How to Become a Private Pilot: Steps, Requirements & Timeline

Study-aid disclaimer

What a private pilot certificate is (and isn’t)

The FAA issues pilot certificates, not “licenses,” though everyday speech often says “license.” A private pilot certificate authorizes you to act as pilot in command (PIC) of aircraft for which you are rated, within the privileges and limitations of 14 CFR part 61—most notably §61.113.

**At a high level, a private pilot certificate is:**

• An airman certificate issued after you meet eligibility, knowledge, experience, and practical-test standards for the category/class rating sought (for this page: airplane single-engine land) (14 CFR §61.103; FAA-S-ACS-6C).
• Authority to carry passengers (when you meet currency and other operating rules) for personal flying—not as a commercial operation.
• A step on a common training path that often begins with a student pilot certificate, dual instruction, solo, cross-country experience, a knowledge test, and a practical test (“checkride”).

**A private pilot certificate is not:**

• Authority to carry passengers or property for compensation or hire, or to act as PIC for compensation or hire, except as specifically allowed in §61.113(b)–(h) (for example, limited incidental business flying, pro-rata expense sharing of fuel/oil/airport expenditures/rental fees, certain charity flights under §91.146, etc.) (14 CFR §61.113).
• An instrument rating, commercial certificate, or airline transport pilot certificate.
• A guarantee of insurance, aircraft rental checkout, or club membership—those are separate operator policies.
• Medical qualification by itself. Medical eligibility is governed primarily by §§61.23, part 67, and (if used) part 68 / BasicMed.

Eligibility overview (age, language, medical — Part 61)

This section summarizes Part 61 eligibility for the common airplane (non-glider/balloon) path. Always read the regulation text with your CFI.

Student pilot certificate (§61.83)

To be eligible for a student pilot certificate, you must:

• Be at least 16 years of age for operations other than glider or balloon (14 CFR §61.83(a)).
• Be at least 14 for glider or balloon (14 CFR §61.83(b)).
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language, with possible operating limitations if a medical reason prevents meeting one of those requirements (14 CFR §61.83(c)).

FAA guidance: you need a student pilot certificate before solo, but not merely to take dual instruction with an instructor (FAA, Become a Pilot / student certificate page).

Private pilot certificate — general eligibility (§61.103)

To be eligible for a private pilot certificate, you must (among other items in §61.103):

• Be at least 17 years of age for a rating other than glider or balloon (14 CFR §61.103(a)).
• Meet the English language requirement (14 CFR §61.103(c)).
• Receive required instructor endorsements for knowledge and flight training, pass the knowledge test and practical test, meet aeronautical experience for the rating sought, and hold a U.S. student, sport, or recreational pilot certificate (14 CFR §61.103(d)–(j)).

Medical overview (not medical advice)

Do not treat this site as medical advice. See an FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and the FAA medical certification pages for your situation.

Regulatory anchors (verify current text):

• Exercising privileges of a student or private pilot certificate generally requires at least a third-class medical certificate, except when operating under the conditions and limitations of §61.113(i) (BasicMed pathway) (14 CFR §61.23(a)(3)).
• Medical certificate duration for private/student operations depends on age and class; see the duration table in §61.23(d) (for example, third-class: under age 40 → 60th month after examination month; age 40 or older → 24th month, for the private/student operations described in that table).
• BasicMed is an alternate way for eligible pilots to exercise certain privileges without a current FAA medical certificate, under part 68 and §61.113(i). Prerequisites include a U.S. driver’s license, having held a part 67 medical certificate after July 14, 2006, completing the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist with a state-licensed physician, and completing an accepted BasicMed medical education course (FAA BasicMed page; 14 CFR §§61.23(c)(3), 61.113(i), part 68). First-time student pilots who have never held an FAA medical certificate generally cannot use BasicMed for solo—plan on at least a third-class medical via an AME unless your situation is exceptional and confirmed with an AME/FAA medical sources. BasicMed also has aircraft and operating limits (FAA BasicMed page as of June 3, 2026: aircraft authorized to carry not more than 7 occupants; max certificated takeoff weight not more than 12,500 lb; not more than six passengers; U.S. operations at or below 18,000 feet MSL and not exceeding 250 knots, among other limits). Verify current §61.113(i) / part 68 / FAA BasicMed page before you rely on those numbers.

Student certificate vs medical certificate: Since April 1, 2016, these are separate documents. AMEs issue medical certificates; student pilot certificates are obtained via IACRA (or paper Form 8710-1) through an authorized individual (CFI, DPE, FSDO, or part 141 airman certification representative) (FAA student pilot certificate page).

End-to-end path (discovery → school/CFI → student certificate → medical → training → knowledge test → solo/XC → checkride)

There is no single mandated calendar. Sequence below is a common Part 61 ASEL path; your CFI and school may order some steps differently (for example, medical earlier, knowledge test mid-training, etc.).

1. Discovery / goals

   Decide what you want to fly and why (airplane ASEL is the focus here). FAA’s “Become a Pilot” pages outline certificate types and point you to training and testing resources.

2. Choose a training environment (CFI and/or school)

   Under Part 61, training is instructor-driven within regulatory minima. Under Part 141, you enroll in an FAA-approved school curriculum (high-level contrast only—see FAQ). Interview instructors, inspect aircraft maintenance culture, and confirm how endorsements, scheduling, and stage checks work.

3. Student pilot certificate

   Apply via IACRA (preferred) or Form 8710-1 through an authorized individual. FAA states certificates issued after April 1, 2016 do not expire; they are superseded by a higher certificate (FAA student pilot page). Allow processing time (FAA cites approximately three weeks by mail; IACRA may shorten this).

4. Medical qualification

   For most airplane student pilots intending to solo, obtain at least a third-class medical via MedXPress + AME exam, unless another lawful path applies (see medical section). You must carry required certificates when soloing (FAA student pilot page).

5. Dual flight training + ground study

   Train toward pre-solo proficiency (§61.87), then broader private pilot areas of operation (§61.107) and aeronautical knowledge (§61.105). Log training properly.

6. Pre-solo knowledge test & solo endorsements

   Before solo, §61.87 requires a instructor-administered knowledge test on applicable parts 61/91, local airspace rules, and aircraft limitations, plus logged training and proficiency on required maneuvers, and a make/model endorsement current within 90 days (14 CFR §61.87).

7. Knowledge test (Private Pilot Airplane — PAR)

   After required ground training or home-study review and instructor endorsement (§61.103(d); §61.105), schedule through FAA-authorized testing (see FAA Airman Testing / PSI). Pass the knowledge test (§61.103(e)).

8. Solo practice & cross-country

   Build the aeronautical experience in §61.109(a), including dual XC/night/instrument reference training and the specified solo XC elements. Additional XC endorsements are required beyond basic solo (FAA student pilot page; see also §61.93 for solo cross-country requirements—confirm with CFI).

9. Practical test preparation

   Complete §61.109(a)(4) prep within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test; obtain required endorsements (§61.103(f); §61.39). Knowledge test must generally be passed within the 24-calendar-month period preceding the month you complete the practical test (14 CFR §61.39(a)(1)(i)).

10. Checkride (practical test)

    Demonstrate knowledge, risk management, and skill to the Private Pilot for Airplane Category ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C) with a DPE or authorized evaluator. Application is typically via IACRA.

    No timeline promise: Weather, aircraft availability, medical issues, frequency of lessons, and proficiency—not calendar marketing—drive duration.

Knowledge test vs practical test

The ACS integrates what you must know, consider (risk management), and do. Use ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report to target deficient areas with your CFI before the practical test (FAA ACS Companion Guide concept; confirm current FAA-G-ACS-2).

Where ground school / self-study fits (disclaimer)

Ground training may be:

• Instructor-led ground school (Part 61 or Part 141),
• A structured home-study course reviewed by an authorized instructor, or
• A mix.

Under §61.105(a), an applicant must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course on the knowledge areas in §61.105(b). Under §61.103(d), an authorized instructor must endorse that they conducted the training or reviewed your home study and that you are prepared for the knowledge test.

Disclaimer: Online courses, apps, and sites (including privatepilot.aero) can organize study—but they do not replace the instructor endorsement, the FAA knowledge test, dual flight instruction, or the ACS practical test. Align study topics to §61.105(b) and the current ACS knowledge elements.

Flight experience: how to read the regs with a CFI (official sources)

Read the regulation with your instructor. Do not treat marketing “average hours” as requirements.

Part 61 airplane single-engine minimums (§61.109(a))

Except as provided in §61.109(k) (simulator/FTD credit and certain part 142 training-center courses), an applicant for a private pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation in §61.107(b)(1), including at least:

1. 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a single-engine airplane;

2. 3 hours of night flight training in a single-engine airplane (except as provided in §61.110) that includes:

   • one cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles total distance; and
   • 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport;

3. 3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on control and maneuvering solely by reference to instruments (straight and level, constant-airspeed climbs/descents, turns to a heading, recovery from unusual attitudes, radio communications, and use of navigation systems/facilities and radar services appropriate to instrument flight);

4. 3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in a single-engine airplane in preparation for the practical test, performed within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test; and

5. 10 hours of solo flight time in a single-engine airplane, consisting of at least:

   How to use this with a CFI:

   • 5 hours of solo cross-country time;
   • one solo cross-country flight of 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles between takeoff and landing locations; and
   • three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop (each involving a traffic-pattern flight) at an airport with an operating control tower.

• These are minimums. The practical test is a proficiency test against the ACS—not a reward for logging 40.0 hours.
• Track dual vs solo, day/night, XC definitions, and endorsement currency carefully.
• §61.109(k) permits limited credit for full flight simulator / flight training device time under stated conditions; discuss any device time with your CFI before assuming it counts.
• Part 142 approved course totals and Part 141 approved-course totals differ; do not mix frameworks without instructor guidance.

Part 141 contrast (high level only)

An FAA-approved Part 141 private pilot certification course for airplane includes at least 35 hours of flight training in the approved curriculum (Appendix B to Part 141). Ground-training hour minima also appear in that appendix. Same ACS/checkride standards still apply for certification testing purposes—school structure and approved syllabus differ from flexible Part 61 training.

Documents & endorsements high level

Expect to manage (non-exhaustive):

Endorsements: Your CFI uses standardized endorsement language. FAA Advisory Circular 61-65K (Certification: Pilots and Flight and Ground Instructors, dated November 14, 2025) is the usual reference for sample endorsements. Confirm the latest revision letter on FAA.gov if linking years later. Solo endorsements live in the logbook (not on the plastic student certificate for post-2016 certificates) (FAA student pilot page).

90-day solo currency: A student may not solo unless endorsed for the specific make/model by an authorized instructor who gave the training within the 90 days preceding the flight (14 CFR §61.87(n), (p)).

Common process pitfalls

1. Confusing “minimum hours” with “ready for checkride.” ACS proficiency rules.

2. Delaying the medical until after investing heavily in dual—then discovering a medical issue. Discuss timing with an AME early (not medical advice—see FAA medical pages).

3. Assuming BasicMed works for a first-ever student without ever holding a part 67 medical.

4. Expired or incomplete endorsements (90-day solo; knowledge-test endorsement; practical-test prep within 2 calendar months; XC endorsements).

5. Knowledge test aging out relative to the practical test (24-calendar-month rule in §61.39).

6. Poor logging of XC distances, night landings, towered-airport landings, or instrument-reference training—forcing makeup flights late.

7. Training only to maneuvers, ignoring risk management, ADM, and ACS knowledge/risk elements that dominate the oral.

8. Mixing Part 61 and Part 141 expectations without understanding which curriculum and minimums apply to your enrollment.

9. Treating websites as authority over eCFR, ACS, and your CFI.

10. Skipping English proficiency / identification requirements until test day.

How to use privatepilot.aero in this journey

Use this site as a structured study companion alongside your CFI and FAA publications:

• Map ground topics to §61.105 and ACS knowledge elements via exam prep.
• Refresh airspace and chart concepts at airspace guide.
• Use tools for planning aids—then verify outputs against primary weather/NOTAM/chart sources before flight.
• Return to this pillar when you need the process map, not maneuver how-tos (maneuver instruction is out of scope here).
• Prefer linked FAA/eCFR sources in our Sources section when something on the site and your instructor’s materials disagree—primary sources win.

privatepilot.aero does not issue endorsements, medicals, or certificates, and does not administer FAA tests.

FAQ

Is it a “license” or a “certificate”?

The FAA issues airman certificates. People often say “pilot’s license,” and even some FAA consumer pages use “license” in plain language, but the regulatory instrument is a certificate (see 14 CFR part 61).

When do I need a medical?

You generally need appropriate medical qualification to exercise student or private pilot privileges in an airplane—commonly at least a third-class medical—unless you are operating under a lawful alternative such as BasicMed conditions in §61.113(i) (14 CFR §61.23). You do not need a student pilot certificate merely to fly dual with an instructor, but you do need the student certificate (and applicable medical) before solo (FAA student pilot page). For personal medical questions, see an AME and https://www.faa.gov/go/medcert — not this site.

Should I study for the written before I start flying?

You may begin ground study before or in parallel with flight lessons. §61.105 allows instructor ground training or home study. Many students combine both. There is no FAR that forbids flying before the knowledge test—but you need the knowledge test (within the §61.39 window) before completing the practical test, and you need instructor endorsement before taking the knowledge test (§61.103(d)–(e)). Ask your CFI what order fits your learning style and schedule.

What’s the difference between Part 61 and Part 141?

Part 61 sets certification requirements and allows flexible training with an authorized instructor meeting those requirements. Part 141 governs FAA-approved pilot schools with approved curricula, facilities, and quality standards. For private pilot airplane, Part 61 aeronautical experience minima are in §61.109 (40-hour framework for ASEL); an approved Part 141 private course uses Appendix B minima (35-hour flight training framework for airplane). Both paths lead to the same ACS-based practical test standard. Choose based on structure, instructor, aircraft, and how you learn—not marketing slogans.

What is the ACS?

The Airman Certification Standards document states what you must know, what risks you must manage, and what skills you must demonstrate for the certificate/rating. For airplane private pilots, use FAA-S-ACS-6C, Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (FAA ACS index: publication April 2024; effective May 31, 2024). The PDF cover may show an earlier document date—cite the FAA index effective date for applicants. Companion guidance: FAA-G-ACS-2 (current changes).

Does privatepilot.aero replace a CFI or the FAA?

No. This site is a study aid. It does not endorse you, examine you, medically clear you, or interpret your personal regulatory situation with legal or medical authority. Verify everything with your CFI and current FAA/eCFR publications.