A PPL or Private Pilot License is an FAA license granting an individual the right to fly without restrictions (no instructor endorsement necessary). Once you have obtained your PPL you can generally rent aircraft that are the same type that you have trained in and go fly. There are additional type ratings and certifications available that enable you to fly and make money (Commercial) or to instruct other pilots (CFI), as well as Complex, High Performance, and Multi Engine ratings.
In order to obtain your PPL for single engine land, you must complete the following requirements set forth by the FAA in Part 61.109.
- 40 hours total flight time minimum
- 20 hours from authorized flight instructor consisting of
- 3 hours dual cross country flight training; 3 hours dual night flight training:
- 1 dual night cross country flight over 100 nautical mile total distance; 10 dual night takeoffs and landings to a full stop;
- 3 hours dual instrument flight training;
- 3 hours dual flight instruction in preparation for the practical test.
- 10 hours solo flight time, consisting of
- 5 hours solo cross country flight time
- 1 solo cross country flight over 150 nm total distance, full stop landings at 3 different airports, one segment consisting of a straight line distance of MORE than 50 nm between takeoff and landing locations and;
- 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.
Once you have met these requirements, your instructor will meet with you to go over your logbook and to make sure you are ready to take the oral exam and check ride with an FAA examiner. A written test is also required prior to taking the check ride and includes a 60 question multiple choice exam. Those 60 questions are pooled from a question bank of approximately 900 questions. Cost for the exam is $150 or $140 with AOPA membership. Two and a half hours are allotted to take the test. After all the requirements are met, we call the FAA Examiner and they will administer an oral examination and a flight examination. This is known as a check ride and has a cost of $500.
Upon successful completion of an FAA exam, you will be licensed as a Private Pilot and ready to take to the Skies! To learn more about the expected costs to complete your PPL, please visit the Flight Instruction Pricing page for more.