40 Hours

The private pilot license affords you a middle ground. The FAA permits private pilots to share flight expenses with passengers as well as get paid for a limited number of jobs like towing gliders or being an aircraft salesman. But if you think about it, your flight experience and skills are useful in other domains.

The Federal Aviation Regulations require an individual to be at least 16 years of age to operate an aircraft solo and 17 years of age to obtain a private pilot certificate. There is no maximum age for acquiring a private pilot certificate.

10 Hours

25 nautical miles

In the US, a student pilot can only log time when they are with a CFI (as dual) or alone (as solo/PIC). You are not allowed to fly with anybody else in the plane if you’re not with a CFI, so two student pilots cannot fly together.

A student pilot may not operate an aircraft in solo flight unless that student pilot has received an endorsement in the student’s logbook for the specific make and model aircraft to be flown by an authorized instructor who gave the training within the 90 days preceding the date of the flight.

As long as your student has a basic make and model solo endorsement issued within the preceding 90 days, they can use this endorsement. The FAA does specify in FAR 61.93 that the flights need to be for training purposes – practicing takeoffs and landings.

90 days

Weather Minimums for Students & Renters

Class B And Students Generally, student and recreational pilots are not permitted to fly in Class B airspace, or to take off or land at a Class B airport.

What You Need To Say (And Hear) To Get Into Class B. All VFR aircraft operating in Class B airspace require a clearance from ATC. To receive the clearance, you need to “request clearance into the Class Bravo” from ATC prior to entering the airspace.

For a bit of background “Bravo airspace” or “Class B airspace” is the term for the airspace around the busiest airports in the country. You need special clearance to enter this airspace.

All aircraft entering class C airspace must establish two-way radio communication with ATC prior to entry; explicit clearance to enter is not required, however the controller of Class C space may instruct aircraft initiating communication to “remain outside” the airspace.

While you don’t need an operable transponder to fly below a Class C shelf, you will need one to fly above Class C airspace. As you approach a Class C airport, you’ll contact that airspace’s approach control. Call ATC on the radio before you’re in Class C airspace and make sure to tell them: Your position.

If you’re approaching Class C airspace you’re well inside approach control airspace. If you’re still on a center frequency there ain’t any controller taking care of you.

Class C Airspace, indicated by a solid magenta line. Class C Airspace shows up on the map around larger airports as a solid Magenta line. They have a layer similar to class B airspace, but on a smaller scale and typically with only one other shelf.