My son (minor) is interested in learning to fly a plane. How can he do this? How much will it cost me?

Question

I know you have to accumulate so many hours to get your pilot's license but how do I find an instructor in our area (rural southwest arkansas)? Can you refer me to websites or individuals to contact for more information? I've heard of young pilots....Can a minor get a license?

Answer 1

Here is one web site that may help you locate a Flight Training facility near you. http://www.landings.com/evird.acgi$pass*86303347!_h-www.landings.com/_landings/pages/fbo/fbo-ar.html

I am a pilot in Canada & you need to be 16 years old to hold a pilot licence, but can start flight training at 14.

Since the USA & Canada are both ICAO signatories I am fairly confident that the rules are similar, but you would be best to ask any Flight training facility what the minimum age is for a student pilot permit.

Failing that I recommend you try your local Yellow Pages. Just about every General Aviation Airport in the country has a Flight Training Facility at the airport.

In Canada we have the Air Cadets. It's an organization similar to the Boy Scouts of America, but with a slant toward developing young pilots for a flying carreer in the military. It's a wonderful place for young people with an interest in aviation.
You may have something like that in Arkansas. It would be worth a trying to find out.

Also try: http://www.eaa.org/

You will find information about the "Young Eagles" programme. If your son is too young to start flight training, he can still explore his interest in flying. Under the heading "EAA YOUTH PROGRAMMES"
I participate in the Young Eagles Programme myself. We pilots just love to help along a young person with his/her interest in flying, so there's no need to be shy. Call up any airport in your area, you'll get all the answers to your questions & more.

You may be getting BAD ADVICE from Impavidus. I am a pilot & I also own Microsofts Flight Simulator. There is too vast a difference between flying a computer & an actual aircraft, & I would SERIOUSLY challenge his claim to be able to land an actual 747 in even the most ideal weather. His comments are obviously from only one viewpoint & it's not from an actual pilot.

Answer 2

The cost can vary depending on exactly how much time it takes for him to learn and exactly which plane he uses while learning. Also, there are different grades of pilot's license which will cost different amounts, but yield different privileges.

Probably the cheapest way to learn to fly is the new Sport Pilot (LSA) license. This is limited to a two seat airplane, daytime only, good weather only, with lots of other restrictions on the plane. It does not require a medical exam to fly, also reducing the cost. The downside to this is it is much harder to find a flight school with these planes since this is such a new area.

Next up is a recreational pilot. This allows larger airplanes, but still has lots of restrictions on the pilot. It also requries more training than the sport pilot, and a medical, but is less than a standard private pilot license.

After that is a private pilto. This is the most common first license. It also is the starting point for most commercial pilots. It requires a medical, and mroe training ,but allows much more privileges too.

A private pilot requires a minimum of 40 hours in traing but usually takes around 65 hours. The cost estimate for this is $4500 to $6500, but may be higher based on higher fuel costs now. I don't know when the web site linked below was updated for the costs.

I recommend the two sites below as starting points. The Be A Pilot site was started by a group of airplane manufacturers and other organizations to help get people information. The Sport Pilot site was started by the EAA, which is an interest group for airplnae owners and pilots.

Answer 3

The minimum flight hours according to the FAA is 40 hours for the Private Pilot. Depending on the type of aircraft the facility operates and the hourly charge for the flight instructor you should expect to average approx $150.00 per hour of instruction. Once you solo your hourly rate goes down a little because the instructor doesn't need to be present for that and all you are doing is renting the aircraft, which should be somewhere around $100.00/hr. The 40 hours the FAA requires is a minimum! Most pilots do not get their license until at least 50-60 hours in the air. You must be 16 years old and be able to read, speak, and understand the English language to get a STUDENTs Pilot certificate which is a Medical and and endorsement from your flight instructor (this allows you to Solo). To obtain your Private Certificate, you must be 17 years old, Hold 3rd Class Physical (maybe $80.00 depending on the doctor), pass a written exam, fulfill all the necessary checkrides (solo time, cross country, night, dual instruction per FAA standards) and also pass a practical exam in the air with a certified FAA Examiner.
Remember, your license is only good for 90 days if you do not continue to fly, your medical is good for 36 calendar months if under 40 yrs and 24 if over 40 years old.
The best idea is to go to a local flight school and talk to them, they will have many more answers and will provoke more questions as well.

Answer 4

Realistically you will be looking at about thirteen to fifteen thousand for lessons and sitting the actual PPL (private pilots license).

Seriously the best way to learn to fly is to go out and buy flight simulator: a century of flight, a joystick, foot pedals (if you want) for the rudder and a nice screen :)

I'm just using an old computer and a joystick and already I can land a boeing 747 in the fog in almost zero visibility using just my instruments... perfectly.

It's not the same as flying an acutal plane but there is a lot of theory involved with flying, in fact there's more theory than actual flying most the time. Buying a flight simulator would allow him to lean the basics on how to fly small fixed wing aircraft, teach him take of and landing, navigation, instrument navigation using VORs and all that crap... and you need to be at least 17 years of age to get your PPL in the USA.

You will save a lot, i mean a LOT of time and money buying a flight simulator. again i say that it's not the same, but when it comes time to actually start flying lessons, your kid wont be starting from scratch.

flying in a flight simulator is suprisingly fun and im sure you'd enjoy participating with your son :)

you dont need a powerful computer but the better it is the better the graphics in the game will be.

and if you buy a joystick, buy one that has something called FORCE FEEDBACK... that means that your joystick can change how stiff it is to move and if you run over some turbulence or something the joystick will shake like in real life :)

good luck :)


Re 'Douglas D's comments:

I CAN land a Boeing 747 in the fog, it has taken a shitload of practice and I have had to learn the flight profiles and all the bullcrap, I can't land well in high winds and all that but believe it or not once you are used to it, it's actually quite simple. you just need to make sure you are at the right height when descending and make sure you are descending at the right rate etc etc. Give it a go you will find it's quite easy.

Admittedly I dont think I could do it in real life, no way, the reason I am saying all this about the flight simulator is it is a good way to learn the basics about how to fly an aircraft without paying a good deal of money. with the price of petrol what it is now learnign to fly will be even more expensive.

As I say there is a HELL of a lot of theory to learn, and a lot of it is theory that would be quite difficult for a youngster to learn. He would have to be extremely dedicated if he was to learn to fly from a young age. If I was you, I'd stick with the simulator (even if it is relativly unrealistic) because a simulator can teach navigation, how a compass works and all that.

I would set an age where he can start learning to fly in an actual plane, say maybe 15 or 16.

Douglas D would obvously dislike simulators as he is already a pilot and a simulator is never as good as the real thing.

Answer 5

Yes.. it's expensive. You both go to the local airport and ask around and see if he can work it off! Maybe the pilot needs a website or maybe the airport needs someone to wash the planes!

It will probably be around $5,000 to get a full license by the time you pay for lessons and the time up in the air.. may be more or less depending on where you are at.

Also... ask for a trial flight. There is a program that is designed for kids to get interested in flying (I can't remember the name of it) and the older (usually retired men) pilots will take them up once for free!!! It's a great way to see how serious your son is... he may change his mind.

Answer 6

Here in the state of California, the total cost to get your private pilots license is around $3000.

Not sure over there. Just look in your phone book for any companies that offer flying lessons and they will be able to tell you more.

Yes, a minor can get a pilot's license.

Answer 7

I am 54 years old and have had a license since I was 16. I think I was 15 when I soloed. I took lessons from a local CFI (certified flight instructor). I purchased a study book and did the ground instruction on my own. I own my own plane and love flying.

It will cost appox. $4000 - $5000 for him to complete 40 hrs of flight training. After that he may want to go to a college that offers aviation studies. The best way is to go to the local airport and ask around.

I live in west central Arkansas. Let me know which town you live in and mayby I can help.

Answer 8

As far as cost.....like so much in aviation, IT depends!
The average "student is taking around 55 hrs nationally to complete private pilot training. Based on this you can approxamate the cost.
Plane rental $100 hr
Instructor $35 hr
FAA medical exam $125
Training materials..$100+
Headset $100-$1000+
"written" exam $100 +-
"checkride" (Pratical exam) (Oral and flying test) $250
Renters Insurance $150 yr
AOPA membership $39 yr (invaluable!!!)
So....$5,500 for airplane
30 hrs at $35 for instructor (some time will be solo so there will be less time than the 55 hrs with the instructor on board) $1050
so I would budget at least $7500

§ 61.103 Eligibility requirements: General.
top

To be eligible for a private pilot certificate, a person must:

(a) Be at least 17 years of age for a rating in other than a glider or balloon.

(b) Be at least 16 years of age for a rating in a glider or balloon.

(c) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons, then the Administrator may place such operating limitations on that applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft.

(d) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who:

(1) Conducted the training or reviewed the person's home study on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in §61.105(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and

(2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required knowledge test.

(e) Pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in §61.105(b) of this part.

(f) Receive flight training and a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who:

(1) Conducted the training in the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought; and

(2) Certified that the person is prepared for the required practical test.

(g) Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought before applying for the practical test.

(h) Pass a practical test on the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b) of this part that apply to the aircraft rating sought.

(i) Comply with the appropriate sections of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.

Answer 9

Most of these answers are excellent. The FAA's web site provides information on pilot certification, including student pilots
http://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/.

A person can get a student pilot certificate at age 16, which allows him/her to solo. He can begin lessons at any age but can't solo until he has his student pilot certificate and a valid medical. He can train in gliders or balloons at 14.

I highly recommend that you and your son contact one of the FAA's Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) and make an appointment to talk to a Safety Program Manager. He or she can give you information on becoming a pilot and give recommendation on how to proceed. If your son is still in school, he might be able to recommend some courses that can help him achieve his aviation goals (math, meteorology, etc.). You can locate your nearest FSDO at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/.

Good luck!

Answer 10

well, technically he can work whenever he wants to but he needs to be 16 before he can actually recieve his pilots license. the cost depends on the type of airplane, cost of fuel, location of airport, etc.
if hes really interested in flying, you can check out Civil Air Patrol, a nonprofit organization that has an aerospace education program if that helps the nation website is below: