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PALM SPRINGS PILOTS ASSOCIATION

 

Requirements for Obtaining Your Private Pilot Certificate

  

  • You must be at least 17 years of age to take your FAA practical (flight) test.
  • You must be able to read, speak, write, and converse fluently in English.
  • You must obtain a student pilot certificate and a third-class FAA medical certificate or higher.
  • You must be at least 16 years of age to receive a student pilot certificate.
  • You must undergo a routine medical examination that may only be administered by FAA-designated aviation medical examiner (AME).
  • A third-class medical certificate is valid for 3 years if the date of the examination was before your 40th birthday, or 2 years if the date of the examination was on or after your 40th birthday.
  • The medical certificate expires on the last day of the month issued. We will be able to recommend an AME. Even if you have a physical handicap, medical certificates can be issued in many cases. Operating limitations may be imposed depending upon the nature of the disability.
  • You must pass the private pilot knowledge test with a score of 70% or better.
  • All FAA tests are administered at designated computer testing cente 

            The private pilot knowledge test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions selected from the 700+ airplane-related questions in the FAA's test bank.

 

The questions test the following topics:

 

1.      Airplanes and Aerodynamics

2.      Airplane Instruments, Engines, and Systems

3.      Airports, Air Traffic Control, and Airspace

4.      Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs)

5.      Airplane Performance and Weight and Balance

6.      Aeromedical Factors and Aeronautical Decision Making

7.      Aviation Weather

8.      Aviation Weather Services

9.      Navigation: Charts, Publications, Flight Computers

10.    Navigation Systems

11.    Cross-Country Flight Planning

 

 

          The topics listed above are the chapters in the Private Pilot FAA Knowledge Test book and FAA Test Prep software. The FAA pilot knowledge test is a learning opportunity. Rather than memorizing the answers to 700+ questions, studying our book or software assures you of a high passing score on the test and the acquisition of useful knowledge to make you a better, safer pilot.

You must undertake flight training as described in lessons 1 through 25 of the Private Pilot Syllabus. Many of the lessons will require more than one flight to make you comfortable and proficient. The lessons/topics are shown below.

 

Lesson Topic:

 

Stage One:

  • Introduction to Flight
  • Four Fundamentals of Flight                            
  • Basic Instrument Maneuvers                           
  • Slow Flight and Stalls                                      
  • Emergency Operations                                    
  • Steep Turns and Ground Reference Maneuvers
  • Review ntry
  • Go-Around and Forward Slip to a Landing
  • Presolo Review
  • Presolo Review
  • First Solo view
  • Stage One Check

 

Stage Two:

  1. Second Solo
  2. Short-Field and Soft-Field Takeoffs and Landings
  3. Solo Maneuvers Review 
  4. Navigation Systems 
  5. Dual Cross-Country
  6. Night Flight – Local
  7. Night Cross-Country
  8. Solo Cross-Country
  9. Maneuvers Review
  10. Solo Practice
  11. Maneuvers Review
  12. Solo Practice
  13. Stage Two Check

 

Under Part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), you must receive a total of 40 hours of flight time, including a minimum of  20 hours of flight training from a certificated flight instructor, including at least;

 

  1. 3 hours of cross-country, i.e., to other airports
  2. 3 hours at night, including
  3. One night cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles (NM) total distance
  4. 10 night takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop at an airport
  5. 3 hours of maneuvering an airplane solely by reference to instruments
  6. 3 hours in airplanes in preparation for the private pilot practical test within 60 days prior to that test
  7. 10 hours of solo (i.e., by yourself) flight time in an airplane, including at least
  8. 5 hours of solo cross-country time
  9. One solo cross-country flight of at least 150 NM 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 and
  10. 3 solo takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.

 

All other regulations concerning certification of pilots are found in CFR14 Part 61

FAA-designated pilot examiners are proficient, experienced flight instructors/pilots who are authorized by the FAA to conduct practical tests. They typically charge a fee for their services.

The FAA has issued private pilot practical test standards (PTS). Each of the 50 tasks/maneuvers is required to be covered and tested on each practical test.

 

For further information or assistance please contact the Palm Springs Pilots Association at 760-285-3273

Updated August 5, 2007

 
 
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