Private Pilot Eligibility Requirements

The private pilot certificate is the certificate held by the majority of active pilots. It allows command of any aircraft (subject to appropriate ratings) for any non-commercial purpose, and gives almost unlimited authority to fly under visual flight rules (VFR). Passengers may be carried and flight in furtherance of a business is permitted; however, a private pilot may not be compensated in any way for services as a pilot, although passengers can pay a pro rata share of flight expenses, such as fuel or rental costs. Private pilots may also operate charity flights, subject to certain restrictions, and may participate in similar activities, such as Angel Flight.

The requirements to obtain a private pilot certificate for "airplane, single-engine, land", or ASEL, (which is the most common certificate) are:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Be able to read, speak, and write the English language
• Obtain at least a third class medical certificate from an Aviation Medical Examiner
• Pass a computerized aeronautical knowledge test
• Accumulate and log a specified amount of training and experience, including the following:
  • If training under Part 61, experience requirements are specified in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 61.109 including at least 40 hours of piloting time including 20 hours of flight with an instructor and 10 hours of solo flight, and other requirements including "cross-country", 10 hours of solo (i.e., by yourself) flight time in an airplane, including at least
    • Solo requirements:
      1. 5 hours of solo cross-country time
      2. One solo cross-country flight of at least 150 NM total distance, with full-stop landings at a minimum of three points and with one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 NM between the takeoff and landing locations
      3. Three solo takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.
    • Night requirements:
      1. 3 hours of night flight training
      2. One cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles total distance
      3. 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport
    • 3 hours of flight training on the control and maneuvering solely by reference to instruments
  • If training under Part 141, at least 35 hours of piloting time including 20 hours with an instructor and 5 hours of solo flight, and other requirements including cross-country and night flights
• Pass an oral test and flight test administered by an FAA inspector, FAA-designated examiner, or authorized check instructor (Part 141 only)

Pilots are qualified to fly at a specific privilege level, and in one or more specific categories of aircraft. Examples of privilege level are:

• Student: a pilot who is being trained by an instructor for their first full certificate, and is permitted to fly alone (solo) under specific, limited circumstances.
• Sport pilot: used for Light-sport Aircraft, a category that was created in 2004. These aircraft are larger and faster than ultralights, carry more fuel, and often two occupants.
• Recreational: a pilot who is restricted to flying short distances.
• Private: a pilot who flies for pleasure or personal business without accepting compensation for flying except in some very limited, specific circumstances.
• Commercial: a pilot that can fly for hire.
• Airline Transport: a pilot that can be pilot-in-command for a scheduled airline.

Pilots are certified to fly aircraft of a specific category and class. Certain kinds of aircraft also require a type rating.

The category on a pilot certificate refers to the broad classification of aircraft that the pilot is certified to fly. Categories of aircraft include airplane, rotorcraft, glider, lighter-than-air, powered-lift, powered parachute, and weight-shift-control aircraft. Some categories are further broken down into more specific classes of aircraft.

• Airplane class ratings include single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, and multi-engine sea.
• Rotorcraft class ratings include helicopter and gyroplane.
• Lighter-than-air class ratings include airship, gas balloon, and balloon with airborne heater (hot air balloon).
• Weight-shift-control aircraft class ratings are broken down into land and sea.
• Powered parachute class ratings are also broken down into land and sea.

Type ratings are required in a specific make and model of airplane if the airplane is "large" (greater than 12,500 lb gross takeoff weight) or powered by one or more jet ngines. Boeing 747, DC-10, and Dash-8 are examples of type ratings.

• ultralight category of aircraft in the US requires no specific training and no certification.

The pilot can separately add certain ratings, such as the instrumnt rating.

As an example, the captain of a 747 flying for a scheduled airline would have to have an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with an airplane category rating, a multi-engine land class rating, and a 747 type rating.

To obtain a certificate or add a rating, a pilot usually has to undergo a course of training with a certificated instructor, accumulate and log specific aeronautical experience, and pass a three-part examination: a knowledge test (a computerized multiple-choice test, typically called the "written test"), and a combined oral and practical test carried out by either an FAA inspector or a designated examiner.

Another form of authorization is an endorsement from a flight instructor that establishes that the certificate holder has received training in specific skill areas that do not warrant a full test, such as the ability to fly a tailwheel-equipped, high-performance, complex, or pressurized airplane.

Airman certificates other than student pilot certificates do not expire, although they may be suspended or revoked by the FAA. However, a pilot must maintain currency — recent flight experience that is relevant to the flight being undertaken. To remain active, every pilot has to undergo a flight revew with an instructor every 24 calendar months (unless he gains a new pilot certificate or rating in that time), and, for most types of certificate, undergo a medical examination at intervals ranging from six months to three years, depending on the pilot's age and desired flight privileges. Other currency requirements apply to the carriage of passengers or to flight under instrument flight rules (IFR).

A medical certificate is not necessary to fly a glider or balloon, or to fly with a sport pilot certificate. An ultralight aircraft can be piloted without a pilot certificate or a medical certificate.