Passing The Exams for a Private Pilot LicensePilot's licenses use the same strata as driver'slicenses. They are divided into students, non pro,and professional licenses. Getting a student'slicense is relatively easy as the qualificationsassume that you're going into a course to LEARNhow to pilot an aircraft. The next step up is aPrivate Pilot's License which allows you tooperate a personal aircraft. For those who intendto take up piloting as a profession, the procedurerequires knowledge often obtained through yearsof study. For those shooting for a simple PrivateLicense, here are the criteria you have to pass:
Basic Aircraft Operation - this simply means thatyou know how to fly an airplane or helicopterwithout crashing it into the ground or runninginto a building. A lot of certified private pilotscan easily pass this knowledge on through privatetutorials.Basic Aviation Maintenance - unlike professionalpilots who need intimate knowledge of avionicsand how their aircraft works, private pilotssimply need to know how to patch things up in caseof an emergency. This can be compared to knowinghow to change the oil or tires on a car as opposedto, say, taking a carburetor apart.Age and Education Requirements - 16 is the legalage for practising solo flights for studentpilots, and 17 is the required minimum age for aprivate license. There are no educationalrequirements for obtaining a private pilot'slicense, though basic communication skills and
literacy in reading and writing English is a must.Medical Requirements - naturally, there aremedical requirements for flying. These includethe standard tests for perfect vision and hearing,as well as drug and alcohol tests. Disabled peopleare still capable of flying specially modifiedaircraft, and any restrictions for disability aremade on a case to case basis.Air Traffic Communications and Control - likeknowing how to read road signs and learning commonroad etiquette when you're a driver, pilots mustknow the terms and signs used in air trafficcontrol systems. Knowledge of how to operate aradio for communication is also a must in thesecases.Aerial Navigational Aids - while professionalpilots must have an intricate knowledge ofnavigation by air, private pilots can takeadvantage of modern technology and are required
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