifying condition later. If you’re going for a career, get a First-Class medical upfront; if you pass that, you’ll pass the lower classes too. Once you have your medical in hand, you’re ready for the next steps.

4. Student Pilot Certificate – Your Ticket to Fly Solo

While you can take flight lessons with an instructor without any license or permit, to fly an aircraft solo (by yourself) you’ll need a Student Pilot Certificate.

This certificate is essentially a beginner pilot license that comes with the sole privilege of allowing you to practice solo under an instructor’s oversight. Here’s what you need to know in 2025:

Eligibility

As mentioned, you must be at least 16 years old (14 for glider/balloon) and meet the basic requirements (especially the medical certificate discussed above). Your flight instructor will typically ensure you’re ready (through training) before endorsing you for solo flight, but the certificate itself is a prerequisite to solo.

How to Apply

The process is straightforward and free. Most people apply online through the FAA’s IACRA system (Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application). You’ll create an account and fill out an application for a student pilot certificate. Then, to authenticate your identity and submit the application, you’ll meet with a certified individual – this could be your flight instructor, a designated pilot examiner (DPE), or an FAA official at a Flight Standards District Office.

Many flight instructors are authorized to process student pilot applications for their students. Once submitted, the application is reviewed by the FAA and the physical certificate will be mailed to you (typically in about 3 weeks, though using IACRA often speeds up processing). You or your instructor can print a temporary certificate from IACRA once the application is processed, so you don’t necessarily have to wait for the plastic card to start soloing.

No Expiration

Good news – since an April 2016 rule change, student pilot certificates do not expire. In the past they were valid for 24 months, but now you hold it until you get your next-level pilot license. (The certificate will be surrendered to the examiner when you pass your private pilot checkride and they issue you a temporary private pilot certificate.)

Limitations

As a student pilot, you can fly solo only with your instructor’s endorsement. Your instructor will give you a written endorsement when they consider you ready for solo, valid for specific make/model of aircraft and for a limited time (typically 90 days, and they can re-endorse if training continues).

You cannot carry any passengers when flying solo, and you must remain under certain limitations your CFI sets (like specific airports or weather minima). Also, no solo flying at night or to other airports farther away unless specifically endorsed for that (cross-country solo endorsements come later in training).

Build Up to Solo

Don’t worry about soloing right away – your instructor will guide you through the learning process until you have enough skill to safely solo.

The first solo usually happens around 10 to 30 hours into training, depending on individual progress and frequency of lessons. It’s one of the most memorable milestones of pilot training!

Tip: During training, focus on mastering the fundamentals your instructor teaches – things like maintaining altitude, gentle turns, takeoff and landing procedures, and emergency practice.

The better your grasp of these, the more confidently (and sooner) you’ll be able to solo. And remember, you don’t need a student pilot cert to start learning; you only need it (and your medical) by the time you’re ready to fly the plane alone.

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• Selecting a Flight School or Instructor