Flight Instruction

There are a few steps you must climb in order to become an FAA-rated private pilot. Your flight training consists of 20 hours of ground school and atleast 40 hours of flight time. Ground school will cover flight rules and regulations, flight planning, navigation, radio procedures and weather. Once you feel comfortable with all of that, you must take the FAA written examination. Successful completion of this test will enable you to start the (even more) fun part of your training… the flying portion! You and your instructor will fly together (dual) for about 20 hours as he/she shows you everything you need to know. Then usually on a nice, sunny day, your instructor approves you for your first solo flight! That experience can never be beat! At this point, you are halfway done with your training. All that remains is a few cross-country flights (both dual and solo) until you reach your 40-hour mark. If you and your instructor are confident with all aspects of training, he/she will approve you for your FAA checkride. This is likened to your driving test with the DOT, but instead with an FAA-appointed instructor located in Sidney, Montana. Phil Pietric (the examiner) will quiz you one last time before issuing you your FAA Private Pilot license. Congratulations!