Private Pilot (Airplane)
Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Attention:

  • Discuss motivation to become a pilot.
  • Relate similar personal experiences to the student to establish rapport.

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:

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:

  • Student Jacket, Paper & Pen or Marker & Whiteboard, Federal Aviation Regulations, Pilot Logbook.

Instructor Actions:

Student Actions:

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 Knowledge:

The applicant demonstrates understanding of:

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 skill 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:

  • With a foundation on the requirements to meet certification standards, students can envision a path to certification completion.

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: