©Carolina Flight Academy

Private Pilot Program

Steps to your pilot certificate
• Aeronautical knowledge and FAA knowledge test • Pre-solo training in the airplane • Solo training • Flying to other airports (cross-county training) • Solo cross-county training • Practical test preparation • Practical test
Before you solo: The student pilot certificate We all start out as student pilots. Before flying solo in the aircraft, you'll need to have in your possession a student pilot certificate. To get a student pilot certificate you must: • Be at least 16 years old • Hold at least a third class medical certificate if you’re pursuing a recreational or private pilot certificate • Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. Aeronautical knowledge Aeronautical knowledge includes diverse and interesting subjects like aerodynamics, how the systems of the airplane you are flying work, what weather to avoid, FAA regulations, and more. The FAA requires that you pass a knowledge test covering these subject areas with a grade of 70 percent or better. You can study at home with the help of books, videos, or computer training programs; and many flight schools offer ground school classes to help you learn the principles covered in the test. Studying topics such as navigation, aerodynamics, and weather while you’re on the ground also can help you apply what you’ve learned in the air.
Learning to fly is a matter of acquiring aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and experience. Think of the process of earning a sport, recreational, or private pilot certificate as a series of steps. Some steps, such as aeronautical knowledge, can be integrated throughout your training process. Others, like solo training, come when your instructor has provided the required training and he or she decides that you are ready. The process can be broken down into the following subjects:
In your practical test, or checkride, you’ll bring together elements from every aspect of training to prove your aviation skills and knowledge by talking to and flying with an examiner. It’s the last step to earn your pilot certificate, but your journey as an aviator has only just begun.
What will it cost? The FAA required minimum hours is 40 hours. Instructor: 30 hours @ $60/hour= $1800 Airplane (Cessna 172): 30 hours @ $140/hour= $4200 Airplane solo: 10 hours @ $140/hour= $1400 Ground instruction: 15 hours @ $60/hour= $900 Total: $8300 The national average to receive your private pilot license is 55 hours. Instructor: 37.5 hours @ $60/hour= $2250 Airplane (Cessna 172): 37.5 hours @ $140/hour= $5250 Airplane solo: 17.5 hours @ $140/hour= $2450 Ground instruction: 15 hours @ $60/hour= $900 Total: $10850 We also offer an Accelerated Instrument Rating Program and a Private Pilot and Instrument combo package. Get your Instrument rating in as little as 10 days! Click HERE for more info or click HERE for the Package.
© Carolina Flight Academy

Private Pilot

Learning to fly, whether for enjoyment, dream fulfillment, or employment, is a rewarding, exciting, and emotional experience that cannot be explained. Whether you are an aspiring airline pilot or just seeking the thrill of flying, everyone’s flying journey begins here: the Private Pilot License. It is the most common pilot’s license in the U.S. and allows individuals to take leisure trips to just about any destination without the aid of a flight instructor.  

Instrument Pilot

For most people, the next step after your Private Pilot Certificate is the Instrument Rating. The addition of the instrument rating opens up a whole new world of flying. When you operate under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) you can fly in the clouds without reference ground or horizon. Without your instrument rating, you would be restricted to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and could only operate on clear days. Are you longing to fly for the airlines, as a flight instructor, or a charter pilot? Well, these and hundreds of other flying careers have one thing in common: they all require a commercial pilot’s certificate. Even if you don’t want to use your wings to earn your paycheck, commercial training gives you the skills to fly complex aircraft with the precision and safety margins that airline passengers have come to take for granted.