Pilot training roadmap

The usual order, from a first flight in the aircraft to a licence issued by an authority. Each step links to a guide. Nothing here is a syllabus, a quote, or a promise about how long it takes.

  1. 01

    See the aircraft

    A discovery flight is time with an instructor so you can tell whether you like the aircraft. It is not a licence and it does not start a course.

  2. 02

    Choose the goal and the authority

    Private flying and a professional licence are different projects. The state that will issue the licence is the rulebook you train under. EASA, the UK CAA, and the FAA are not the same system.

  3. 03

    Book the medical for that licence

    Class 1, Class 2, and a LAPL medical are different certificates. The how-to-become guide suggests doing this before you pay for a long course.

  4. 04

    Choose a school whose approval covers it

    Private training in the EASA system is often a declared or approved training organisation. Professional courses are done by an approved training organisation. Ask which approval the course uses.

  5. 05

    Theory and flying

    The how-to-become guide says the theoretical exams and the flight training usually run in parallel. The cost guide is about reading a quote, not about a price this site invented. Weather codes and the radio are part of learning to fly the aeroplane, not a separate licence.

  6. 06

    Skill test, then the authority

    A skill test is with an examiner. The licence is issued afterwards by the authority, not by the school and not by this website.