Enroll In Online Ground School
Some prefer to study before flight lessons, while others want to fly first. If you choose to fly first, it's advisable to start ground school to grasp key concepts and learn faster. The more you study independently, the quicker you'll progress and the less it will cost overall.
Click online ground school for my recommendations.
Pass FAA Knowledge Test
The FAA Knowledge Test must be completed before the Checkride, but you can take it anytime beforehand. Some prefer to finish it early in training, while others wait until they’ve completed all training. You can study independently and take the test prior to meeting with me. Once you pass the practice test, the online ground school will provide an endorsement for the FAA written test at an approved testing center.
Start Flight Training
The ideal training schedule is to fly every other day, allowing you to absorb and review what you’ve learned. This works well for local students. For those in an accelerated course coming from out of town, we typically fly every day (weather permitting) to complete training as quickly as possible.
If you’re in an accelerated program, it’s best to complete as much ground school as you can beforehand, ideally finishing your online ground school and passing the FAA knowledge test before arrival.
A typical day involves flying for 1 to 3 hours in the morning, taking a lunch break, and then either attending ground school or flying again in the afternoon. After reaching your saturation point (usually within 1 to 3 hours of flight time), your ability to learn may decline due to fatigue. Therefore, we will fly you every day, weather permitting, to maximize the value of your training.
Prepare For The Checkride
The checkride will be conducted by an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). Your instructor will thoroughly prepare you for both the oral and flight portions of the checkride in accordance with FAA Sport Pilot Practical Test Standards. Expect your checkride date to be scheduled just one week after your instructor issues your endorsement to take the checkride. You’re ready for this!
