Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I can learn to fly?

You obviously have an interest in aviation or you wouldn't be here. That interest in flying is the first step in learning how to fly and in becoming a pilot. Somewhere, there is someone just like you who just got his/her pilot's license! You must be 16 years of age to solo and 17 years of age to take the FAA Check Ride in order to earn your private pilot's license. There is no age limit. Many young people take flying lessons before they're able to drive! Many older people take lessons because they finally have the time to do something for themselves. There are people from almost every walk of life who have become pilots. You can too!

How do heavy metal tubes with lots of passengers and luggage stay up in the air?

Without getting too technical, try this experiment. The next time you're driving down the highway in your Toyota, stick your hand out the window, parallel to the ground, and fly it along like a wing. Bend it upward slightly and it rises, right?

Orville Wright said, "The airplane stays up because it doesn't have the time to fall."

Still not getting your Toyota off the ground? Imagine your hand is really, really big and the car has enough horsepower to go really, really fast. Becoming airborne is all about procuring the right surpluses among the four competing forces of flight - enough thrust over drag, and enough lift over weight. The size of the airplane is irrelevant.

Loss of lift is a stall. Stick that hand of yours back out the window and tilt your hand a little too steeply, or brake the Toyota below a certain point, and your arm ceases to fly. That's a stall.

What are the requirements?

There are three requirements for learning to fly an aircraft in the United States.

How difficult is it?

As with any other skill you master, flying is a step-by-step process. It's a fascinating experience, which like anything else worth accomplishing takes commitment. It is not particularly difficult and can be learned by practically anyone who is willing to invest some time and effort.

Pilot training has two aspects: ground training and flight training. Ground training includes: flight rules and regulations, flight planning, radio procedures, navigation and weather. Flight training takes place in the airplane and concentrates on the skills required to safely control the aircraft.

During your first lesson, you will learn how to conduct a pre-flight check, taxi the airplane for take-off, take-off and land the plane (all with assistance from your instructor). Many students can accomplish an unassisted take-off during the first lesson! That's exciting!

Do I need special skills to fly?

No. The most important element in successfully learning to fly is desire. Once you're ready to invest your time and effort in learning to fly, it's time to take the first steps.

What is the first step?

Deciding to learn to fly is obviously the first step, and often the most difficult one. Before you make the decision to take flying lessons, you may want to experience flying in a light aircraft. Once you have viewed your community from the perspective of a general aviation aircraft and feel the sensation of flight, you'll know whether flying is for you. Fly Wright Flight Center, LLC offers a Discovery Flight just for this purpose! The cost is only $59.95. During this flight, you will actually fly a Piper Cherokee 180 from the pilot's seat with a fully certified flight instructor seated right next to you. Don't worry…they have flight controls on their side too!

How long will it take?

Most people receive their private pilot certificate after about 60-75 hours of flight time, including time spent flying with an instructor (dual) and time spent flying alone (solo). You can fly in the early morning, during the day, evenings or on weekends. Scheduling your training is up to you and your instructor. How long it takes to accumulate flight time is largely up to you. Usually two or three hours flying time per week is a good learning rate. Statistics indicate that the average student pilot completes the requirements for a private pilot certificate in seven to ten months.

What will my first flight be like?

Your instructor will introduce you to the airplane that you will learn to fly. You will be briefed concerning the instrument, controls and equipment in the airplane. After this preflight briefing, the two of you will conduct a pre-flight check of the airplane and take off. While aloft, and under the close supervision of your instructor, you will take control of the airplane. Fly Wright Flight Center thinks you will love it!

What are flying lessons like?

A typical flight lesson (excluding cross-country flights) lasts approximately two hours. An hour to an hour and a half is spent in the airplane and the rest of the time consists of pre- and post-flight discussion.

The lesson begins with a weather check to determine if the conditions are good for flying.

During an initial discussion with your instructor, the maneuvers to be performed during the flight lesson are covered and the material you have studied in preparation for the lesson is reviewed.

Using a checklist, you perform a pre-flight check of the aircraft to ensure safety.

During the flight, you review previously learned procedures as well as the new maneuvers discussed before the pre-flight check.

After the flight, the lesson is evaluated and your logbook is endorsed. You are briefed on the next lesson and assigned any needed study material.

What kind of tests will I take?

A test is not required for a student pilot certificate. However, before a private certificate is issued, you must pass two tests. One is an aeronautical knowledge test, a practical exam on flying rules and regulations. Don't worry…you'll have done it all before with us as a part of your training program. Following this test is a practical examination of your flying ability. At this point, you will take an FAA designated examiner for a "check ride" to demonstrate your ability to maneuver the airplane safely and confidently. You will have practiced these maneuvers many times before with your flight instructor. By the time you complete your training at Fly Wright Flight Center, you will feel confidant and ready to pass your exams and be a safe pilot. The training you receive from us will relieve any test anxieties.

How much does it cost?

Flight training costs vary. Fuel prices, maintenance and insurance costs are but a few of the variables your training facility encounters. You can probably expect to pay between $4,000 and $6,000 to complete your training program at Fly Wright Flight Center. Fees are paid as you complete lessons. Compared to the costs of training in other business skills, becoming a licensed pilot is a good value. Pro-rated over a lifetime, it is probably one of the best bargains you will ever find. The cost of becoming a pilot is a solid investment in your future.

Do you offer payment plans?

There are several payment options available. You can pay as you go. You can place money on account and receive about a 10% discount. We have several lenders available as well. Flight training can be financed just like any other purchase.

Is flying safe?

General aviation airplanes are built to rigid federal specifications, and are constantly checked and rechecked to make sure they are mechanically and structurally safe. People who fly are very safety conscious.

As the pilot-in-command of an airplane, you are also in command of most variables that affect flying safety. At Fly Wright Flight Center, we stress flying safety at all levels. Your flight instructor will train you to operate the aircraft in a safe manner and make certain the aircraft you are flying is safe. A well-trained pilot makes flying safer than many other forms of transportation. Flying is not inexpensive. Protection of personal safety is the reason why.

Can I bring a friend along on my training flights?

The short answer is "yes." If you fly a Piper Cherokee 180 or other 4-seater aircraft it is possible to bring along someone else from time to time. Of course, you need to check with your instructor first to see if he/she feels the upcoming lesson is conducive to having an observer onboard. Also, your friend(s) can choose to watch from the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport's observation deck at DeNunzio's Chop House. This is an excellent vantage point for watching student pilots do their "touch-and-go's."

What about insurance?

Life Insurance: Insurance companies have come to recognize how extremely safe flying really is. Most new policies do not mention general aviation flying. If you have an older policy, restrictive clauses for private flying can usually be removed at little or no cost.

Liability Insurance: Many people purchase special low-cost pilot insurance that covers private flying.

You should check with your insurance agent concerning additional requirements or Fly Wright Flight Center would be happy to give you some information regarding these policies.

Do I have to own an airplane?

Not at all! Of course, airplane ownership will give you complete freedom to set your own schedule. You will have a pride of ownership like nothing you've known before. Most pilots do not own an airplane. Some are owned in partnerships and many pilots rent airplanes. Rental fees are based on an hourly rate for actual flying time. Should you decide to own, Fly Wright Flight Center's manager can show you the many options available.

What happens after I earn my certificate?

You'll never be quite the same person. You will have access to a whole New World of personal freedom. You will think of travel in terms of hours, not miles, and also know what it means to make your own schedule and eliminate the annoyances of ordinary transportation.

Included in all this is a new sense of personal fulfillment. Pushing the old boundaries of your life forward and having the opportunity to plan, seek, and find new experiences that will enrich your life in countless ways. You will gain greater self-reliance and confidence.

What can learning to fly do for me?

Learning to fly an airplane opens the door to a wide variety of career opportunities. Most obvious is becoming a professional pilot for one of the many commercial flying services, major airlines, charter, corporate, and cargo operations. Also, pilots are needed for the many special missions of general aviation, such as, emergency medical evacuation, agricultural, law enforcement, news, aerial surveying, photography, and a multitude of industrial purposes. Flying may also complement your career in business, or even a profession that you have not yet chosen.

There are many careers in the aviation industry in which the skill and knowledge you acquire as a pilot is a special asset, even though daily flying may not be part of your job. These careers include air traffic control, computer science, electronics, aviation safety, air carrier, airport operations and management, flight navigation, communications, medicine, finance, law, engineering, and insurance to name a few. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination because, General Aviation touches many facets of our lives. As a pilot, you speak a language of aviation.

Aviation is a unique industry, combining the romance of enthusiasm of our heritage with high-tech equipment and modern proficiency skills. It is a superb tool of business and a personal time machine, as partner in our nation's productivity. Learning to fly can lead to your own discovery of rewarding career opportunities.