It's Easy to Begin

Call us at 1-888-999-1281 (toll free) or 713-302-8553. An instructor will discuss with you what is required. All aspects of the training will be discussed and your questions will be answered.

AT SOME FLIGHT SCHOOLS INSTRUCTION IS DISORGANIZED AND HAS NO DIRECTION. WE FOCUS ON GETTING YOUR LICENSE(OR RATING) AND NOT IN TAKING YOUR MONEY. WE OWN OUR AIRCRAFT, SO OUR AIRCRAFT ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

What are the Basic Requirements for an Airplane Private Pilot License?

The requirements for being issued a private pilot license are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

To get a private pilot’s license, you must

• be at least 17 years
• have a current FAA third-class medical certificate
• log at least 40 hours of flight
• have at least 20 hours of flight with an instructor
• have at least 10 hours of solo flight
• pass the FAA Private Pilot Airmen Knowledge written test
• pass a FAA Private Pilot flight exam

You can solo an aircraft at 16 years of age.  We recommend that no one under 15 begin instruction but we can always give someone a Discovery Flight.

We also can provide instruction for the Commercial License and the Instrument Rating as well as for the Flight Instructor Certificates.

Questions we receive:

1.   My current instructor will not let me land the airplane.  Is this correct?

      No.  A proficent instructor starts teaching the basics of landings from the very first lesson.

2.   My instructor will take the controls from me if the airplane is in bumpy air or if I dont make a manuever correctly.  Is this normal?

       No.  You should always be flying the aircraft unless the instructor is demonstrating a manuever, otherwise you are paying the instructor to fly.

3.     Should I take instructions at a small airport or at a large controlled field with a control tower?

         When you start the engine of the airplane you begin paying as there is a meter on the aircraft keeping time when the engine starts.  At a large airport you will spend a considerable amount of time taxiing the airplane and waiting for clearance to take off.  This is very costly as you need to be flying, not waiting on the ground with an engine running.  We recommend that you start your flight instruction at a small airport as you will spend more time flying than taxiing the aircraft.

4.    What do I need to purchase to learn to fly?

       We recommend that you only purchase an E6B computer, plotter for a sectional chart and a sectional chart for the area you are flying in (Houston or San Antonio).  We will furnish a headset until you feel that you are ready to buy a headset.  We recommend purchasing these items at www.sportys.com.

5.     What do you recommend for ground school?

          We recommend that you contact Aviation Seminars at www.aviationseminars.com and take the accelerated weekend ground school.  You can buy ground school material from many sources but Aviation Seminars is a two day weekend ground school that will teach you the written test and you can usually take the test on the evening of the last day (Sunday).

6.     There seems to be a lot of work to getting a pilots license.  Do you have any recommendations?

         This is the most important question we receive.  We recommend that you only focus on the student license at first.  This allows you to fly the aircraft by yourself.  You will learn all the procedures for taking off, landing, emergency procedures, communications and other required items.  You just need a medical  from an FAA Medical Examiner.  This also serves as your student license and your instructor can sign you off to solo the aircraft under his supervision.  This training can usually be accomplished in fourteen to sixteen hours.  Soloing the aircraft is the most important part of taking instructions.

7.      I have ten hours and I am still not able to land the plane.  Also my instructor seems to be very slow in teaching me manuevers.  Is this normal?

          We see this when the instructor is a low time or beginning instructor. 

8.       I just got my private pilot license and am very uneasy about talking on the radio, especially in controlled airspace. Can you help?

          This is one of my "pet peeves."  For some reason some instructors will get you the license and do not teach you how to talk to the "government" on the radio.  We make it easy.  We start out by training you on the simulator with practice communication.  When you are ready we put you in a Class D (small controlled field) environment and let you do the communication.  We also work on "flight following" procedures for the times you do go cross country. 

9.      I have an instructor that yells at me.  Is this normal?  

         Only if you like paying lots of money to be yelled at.

10.     Do you teach everyone that applies?

           No.  I love to teach and I want my students to love to fly.  If you cannot commit to training I am penalizing students on my waiting list.  My job is to give you safe and quality instruction in the quickest time possible.  I dont have time to drag out the training and take your money.  I want you to get to fly as soon as you can.  That is why I have extra airplanes for use when you solo.  I also prioritize my students in using my aircraft.

11.    My instructor is in his twenties and when I asked him about his experience he says he has over 600 hours.  Should I be concerned?

         If you have plenty of life insurance you should not be concerned.

12.     What is your opinion on transitioning to larger airplanes?

         Aircraft are designed according to their missions.  The first level are training aircraft.  A Cessna 150 is basically a training aircraft.  A Cessna 172 can be both a training aircraft and begining cross country aircraft.  When you get into constant speed propellers you then get into a complex airplane.  When you get into flying an aircraft that is designed for speed you then start running into trouble.

          You cannot get slow speed manueverability and high speed from the same aircraft.  One example is the Cirrus SR-22.  In order to accomplish the speed they have to put a large engine on a short "speed" wing.  They fix the gear so that they can get  by the higher insurance requirements.  These planes are hard to handle for low time pilots in slow flight regimes which you encounter on take off and approach to landings.  People who have money tend to be taken by the "seductive selling"  used to market these types of airplanes.  In my opinion you need to transition slowly from your training airplane through the complex airplanes and take a considerable amount of instruction in complex, high performance, aircraft so you do not get behind the learning curve.  I also strongly, strongly suggest that you get an instrument ticket and not try to use these high performance aircraft without one.

13.      I only have enough funds to fly one time a week.  Is this ok?

           At this rate it will take you a long time to finish.  I would recommend that you save up enough funds to at least be able to fly two to three times a week up to solo.  This will actually save you money as you will be able to solo in a reasonable time rather than dragging out the time to solo.

14.      I am training at a school that wants me to keep a $1,000.00  balance with them.  Do you do this?

           Not NO but **** No.  Now my attorney side comes out.  Run from these schools as fast as you can.  Pay as you go.  If the school goes under (and they do-see Silver State Helicopters)  you will never get your money back.  If they wont take a pay as you go, get suspicious.

15.      If the weather is 1000 feet and 3 miles do you fly?  My current instructor won't in this type of weather.

           SEE ITEM 7 ABOVE.  This is legal VFR.  I want my students to experience weather.  I am a licensed dispatcher for air carrier operations and I know weather.  Your license is worthless if you can't read weather and you can't read weather in a book.  I will take you up in legal weather and teach you how to read weather in the airplane.

16.      My instructor won't fly if the wind is strong or there is a cross wind.  Do you?

           When you get your private license and you are on a trip with your family and winds get up to 15 gusting to 20 at your destination are you going to turn around and go home?  Again, this is a young instructor.  We teach you how to fly and land with strong winds.

17.      I have had some health problems.  Can I get an FAA medical?

           Be very careful before going to an FAA AME and applying for a physical.  I am a big believer in joining AOPA (www.aopa.org) and using their turbo medical.  Another problem is that dealing with Dr. Silberman at the FAA in Oklamhoma City is how you fill out the answers to the application and medical problems that you list.  As an attorney you should never tell the FAA anything but the truth but there are ways to control the problems.  If you have questions, call my office at 1-888-999-1281 and tell my staff you have a flying question and I will discuss a solution.