New students often ask what they need to get started flying. Below is a list of suggestions.
- First, a good headset. You will be spending hundreds of hours in a noisy airplane throughout your training. Invest in a good headset that is comfortable, protects your hearing, and has good sound quality to promote effective communication. Your best bet is to find a local aviation supply store, maybe at your local airport, and try on various models. You can find reviews on many internet sites, but the best one for you is the one that fits your head (as well as your budget). Many pilots like Bose or Lightspeed, but there are other vendors out there. Do a little research so you are happy with your choice. Actual purchase can be made online from the manufacturer, from a pilot shop like Sporty’s or AircraftSpruce, or even from Amazon.
- For each flight, each ground training session, and each endorsement, you will need to log your times, activities, and your instructor’s signature. Maybe your flight school or flying club will provide you with your first logbook or maybe you will need to buy one. Electronic logs are also allowed, but the hardcopy is nice to hold in your hands.
- Next, a ground training program of some sort. You can join an in-person class or online class. You can buy videos from various sources such as Sporty’s or King or ASA or Gleim. Some also have companion books for additional detail and reference. You can even self-study from the free publications provided by the FAA (all of the written test questions come from these resources). Choose what works for your learning style. Do you need a person to teach you or do you prefer self-study? In the end, you need to acquire the required technical knowledge and be prepared to take a written test. You will also have an oral exam as part of your checkride.
- To prepare for the written test, either your ground training program should provide a good set of practice tests or you can purchase a test preparation program. Some of the programs have questions that look more like the real test than others. Again, you can find reviews online. I’ve had a good experience with ASA Prepware for Private Pilot and SheppardAir for all other ratings. Additionally, when you take the written test, you are not allowed to have your phone, any apps, or computer with you. You are allowed to have an aviation-specific calculator such as an E6B or CX3. You will probably only use it to take tests and refer to more handy apps for day-to-day flying.
- You will need access to the FAA Publications that are needed for a Private Pilot. These publications are updated from time to time. You can buy print copies of them from various vendors, however they are all available free from the FAA website: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation
- Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
- Airplane Flying Handbook
- FAR/AIM (Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual) updated annually
- Airman Certification Standards – Private Pilot – Airplane
- Before you solo (fly the aircraft by yourself–leaving your instructor behind on the ground), you will need a Student Pilot Certificate. Start be creating an account at https://iacra.faa.gov/IACRA/Default.aspx. Record your FTN. You will refer to this number repeatedly throughout your aviation career, with each rating you pursue. Then, create an application for a student pilot certificate and let your instructor know. If you are not a US citizen, you will also need to get TSA clearance prior to starting your flight training.
- Additionally, you should also get at least a 3rd class medical certificate. These are obtained by appointment from an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner). The FAA has a searchable list from which you can identify some in your area. If you suspect you have any past medical issues that could complicate issuance of the certificate, do a little research in advance. You want to make sure you can “pass”, i.e., not get denied, before you go to the AME.
- Down the road, you will need some additional supplies.
- For navigation training, you will need current charts for your area, a plotter, and current Chart Supplement. You can find free access at some tools online, but you will need to have either paper or electronic version in the aircraft with you.
- You will also need something to record your flight plans and to log your actual flight times.
- For night training, I recommend a headlamp with both white and red lights–red to use before you fly to protect your night vision and white to use when you are done and putting the aircraft away.
- For basic instrument training (3.0 hours required for private pilot), you need some sort of view limiting device, intended to focus your attention on the instruments and block your view outside the aircraft. There are various hood styles and eye glasses available to do this. Your flight school or flying club might also have some you could borrow.
- Some other nice to have things include:
- A bag or backpack to carry the resources you take on your flights. I recommend one that can hold a bottle of water.
- A backup handheld radio–not essential, but can be useful for listening to the weather before starting your engine. You can usually also listen to the weather using your phone. The radio could also be used in case of radio failure on your aircraft.
- An iPad or other tablet with aviation apps, such as ForeFlight (subscription service for charts and many other resources).
- An ADSB-in receiver/external GPS, such as Sentry or Stratus, especially if you are using an iPad or other tablet and the aircraft you fly does not have one you can connect to.
I’d rather be flying! 