subject: Flight Training Does Not Have To Be Out Of Reach! [print this page] Over the years, many people have dreamed what it would be like to be a pilot. Some will try their hand at flying model planes. While this is an exciting hobby, there is something about sitting in a pilots seat watching the clouds drift by as you soar like an eagle thousands of feet above the earth. Flight training does not have to be an impossible reach for those who wish to really get behind the throttle. Flight training will put you in the captains seat. Who knows the heights you will climb when the sky is the limit?
A good flight instructor will provide all you need to know in order to meet the required testing known as your "checkride." Pass this, and you will be up in the air before you know your feet have left the ground. In fact, flight training starts with hours of teaching in the class setting before you begin any airtime on your own. Ground instruction will teach the aeronautical fundamentals that will prepare you before starting to fly. This part of flight training will teach you why the aircraft stays in the air and how to control it while soaring above the clouds. Trainees will know basic principles of gravity and how it relates to thrust. They will learn the science behind the principles of the lift and the drag of the flight.
Learning some things about the weather will be apart of the flight training process. Trainees will know how the weather changes and effects the flying in general. They will discover what to do when the unexpected occurs and what signs to consider that will cancel or delay the flight. Students will learn somethings about the shared airspace and how it relates each pilot. They will also learn about the various types of airports and how the approach is made. Unlike the hobby of flying a model craft, the ground level training will prepare real flying trainees with safety tips and basic flying principles before sitting in the captains seat.
This is not to say that a student want combined the ground level instruction with the flight time learning. An individual student can choose which one works best. Also, they can find an instructor that relates more to the way they learn. The expertise of the instructor will be more important than the price tag of the flight training within months after the "checkride" has been passed.
For example, maneuvers that are learned during the flight time may save a life. While there are important principles to know while in flight, learning to land can take as long. The wind and direction may keep the pilot from landing. Stalling of the engine may require an emergency one. So, there are basic safety instruction principles that a good instructor can help prepare a student that are more beneficial than passing a test. They can help save more lives.
During flight training the student learns to communicate with Ground Control. This is a major hurdle where trainees have trouble, but it can be mastered. They will learn how to talk to those at the other end of the radio prior to approaching the runway. Also, the proper vocabulary and flight terms will be taught while making contact with the air traffic controllers. Certain communication must be learned in order to properly approach the airspace over any airport. To communicate with the pilots, larger airports have a control tower while smaller ones may communicate with a common traffic advisor frequency.
During the flight training, the radio will be the best source of communication during emergency situations and making preparations to land.
Before long, trainees will be approaching their "checkride." This final testing will take more than five hours along side of the examiner. Students will have to prove they have a good understanding about flight safety. The examiner will randomly ask oral questions the first half of the testing. The instructor will test the knowledge of the ability to read maps, respond to emergencies, and implement landing procedures. Students must know how to communicate on the radio, understand mechanical functions of the aircraft, and many other important aspects of being a pilot. Once the oral exam is completed, the flight time starts. This will show that the trainee knows how to take the book knowledge and put it into action.
The length of time it takes to go through flight training will be determined by the goals of each trainee. Those obtaining a four year degree may take the entire length of their college experience to complete. A college education is not required to become a pilot. Many will obtain their training after several weeks of intense study. However, six to eight months is a realistic approach from start to finish. The cost will be determined by what type of craft a student is learning to fly and the experience of the instructor. Likewise, the cost will range in price from several thousand dollars to more than $50,000 dollars. Scholarships, corporate reimbursements, and military benefits need to be researched to see if one of these avenues may be available to help pay for the training.
Learning how to fly will open many doors. Medical organizations, corporations, missionary outreaches, private individuals will depend upon your expertise to fly across the country or around the world. Soon, you may be soaring with the eagles without having to pay the tab.
