Category

Becoming a Pilot in the US

The path from first discovery flight to professional cockpit runs through five FAA certificates - Student, Sport, Private (PPL), Commercial (CPL), and Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). This section covers each step in order: how to pick a flight school, what a discovery flight actually involves, how ground school works, the medical you'll need (Class 1, 2, 3, or BasicMed), and how long the whole pathway takes from zero hours to airline interview. Every guide cites the controlling FAR section in 14 CFR Part 61 and lists real-world cost ranges from current US training providers.