Private Pilot Requirements: What You Need Before, During, and After Training

Private pilot requirements checklist

• Age: Be at least 16 years old to fly solo, and 17 to get the actual certificate.
• Language: Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English.
• Medical: Hold at least a Third-Class FAA Medical Certificate (or BasicMed).
• Student Cert: Obtain a Student Pilot Certificate via IACRA.
• Knowledge: Pass the FAA Private Pilot Airmen Knowledge Test (written exam).
• Flight Experience: Meet the minimum flight hour requirements for your chosen training path (Part 61 vs 141).
• Checkride: Pass the Practical Test with a DPE.

Flight training and aeronautical experience

The FAA establishes strict minimums. For the standard path:

Solo and cross-country requirements

Before you are allowed to fly the airplane by yourself, your instructor must endorse your logbook. The 10 hours of solo flight training must include at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flying, and one solo cross-country flight of at least 150 nautical miles total distance.

Medical certificate / BasicMed planning note

If you have a history of ADHD, depression, sleep apnea, or heart conditions, the medical certificate can become a massive hurdle. It is highly recommended to secure your medical certificate before you invest thousands of dollars into flight lessons.

What to prepare before starting

Create an IACRA account, schedule your FAA medical exam with an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner), and consider completing your ground school online before you start paying high hourly rates in the cockpit.