Earning Your Private Pilot License
One-on-one Part 61 private pilot training with realistic hour planning. Understand the FAA minimums, the 75-hour national average, what impacts your total time, and the three-stage PPL curriculum.
Beyond the Minimums
Rarely do the minimum requirements provide the necessary experience and proficiency for certification, therefore additional training time should be anticipated. Where the additional training is required will vary based on each learner.
The FAA states that the national average for pilot certification is currently 75 hours of flight. It is important to budget for the higher end of flight time in case it is needed. Treat achieving your PPL in less time as a bonus, not an expectation.
While I promise to train you as efficiently as possible, I cannot guarantee that you will be ready for a PPL checkride in the minimum amount of time. I personally needed 60 hours before I was ready to pass my PPL checkride. If you have any questions about what you can do to train as efficiently (least hours) as possible, do not hesitate to reach out!
Factors That Impact Your Total Hours
How many hours you will need to finish the course depends on a handful of factors.
- Retention of prior teaching.
- Your ability to learn concepts to acceptable standards.
- How dedicated you are to self-studying.
- Your availability to schedule lessons. Longer spacing between lessons leads to fading, which often increases total time since you will inevitably need to re-learn things.
- Aircraft availability and maintenance timing.
- Weather. Poor weather makes lessons not possible, but it is a good chance to keep up on ground work.
- FAA Pilot Examiner availability. This has been an issue across the board as of late. I attempt to schedule examiners ahead of when I think you will be ready for a checkride.
The PPL Curriculum
The PPL curriculum is designed to logically progress through the requirements as efficiently as possible. It is broken into three stages, and each stage includes both flight and ground training.
Basics and Pre-Solo
- Straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and descents.
- Slow flight, stalls, and ground reference maneuvers.
- Landings and emergency procedures.
- Pre-solo readiness.
Cross-Country Flying
- Performance takeoffs and landings.
- Navigation and diversion planning.
- Local and longer trips, including night work.
- Solo cross-country preparation.
Checkride Preparation
- Maneuver review and landing refinement.
- Mock oral work and mock checkride flights.
- Weak-area cleanup.
- Final practical test signoff.
Ready to plan it?
Reach out with your current certificate, goals, timeline, and questions. Gomez Aviation can help map the next flight block.