Pilot Training – What Does It Involve?

By Author: Vikram Kuamr
Total Articles: 2912
Comment this article

Flight training can be a daunting prospect but an incredibly satisfying process. To help you decide whether it is for you or not, here is a summary of the two main learning areas involved.

Actual flying

During your pilot training you will need to fly a minimum of 45 hours, 25 hours of these must be under dual instruction, and 10 hours must be solo flying, 5 hours of which have to include cross-country flying, and landing at two aerodromes other than the one at your flight training school. The remaining 10 hours can be either under instruction or alone, depending on what you and your instructor feel you need.

Initially you will spend your flying hours learning basic aircraft handling skills, in and around your home aerodrome. You will then move on to circuit training, in which you will learn how to safely take off and land the plane. Once you have made your first successful solo flight, you will be taught navigation skills, to the level that is required for the license.

Theory

You will also be instructed in flying theory. There are seven separate examinations involved in completing your pilot ...
... training, and these are: Air law (which you must pass before making your first solo flight), Human performance and limitations, Meteorology, Navigation, Flight performance and planning, Aircraft general and principles of flight, and Radio telephony. The subject matter itself is not difficult, but there is a good deal to learn.

Your instructor will normally be confident in your ability to pass the tests before he or she recommends you take each one, so you should have little to worry about in terms of your own competence at each stage. However, you will need to take responsibility for studying at home, so be prepared to set aside time for reading, absorbing, and memorizing all the facts and figures you will need.

You need to complete all seven modules within 12 months of passing your first one, but you have two years from that date to complete the flight training, so it’s a good idea to really concentrate on the theory and get those tests out of the way in good time. Then you can spend the rest of your time doing the actual flying without having to worry about the theory except in practice, which is, of course, what it is all about.

Flying is a wonderful experience but, of course, there are dangers involved. The training is there to make sure every pilot learns what is needed to reduce the dangers as much as possible. There may be times when you find the learning process frustrating, especially when you are studying at home, but the end result is certainly worth the time and effort. Keep remembering what you’re doing it for—the ability to fly yourself, alone and safely, to wherever you wish, at any time you feel like it—and you’ll find the motivation you need at those low points!

Author Bio.

For more details about Pilot training, go to Flight Learnings and read about the real experiences of someone going through Flight Training.