Preliminary Matters
Most of our students want to get into the air as soon as possible! Like TOMORROW! The good news is that when preparing for a US FAA pilot certificate there are almost no bureaucratic obstacles to your goals:
You do NOT need a Student Pilot Certificate to begin your training;
You do NOT need a medical certificate to begin your training;
You do NOT need to apply to the US FAA for permission or pay fees to initiate your training;
You can train in your own aircraft or ours;
You do NOT need to purchase uniforms (unless you want to!).
If you are NOT a US citizen or carry a US Passport, you will need to obtain authorization for training under rules established after 9/11 by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as the Alien Flight Student Program. Part of that authorization requires uploading of your identification and other documents and submittal of your fingerprints to authorities (we are also a TSA-authorized fingerprint collector). The cost is $130 USD payable to the TSA and $199 USD payable to NATA compliance (if we collect your fingerprints here, free if collected in the United States). Once completed, the “Training Request” is valid for one (1) full year and you will not have to submit fingerprints for future training. The process can take up to a month from the time you upload your documents.
The Student Pilot Certificate does NOT expire, is free, and must be obtained prior to your solo. There are NO other fees payable to the US FAA. The examination for your (third class) Medical Certificate must be conducted prior to your first solo flight.
Many high quality and current US FAA study materials are free and available on-line. As an alternative, there are many excellent printed and video instructional manuals and materials produced by Jeppesen, King Schools, Gleim, Sporty’s, and others. These can be obtained on-line, or some purchased from us. You can study as frequently as you like, on your own schedule, and in any location you prefer.
NOTES:
1). For more information about a Student Pilot certificate see:
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/student_cert/
2). For more information about the Alien Flight Student program see:
www.flightschoolcandidates.gov
3). For an example of a US FAA free training manual, view/download the Airplane Flying Handbook at:
www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/airplane_handbook/
4). For an example of excellent Knowledge (written) Test preparation materials by Jeppesen see:
