Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 24, 2025

Whether you’re aiming for airline work or just want the thrill of flying more capable aircraft, the multi-engine rating is a smart move. A multi‑engine rating is an FAA‑issued class rating add‑on that lets a certificated pilot legally fly twin-engine airplanes. Review & Checkride Prep Oral review of procedures and systems.

Checkride

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

These programs offer an immersive, structured training path that is often in partnership with the airlines. Key Takeaways Cadet pilot programs offer a path to becoming an airline pilot with guaranteed employment. Training quality varies between programs, with major airlines offering better resources. Join a major airline.

Pilot

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Flying a single engine airplane, under IFR, in the clouds, in a non-radar environment and without an autopilot, adds a great deal to the pilots work load. After all, I had just aced my checkride. With three airplanes, we departed Springfield for Fairfield, Iowa to compete in an NIFA competition against five other schools.

VOR

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

If you dream of flying small airplanes on weekends or piloting commercial airliners with hundreds of passengers, you need certain pilot licenses to reach your aviation goals. If you want to take your friends and family flying or become an airline pilot, start your aviation journey with this license. Checkride : $400-$600.

Pilot

Flying Magazine

JULY 30, 2025

Whether in person or online, ground school provides the essential theoretical knowledge required to pass the FAA written test, which is necessary for obtaining a private pilot certificate, an airline transport pilot certificate, and every certificate and rating in between. The knowledge exam is a prerequisite for your practical test (i.e.,

Checkride

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 24, 2025

A commercial multi-engine rating is a class rating add-on that allows a certificated pilot to fly twin-engine airplanes for compensation or hire. It’s a key step for pilots who want to work in charter operations, corporate transport, or as flight instructors teaching complex and multi-engine airplane instruction.

Checkride

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 24, 2025

To earn a Part 61 certificate, you need the required flight hours, pass written exams, and complete a practical test or checkride. Testing includes FAA written exams and checkrides, and there’s a biennial flight review requirement. If you want to fly manned aircraft professionally (airlines, charters, etc.), What is FAA Part 61?

Pilot

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 23, 2025

The FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours , but most students log 50 to 70 hours before they’re ready for the checkride. Checkride fees : Range from $500–800 for a PPL exam. Practical checkride : Typically $500–$ 800, depending on the location and examiner. Exams & Certification Written exam : Around $175–200.

Pilot

AV Web

FEBRUARY 23, 2025

Some of them seem funny to us now, like the fact that most of our airplanes had no radios or, God forbid, transponders and ELTs, while other facets of the 1970s are tragic. When I became an airline pilot at the beginning of 1979, the training classes and flight decks were male only clubs. I began my flying life in the early 1970s.

Flight Deck

AOPA

JULY 21, 2025

Latest News Magazines Videos Podcasts Webinars Media Room Contact Us Newsletters Training & Safety Training & Safety Embark on a journey of continuous learning: from prepping for checkrides, perfecting instrument approaches, to proficiency flights. The airplane flies correctly." The airplane goes together very quickly.

Tail

Pilot Institute

APRIL 22, 2025

The requirement applies to private, commercial, and airline transport pilots, as well as flight engineers and navigators who fly internationally. A great option for that is taking an interactive ground school, such as the private airplane pilot course on Pilotinstitute.com. Hold a commercial or an airline transport pilot certificate.

Pilot

CFI Academy

AUGUST 16, 2024

Earning a CFI certificate is a strategic move for many aspiring commercial pilots, as most aviation careers, especially those in commercial airlines, require a significant amount of flight time. To become a Certified Flight Instructor, you must meet the following basic requirements: Be at least 18 years old by the time of your FAA checkride.

Checkride

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

Your flight instructor will use his or her judgment to deem you ready for a checkride, or practical test. Do you want to become an airline pilot or do you want to fly for fun? Time Frame In Part 61 schools, getting your pilot license mostly depends on your schedule and how quickly you can make progress. Part 61 or Part 141? It depends.

Pilot

Learn to Fly

JULY 2, 2025

You can go directly to your seaplane pilot rating, called the ASES (Airplane Single Engine Sea), as your first pilot certificate or, most commonly, you can obtain it as an add-on rating after you already hold the ASEL (Airplane, Single Engine Land) rating. The path to flying seaplanes has two lanes.

Checkride

AV Web

JULY 25, 2025

I missed the show for quite a few years when I was an airline pilot because the last thing I wanted to do during my vacation from flying a thousand hours a year in airplanes was to hang around airplanes. For example, most career fliers (especially junior ones without summer vacations) miss the shindig because they are flying.

Gross Weight

Air Facts

DECEMBER 9, 2024

Checkrides gone wrong: rope-a-dope Air Facts Journal In 1974, an epic boxing match took place in Zaire, Africa between Muhamed Ali and George Foreman. Now, you might ask yourself how can this historic fight possibly relate to check rides in airplanes? Read on, as relevancy can be proven! Steve was an exceptional student.

Checkride

Air Facts

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Airline Pilots Continuing education is required for airline pilots. Check airmen are used by the airline industry to perform recurrent checks, proficiency checks, and line checks. All airline pilots attend annual recurrent training that includes ground school and simulator training that requires an evaluation.

Pilot

Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

Share your results : Facebook Facebook Twitter Google+ Scenario 2: You own a Cirrus SR-22 and are planning to fly the airplane to a concert with your spouse. The opposite of private carriage is common carriage which requires a Part 119 authorzation (Air Carrier Certificate) issued under Part 135 for charter operators or Part 121 for airlines.

Checkride

Northstar VFR

MAY 26, 2024

Chair flying is a technique to practice your flying skills by either sitting in the airplane on the ground, using a simulator, or sitting in front of a poster of your flight deck. Even airline pilots make this a regular practice when seeking a new type rating or preparing for recurrent training. But what is chair flying exactly?

Pilot

Northstar VFR

APRIL 21, 2024

By Jordan Bullock CFI, Boeing 737 Pilot Traditionally, becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (commonly abbreviated as CFI) has been a required step to build hours before inevitably leaving for a coveted airline gig. So, knock out that Commercial checkride, and hopefully in a relatively fast timeline, start on the CFI prep.

Checkride

Air Facts

DECEMBER 18, 2024

High-Tech One Upmanship Air Facts Journal I flew for United Airlines from 1986 to 2015, thus ending a 29-year airline career of dedicated service to my employer. The translation of this saying is that when an airline pilot goes for recurrent simulator training and check ride, failure meant losing ones job if he or she failed the test.

Clearance

Air Facts

MAY 15, 2024

Sure, you can watch YouTube videos about airplanes and join social media groups to talk about flight training, but to actually earn a pilot certificate you must put the phone down and get in an airplane—with another person! In the airplane there are no cheat codes. Learning to fly is the ultimate “touch grass” experience.

Checkride

Air Facts

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Like so many of us who were CFIs when we were younger, I have ex-students who are captains at major airlines, a few who fly “mister big” all over the world, and one even who is a well-known figure in aviation journalism, although he might scoff at my putting him on such a pedestal. I was completely hooked. Who says you can’t go back?

Airplanes

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 11, 2024

By Leslie Caubble, CFI/IGI When I began flight training, I had no intention of flying for the airlines or becoming a flight instructor. There are phases of flight when it’s critical that you know how to handle the airplane at slower speeds. When an airplane exceeds its critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall happens.

Checkride

Northstar VFR

AUGUST 25, 2024

Every airline/operator must establish a Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP). Knowledge of these inspections is a required element to pass a checkride. Depending on the maintenance specifications required by the FAA for that airplane, these checks commonly happen after 24-60 hours of flight time.

Annual Inspection

Pilot's Life Blog

MAY 6, 2025

At Leopard Aviation, we guide you through every stepfrom your first flight to your final checkride. Your training will include: Dual instruction with an instructor Solo flights Cross-country flights Night training Ground school A final checkride with an FAA examiner We guide you through every phase, from the written test to the last landing.

Pilot

Northstar VFR

JANUARY 21, 2024

All the countless nights of studying, memorizing the FAR AIM (save time by using the NorthStar pre-tabbed FAR AIM ), chair flying your maneuvers and endless stress over checkrides has finally paid off. You’ve been hired by a major airline and you can finally walk through the terminal at the airport in your flight uniform!

Pilot

Northstar VFR

APRIL 28, 2024

After flying for over half a decade and counting, I have gotten a grasp of the life of a pilot from student to airline pilot. Once I had my private pilot’s license I continued working toward the rest of my ratings and finishing my degree, but in my free time I was still around airplanes building time with friends.

Pilot

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 14, 2025

The FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours for a PPL, but students usually take around 5570 hours before theyre ready for checkride. Exam and Checkride Fees When it comes to exams, there are also a couple of costs to keep in mind. The Practical Exam (checkride) can range from $500 to $800 , depending on the examiner and location.

Pilot

Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 2, 2024

You will need to successfully complete your oral and practical exams, your “checkride,” on or before this date. The date listed will be 24 calendar months after the date that you completed the knowledge exam for all exams other than the multiengine airplane ATP test. If you don’t, you will need to start over with the knowledge test.

Airplanes

Air Facts

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

Our experimental C172 proved itself capable of demanding flight training missions, with both private and commercial pilots training and successfully passing their FAA checkrides in our V8-powered C172, at a fraction of the cost compared to using stock C172 aircraft.

Firewall

Pilot Job Central

OCTOBER 1, 2023

Unlock your pilot career with airline pilot cadet programs. Whether you are aspiring pilot looking to kickstart your aviation career or a recent flight school graduate, modern airline pilot cadet programs can be a fit for your pilot career goals. Table of Contents What is an airline pilot cadet program?

Pilot

CFI Academy

AUGUST 16, 2024

Earning a CFI certificate is a strategic move for many aspiring commercial pilots, as most aviation careers, especially those in commercial airlines, require a significant amount of flight time. To become a Certified Flight Instructor, you must meet the following basic requirements: Be at least 18 years old by the time of your FAA checkride.

Checkride

Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 16, 2024

Airline pilot requirements and mandatory retirements have significantly impacted the pool of eligible candidates and, in many cases, have left flight departments at a shortage of qualified applicants. But there are multiple pathways to consider if the airline flight deck beckons.

Pilot

Northstar VFR

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

By Leslie Caubble, CFI/IGI Youre walking through the airport terminal and see the airline pilots strolling by with a Starbucks in hand and rollaboards in tow. As we know, the grass isnt always greener on the other side, and the airline or freight pilot life isnt for everyone. You might think to yourself, Wow, thats the life!

Pilot

Northstar VFR

JULY 28, 2024

From picking a flight school to how many hours you can work as an airline pilot, the FAR AIM has all of the answers. When you’re building time in the airplane and you're not sure whether you should log it as day or night, these definitions may come in handy! Other noteworthy contents in part 91 are 91.3 225 ADSB, and countless others.

Aeronautical Information Manual

iPad Pilot News

MARCH 27, 2025

Airbus FlySmart Airbus offers a collection of apps for pilots to assistwith performance planning, maintenance and other operational guidance when flying these airplanes. Bombardier Aerospace This collection of apps provides eLearning, operating procedures and maintenance utilities for operators of Bombardier jet airplanes.

Weather