What are the requirements to get a private pilot certificate?
You must be at least 17 years old, able to read, speak, and understand English, hold at least a third-class FAA medical certificate, pass a written knowledge test, and pass a checkride with an FAA examiner after meeting the minimum flight training requirements.
The FAA requirements for a private pilot certificate are: be 17 or older, be able to read, speak, write, and understand English, hold at least a third-class medical certificate, log the required flight training and experience with an instructor, pass the FAA knowledge (written) test, and pass the practical test (checkride).
You can start training before turning 17, but you must be 17 to take the checkride.
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Thinking About Flying as a Career?
The private pilot certificate is the first step toward the flight deck. But if you’re thinking about a career as a pilot you’ll need more then that. Zero Time to Airline is a structured program that takes you from no experience all the way to airline-qualified, with every certificate and rating along the way.