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If you have ever fantasized about flying a
plane, soaring through the skies, the good news
is you can turn this fantasy into reality.
Airplane flight is a hobby that a lot of people
are taking up these days- thanks to the numerous
flight schools that offer a variety of excellent
courses in flying, whether you are looking for a
career as a pilot, or whether you are just
looking at flying for fun.
Flying can be an exciting hobby and it gives you
a totally new perspective on life. It is
challenging as well as rewarding, and it is an
experience that you will always enjoy. Flying is
also a unique hobby because not everyone has the
will, aptitude or attitude to pursue it. But for
those who are passionate about it, with the
right resources and information, there is great
scope.
In the US, a commercial pilot can earn a living
by flying an aircraft. But before actually
considering flying as a career or hobby, it is
important to meet certain eligibility criteria
of the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA.
You must have the ability to understand, speak,
read and write English, in addition to holding a
private pilot or higher certificate issued by
the FAA. There are also knowledge tests and
practical flying tests to pass through first.
You would also need to meet requirements related
to the commercial pilots license that relates to
type of plane and the commercial class rating
being applied for.
So, How To Get Started?
Learning to fly is the first step because there
is no way you can just get into an aircraft and
take off without the requisite knowledge and the
license. You can become eligible for a pilot’s
license via these options:
·
Attend classes at an FAA approved school
·
Through home study
·
A combination of both
You will need to find out the specific minimum
requirements for the kind of license you plan to
apply for. If you are
looking for a student permit, then the minimum
age could be 14 years. A pilot permit needs you
to be 17 years old to fly a gyroplane. For
recreational and ultra light aircraft, you need
to be 16 years old.
Although, flying, as a hobby is easily
accessible, there is some expense involved in
terms of flying lessons and renting aircrafts
when you want to fly. Those who can afford their
own aircraft will also need to take into account
maintenance and repair costs.
Learning To Fly
We can generally categorize the process of
learning to fly into two parts:
·
Ground school covers the training that you need
in theory that can be applied at the time of
flying the aircraft. You will have to go through
courses in the basics of navigation,
aerodynamics, etc. This knowledge is then tested
and graded. You will need to pass this test.
·
Flight school comes next. Here, it is vital to
get a good instructor.
You will probably cover your ground school and
flight school in 60 - 80 hours. Here is how you
go about it, step by step:
1.
You will start with the pre-solo lessons
where you will learn the basic info on how to
fly a plane. You will learn to inspect a plane
before a flight, how to taxi into the runway,
how to take off and land on your own. After you
become proficient at this, you will go on to
flying solo. Here you will learn to identify the
changing weather patterns so that you know how
to judge good flying conditions and develop the
ability to know about the airport traffic
operation. You also learn how the aircraft
works, its various parts, etc.
2.
Now, it is time to learn the various
maneuvers with the
aircraft like climbing, rolling, etc. You will
really have fun flying cross-country. You might
be accompanied
by your flight instructor the first few times,
until you are confident enough to go on your
own. This brings you to the stage where you can
seek private pilot certification. This involves
a practical test, after which, you must go
through the FAA exam.
3.
Next comes the license part. Just like
our regular car driving licenses, there are
different levels of pilot’s licenses- starting
from student licenses, non-pro and professional
licenses. You can get a student license fairly
easily as it is similar to a learner’s license.
The private pilot’s license allows you to fly a
personal aircraft.
How Can You Become A Commercial Pilot
Before you apply for a commercial pilot’s
license, you would need to attend ground and
flight school. First, you would need to get your
private pilot license, after which you can apply
for the commercial license. Flight schools that
offer training for private licenses can also
train you for the commercial pilot licenses.
This would mostly cover the small propeller
driven aircrafts, followed by specialized
training for jets and large commercial airliners
that cover the passenger aircraft and air cargo
aircrafts too. Invariably, even though you’ve
got your commercial license, some of the major
airlines would want you to go through their own
flight school.
Joining The US Air Force
It is obvious from the above that you can enjoy
flying both as a hobby and an exciting career.
But there is yet another way to get your pilot’s
license without spending a dime! And that is by
joining the Air Force, of course! Here you can
get trained for free – in fact, you would even
get paid as you go through the flight school.
The catch, if you consider it as one, is that
you will be with the Air Force for a stipulated
number of years. When you leave, though, you
will have a license, the necessary training and
experience on the aircraft that you were trained
on. If you wish to pursue a career as a
commercial pilot after you leave the Air Force,
you might need to get some additional aircraft
specific training. As we mentioned earlier, the
major airlines will put you through their own
training and as their employee, you will be paid
for this. Naturally, your military experience
will be an advantage when you apply with a big
airline company for a job.
More Scope
You could also spread your wings a little
farther if you would like to go abroad. Many
developing countries have a demand for airline
services, for both passenger and cargo. In
addition to this, there are wealthy people who
travel only in their private aircrafts and jets.
With your commercial license and experience, you
stand a pretty good chance of getting a job as
you train further.
That said, airplane flight – whether as a hobby
or a career – is a great responsibility for the
pilot – in terms of the aircraft and the
passengers who fly with you. That is why it is
so crucial that you train yourself really well
before you take off.
The information given above is only to get you
started. For more information and tips to help
you take up airplane flight as a hobby, do visit
the following website and watch the following
instructional in-depth videos and excellent
books on flying. Enjoy the videos as you see
professional pilots in action. You will also
find valuable links that can tell you all that
you want to know about airplane flight. So, get
the information, and take off!
more
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First is formal flight
training for becoming an Airline Carrier
Pilot, Second is casual training for
learning to fly smaller and more agile
planes, Third is a guided combat adventure
in which you are able to take the flight
stick without any previous training (
