As long as I can remember, I have been enamored by flying. To this day, I look up to the sky at any hint of aircraft overhead. Despite this long-standing passion, it is only recently that I have completed the work and tests necessary for my private pilot certificate. Over the last few years (2006-2009), I have been working for aviation-related companies on and off and fly often with friends. As it worked out, the University Airport (EDU) is located just west of the UC Davis campus and has a number of aircraft for rental through Cal Aggie Flying Farmers. This is where I received formal instruction for my private pilot certificate.
There are some misconceptions about flying that many people seem to hold. For example, many think that flying is unsafe. In reality, you are more likely to be killed driving your car within a 1/4 mile radius of your house than you are in any sort of aircraft. While very rare, total engine failures in small aircraft are not disastrous. Glide ratios vary depending on aircraft type, but one could expect roughly a 10:1 glide ratio in a Cessna 172 at around 68 knots. This means that from a cruising altitude of 8,000 feet AGL, your aircraft could theoretically glide at hardly over a standard descent rate (500 ft/min) for just over 13 nautical miles before touching down softly. Most aviation events like this come from people’s neglect to properly monitor and control fuel consumption, subsequently running out of fuel mid-flight or just miles away from their destination. This is easily avoided with the use of checklists and the right calculations. By law, pilots are required to make themselves aware of all information related to the flight they are about to conduct. There are also legal minimums for many aspects of flying. Take for example FAR fuel reserve requirements: day VFR being 30 minutes and night VFR being 45 minutes.
Another misconception about flying is that a commercial license translate to being an airliner pilot. Commercial flight offers many job opportunities that have nothing to do with flying airliners. A pilot with a commercial certificate is simply one that is allowed to take money for his/her flying duties. This includes limited passenger (tour) hire, work like banner towing and aerial photography, just to name a few. To become an airline pilot you must be rated beyond a simple commercial license. An ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) certificate is required to act as captain on an airliner and most airlines require at least 1200 total hours and 100-200 multi-engine hours before hiring any pilot, even for puddlejumpers like the Embraer 120 (EMB 120, also known as the Brasilia).
Learning to become a pilot requires time and ample money. It varies mostly on the skill of the pilot and how much time he or she has to devote to flying. Stopping due to a lack of money and resuming at a later date is costly in several ways, so it’s recommended that you not start lessons until you have all of the necessary cash set aside. It can cost between $5000-$9,000 to get your private pilot certificate depending on where you live and on the aforementioned factors. Take a look at this FAA page about becoming a private pilot. There are endless websites about flying, but the FAA is the authority for official answers.
Safe flying!
