You’ve made the bold leap and are chasing your dream of becoming a pilot. Congratulations – we know how it feels to count down the days to earning your wings.
Today we’re talking about the timeline from starting training to earning your certification, plus ways to shave time off that journey while maximizing learning. So, how hard is it to become a pilot? Read on to find out.
Are you ready? Let’s get you up in the air!
Table of Contents
- How to Become a Pilot
- Who Qualifies for a Student Pilot Certificate?
- How Long Does It Take to Get a Student Pilot Certificate?
- When do You Need a Student Pilot Certificate?
- How Many Flight Hours Do You Need to Become a Pilot?
- How Old Do You Need to Be to Become a Pilot?
- Fastest Ways to Become a Pilot
How to Become a Pilot
You may be asking yourself what exactly you need to do to become a pilot. Let’s start with a high-level overview of what it takes:
- Get a Student Pilot Certificate
- Get a Medical Certificate
- Log the required flight time for your desired certificate type
- Meet the age requirements for the certificate you’re applying for
- Take and pass your written exam
- Take and pass your check-ride
Who Qualifies for a Student Pilot Certificate?
You can apply for a student pilot certificate if you:
- Are at least 16 years old (or 14 years old for gliders and balloons)
- Can read, speak, and understand English
How Long Does It Take to Get a Student Pilot Certificate?
Apply online using the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) for the fastest timeline to becoming a pilot by getting your student pilot certificate in the mail. You can also fill out a paper version (FAA form 8710-1) and turn it in to your certified flight instructor (CFI). Your certificate should arrive in the mail in approximately three weeks.
When do You Need a Student Pilot Certificate?
The great news is you can start your flying lessons before you get your student pilot certificate. You will need to have both your student pilot certificate and your 3rd class medical certificate before you can fly solo, though.
Pro Tip: If you’re trying to earn your wings as fast as possible, apply for both your student pilot and medical certificates early in your training. That way, you’ll have them by the time you’re cleared for solo flight.
How Many Flight Hours Do You a Need to Become a Pilot?
Your total required flight hours for certification depend on what type of certificate you want to earn. If you’re just starting out, your first certificate will be as a sport pilot, recreational pilot, or private pilot.
The hours needed for each are:
- Sport Pilot: 20 total hours (15 with an instructor and 5 solo)
- Recreational Pilot: 30 total hours (At least 15 with an instructor, 3 solo, and 2 on a cross-country flight of greater than 25 nm)
- Private Pilot: 40 total hours in a single-engine airplane (At least 20 with an instructor on specific areas of operation and 10 solo)
How Old Do You Need to Be to Become a Pilot?
If you start young, part of your timeline for becoming a pilot includes knowing at what age you qualify to hold each type of certificate.
Teens can begin training for gliders and balloons when they are as young as fourteen years old. By age twenty-three, you are old enough to hold the most advanced certifications.
Here’s the age breakdown:
- 14: At fourteen years old, you qualify for a student pilot certificate for gliders and balloons.
- 16: Sixteen-year-olds can hold a standard student pilot certificate, earn a sport pilot certificate, and earn a recreational pilot certificate for gliders and balloons.
- 17: At seventeen, you can hold a standard recreational pilot certificate or private pilot certificate.
- 18: When you’re eighteen, you’re old enough for a commercial pilot certificate and to be a certified flight instructor.
- 23: The final minimum age cutoff is twenty-three for airline transport pilot (ATP) certificates
Fastest Ways to Become a Pilot
Looking to fast-track your journey to the left seat? If you’re training and studying part-time, it usually takes 6-12 months to earn your pilot’s certificate. But you may not have to wait that long.
If you’re on a mission and want to know how fast you can get your pilot’s license, the good news is a lot of it depends on you.
Here are some ideas for how to speed up the process:
- Commit to full-time training, logging flight time 5 to 6 days a week to earn your license in just 2-3 months.
- Enroll in an accelerated pilot training course to cut your training time back to about a month
- Sneak in extra practice time with realistic controls and an at home flight simulator
- Shorten the learning curve and master radio communications by practicing making and receiving realistic transmissions anytime, anywhere. Just download the ARSim Aviation Radio Simulator app on your phone to get started.
