Learning to fly is a challenging, exhilarating, and rewarding experience. It takes time, dedication, and commitment to learn how to fly any aircraft. The rewards of learning to fly extend far beyond simply being able to operate the controls of an aircraft. You might think you know the benefits of flying – saving time, having fun, going fast – but flight teaches you much more.
Learning how to fly will teach you about the world, yourself, and many things that we overlook on a daily basis. One of my favorite aviation quotes came from John King who said, “Learning to fly is one of humankind’s most inspiring achievements. When you learn to fly it changes who you are and how you think of yourself forever.”
Learn to Fly: The Benefits
When you learn to fly, you will also learn about the aircraft’s engine and systems. You’ll then figure out that your aircraft is very similar to your car, and car troubles will become much less of a hassle.
You will also learn about weather patterns, how they form, and the impacts they have. This knowledge just might help you down the road at some point in your life.
Challenge Yourself
Learning to fly will teach you how to challenge yourself and how to hold yourself accountable. No one forces you to go to your flight training lesson, you have to do it on your own. And if you love aviation enough, you’ll be there early every time it is your time to fly. Being in the cockpit also gives you a sense of self and allows you to build confidence. There is no greater sense of achievement than taking off, conducting a successful flight, and returning safely to the ground. You will feel empowered and your confidence will skyrocket.
Join An Awesome Community
When you learn to fly, you get to join a very unique community. Not unique in the sense that you are a rare person who knows how to fly an aircraft on their own. Rather, you will be surrounded by a unique group of people. The aviation community is rare. People in the aviation community care about you and want to see you succeed. They are extremely willing to help and will always lend a helping hand if they can. I came from a background in finance, a community where everyone is working to benefit themselves. Aviation is much different. Learning to fly will lead to lifelong friendships with some truly amazing people. Paul Poberezny, the founder of EAA, once said, “I’ve learned more about people through my association with aviation than I ever did about airplanes.”
Make Incredible Memories
Learning to fly will also lead to memories that last a lifetime. There is nothing better than being in control of an aircraft a few thousand feet off the ground.
However, memories extend far beyond just being in control while flying. When you are doing your training, you will learn things about your local area that you never knew before (unless you go to school away from home, then you will learn about a new area). Flight instructors are extremely knowledgeable and they can’t wait to tell you everything. You will learn history, geography, and so much more while doing your flight training!
Where do I start?
If you book a plane ticket, there are only a few hundred potential destination airports. However, there are thousands of public use airports that you have access to for training or if you become a private pilot.
Step One
The first thing you should do is take an introductory flight at a local flight school near you. An introductory flight is usually two hours long. During the first hour, you will receive a ground briefing. In the ground briefing, you will conduct a pre-flight aircraft inspection, become familiar with the cockpit controls, and learn the basics of in-flight control.
This first hour will fly by, and then it will be your time to fly. You will likely be nervous and excited. But don’t worry, you’ll be with an instructor who will take care of takeoff and landing for you.
Once you are in the air, the instructor will hand the controls off to you. The feeling you will experience while in control of the aircraft is unparalleled. It will feel thrilling, but you will definitely be nervous. But don’t worry, that feeling of nervousness will disappear after a few minutes.
You will cruise at roughly 2,500 feet and be able to see the larger commercial jets descending around you (if there is or are commercial airports nearby). Nothing beats plane watching from the sky! Before you know it, it will be time to head back and the instructor will take care of landing for you.
Step Two
After the completion of your introductory flight, you will know right away if fly is for you. If you fall in love with it, that’s awesome. Not for you? That’s fine as well – flying isn’t for everyone!
If you do love it and want to continue flying, talk to the flight instructor about starting lessons. However, do not rush into anything – do your research before choosing your training provider! For everything you need to know about selecting a flight school, please read this article: Selecting a Flight School.
Finding a Flight School and Paying for Training
If you need help finding a school near you, use the Pilot Pipeline Flight School Finder to search over 600 US-based flight schools. This tool allows you to sort through schools based on rating, location, military needs, and much more. The Flight School Finder provides all the information you’ll need to make an informed decision.
I also have to mention that learning to fly and pursuing any pilot rating can be very expensive. However, if you are passionate about flying, do not let that deter you. There are plenty of resources available to finance your training.
Pilot Pipeline offers a Scholarship Finder to its Premium members, which allows you to sort and filter through over $25 million worth of scholarships based on demographics, ratings, organization, and much more. If you are interested in learning more about other financing options, read this article.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully this article has given you a good idea of what it is like to learn to fly and how you should go about beginning the process. Taking flight is an incredible experience, and the journey through training should be cherished.
Hopefully you fall in love with it and join this special community. If not, you still can always say that you flew an aircraft on your own – and not many people get to say that!
Maybe you’ll find out that flying is your passion and you want to pursue it as a career. If that’s the case, please read this article that outlines how to become a commercial pilot. If you’re not convinced this is a career for you, but still want to pursue the next step, check out these articles: How to Get a Private Pilot Certificate and How to Get Your Instrument Rating.
Career Guidance and Planning
If you are looking for a way to manage your career and navigate the process of becoming a pilot, check out Pilot Pipeline. The software uses your current experience and end-goal to curate a custom pathway that will guide you through the process. The best part? It’s completely free! Sign up for a free account or commit to a Premium account that will grant you access to the Timeline Assistant and Scholarship Finder.
If you ever feel that you need further guidance from someone with a great deal of experience, check out Pilot Pipeline Consulting. Services range from General Career Guidance to Application Review and Interview Preparation. Set up a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your goals and develop a strategy moving forward.
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