In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, a student pilot certificate is issued to a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

in training, and is a prerequisite for the student to fly alone in the

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...

. A medical certificate is required, which is issued directly by the

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. Prior to April 1, 2016, it could be issued by a medical doctor who is also an authorized

aviation medical examiner In Europe, the United States, and other countries, an Aviation Medical Examiner or Aero-medical Examiner (AME) is a physician designated by the local aviation authority and given the authority to perform flight physical examinations and issue aviat ...

(AME), in conjunction with the student's first medical certificate. Although the classification of the certificate does not matter, it is suggested that the student get a first-class certificate, as it helps in passing more difficult tests in the future. The student takes the certificate to their instructor, who then completes part of an application. All applications can be completed online through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (ACCRA) on the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

's online portal. The student will fill out the remaining portion. The completed application is sent to the FAA, which will send the student pilot certificate to the student. A temporary certificate is available after the form has been approved (approximately two weeks after submission). During the solo flying test and until the official card is received in the mail, you can use this temporary paper card. Earning a student pilot certificate is an indication that a solo flight might be approaching even though getting one is necessary and does not always happen right before one.

Steps

Obtaining a student pilot certificate authorizing solo flight requires four steps: # Be 16 years of age or older (14 years for gliders and

balloon A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light so ...

s) # Pass a flight physical administered by an

(for powered aircraft only, excluding gliders and

s) (1st, 2nd, or 3rd class acceptable) # Receive ground and

flight instruction Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills. Flight training can be conducted under a st ...

(this is often around 20–25 hours of actual flight instruction before a solo and thus the cost can be expensive) # Earn an endorsement from a

certificated flight instructor A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...

# Some flight schools require students to have personal insurance before they use their student license and fly their first solo flight. There are many different ways to go about getting insurance, and the amount of coverage, as well as the cost, can vary. Instructors generally have information of this. Although there are minimum ages for licenses, there is no minimum age for when flight training can occur. In the aviation industry all time should be logged; therefore if a prospective student goes flying at 12 years old with proper educational guidance, the prospective student should log the time. Private pilot licenses require a minimum of 40 hours. Commercial licenses require a minimum of 250 hours. In order to be considered for an airline position, most airlines require at least 1500 hours of total flight time. Student pilot certificates allow students to fly the plane by themselves, with instructor permission. The time logged flying under the student pilot certificate is PIC (or

pilot in command The pilot in command (PIC) of an aircraft is the person aboard the aircraft who is ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight. This would be the captain in a typical two- or three-pilot aircrew, or "pilot" if there is only ...

time), meaning all responsibilities are on the student pilot. There are limitations to this student pilot certificate. Students can only fly under

visual flight rules In aviation, visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better ...

(VFR). Additionally, their instructor remains responsible for furthering the student's knowledge of aviation. This means students are unable to rent a plane and pilot it as they wish. Lastly, they may not fly for compensation or hire as a student pilot.

References

{{reflist https://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/student_cert https://www.gtc.edu/sites/default/files/files/documents/1550001446/Medical%20and%20Student%20Pilot%20Cert%20Help.pdf

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Aviation licenses and certifications

Steps

See also

References