Private Pilot (Airplane)
Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan
The private pilot (airplane) pilot qualifications lesson plan covers eligibility, experience, and knowledge required to attain a private pilot (airplane) certificate.
Attention
Attention
- Discuss motivation to become a pilot.
- Relate similar personal experiences to the student to establish rapport.
Motivator
Motivator
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates general aviation operations in the United States.
- According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 50,000+ people are issued one or more certificates, from student to airline transport, by age 24.
- Pilot and instructor certificates each have unique privileges and limitations.
- Pilot certificates include student, sport, recreational, private, commercial, airline transport, and remote pilot certificates.
- Instructor certificates include flight and ground instructors.
- Certificates may have additional ratings added to them.
Overview
Overview
Topic:
Time:
Introduction:
0:05
Aircraft Categories and Classes:
0:10
Pilot certificates & ratings:
0:10
Eligibility information:
0:02
Aeronautical knowledge:
0:02
Aeronautical experience & flight proficiency:
0:10
Privileges & limitations:
0:02
Required documents:
0:02
Pilot logbook/record keeping:
0:05
Medical certificate/BasicMed:
0:08
Currency vs. proficiency:
0:02
Review (quiz):
0:05
Total Ground Time:
1:03
Required Materials
Required Materials
- Student Jacket, Paper & Pen or Marker & Whiteboard, Federal Aviation Regulations, Pilot Logbook.
Instructor Actions
Instructor Actions
- Prior to the lesson, review reference materials.
- Part 1, introduce the lesson:
- If not previously discussed, provide expectations on time to train, ground instruction vs. flight instruction, and instructor/student availability
- Review the lesson plan, including the attention-getter and motivator.
- Review the airman certification standards.
- Part 2:
- Baseline the discussion by covering aircraft categories and classes.
- Introduce student pilot certificate requirements, including certificate eligibility and medical certificate procedures.
- Introduce student pilot privileges and limitations.
- Part 3:
- Introduce private pilot eligibility requirements and start an eligibility checklist.
- Introduce private pilot aeronautical knowledge requirements and start an aeronautical knowledge checklist.
- Introduce private pilot aeronautical experience requirements and start an aeronautical experience checklist.
- Introduce private pilot flight proficiency requirements and start an aeronautical proficiency requirements checklist.
- Discuss the WINGS program and have students register if they have not already done so.
- Part 4:
- Introduce pilot logbook/recordkeeping requirements.
- Introduce private pilot privileges and limitations.
- Introduce documents required to exercise private pilot privileges.
- Introduce medical certificate requirements, including BasicMed.
- Introduce currency vs. proficiency and how that plays into performing self-assessments.
- Introduce considerations when operating unfamiliar aircraft or avionics.
- Part 5, lead a guided scenario.
- Part 6, conclude the lesson:
- Present the remotivation, conclude, and provide guidance for follow-on lessons.
- Review student actions required ahead of the next lesson.
- Update instructor endorsement records and student's jacket, as required.
Student Actions
Student Actions
- Complete the assigned readings (see content above).
- Register for the WINGS program if not done so already.
- Complete BasicMed requirements.
- Complete a student pilot certificate application through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website or by paper using FAA form 8710-1.
- Complete an electronic application for an FAA Medical Clearance, Medical Certificate, or Student Pilot Medical Certificate through the FAA's MedXPress system.
- Complete or review AOPA's Online Learning Course - Transitioning to Other Airplanes.
- Ask pertinent questions.
- Perform self-assessment, including fitness for flight and personal minimums, as appropriate.
- Make a go/no-go decision, as appropriate.
Pilot Qualifications Guided Scenario
Pilot Qualifications Guided Scenario
- A prospective pilot, age 16, walks into a new flight school looking to earn their private pilot's license, but are they eligible?
- Assuming the same prospective pilot meets age and language requirements, they take a home-study course to satisfy ground training requirements for the specific knowledge areas. Is that permitted? Does an instructor have to be involved if the course is from a well-known business? What are some of the areas covered? Where can those knowledge areas be found?
- In addition to knowledge, prospective pilot pilots must have aeronautical experience. How many hours are required? How are requirements broken down?
- A pilot wants to fly to a local airport for dinner, returning that same night.
- What requirements must that pilot meet to fly at night?
- What is the definition of night?
- What changes if the pilot is carrying passengers?
- Can the pilot takeoff legal if when they land they are no longer legal?
Private Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards
Private Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards
- Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a private pilot
- References: 14 CFR parts 61, 68, 91; AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)
Private Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Knowledge:
The applicant demonstrates an understanding of:-
PA.I.A.K1:
Certification requirements [eligibility, aeronautical knowledge], recent flight experience [aeronautical experience, flight proficiency], and recordkeeping. -
PA.I.A.K2:
Privileges and limitations. -
PA.I.A.K3:
Medical certificates: class, expiration, privileges, temporary disqualifications. -
PA.I.A.K4:
Documents required to exercise private pilot privileges. -
PA.I.A.K5:
Part 68 BasicMed privileges and limitations.
Private Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Risk Management:
The applicant is able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with:Private Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Skills:
The applicant exhibits the skills to:-
PA.I.A.S1:
Apply requirements to act as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.
Re-Motivation
Re-Motivation
- With a foundation on the requirements to meet certification standards, students can envision a path to certification completion.
Closure
Closure
- Advise students that this lesson will be a starting point for the next lesson.
- Advise the student to register for the WINGS program if they have not done so already.
- Advise the student to complete BasicMed if they have not done so already.
- Assign study materials for the next lesson.
Reference Materials
Reference Materials
- Aircraft Categories and Classes Supplement.
- Pilot Certificates and Ratings Supplement.
- Pilot Logbooks Supplement.
- Hard copies of the ACS and Oral Exam Guides are available on Amazon.
- Digital copies of the ACS are available on the FAA's website.
- The FAA provides test-taking guidance and test guides on its website.
- To learn more about earning the practical test, visit the checkride page.