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Q. What does it take to get a pilot's license?
A. There are some age and medical restrictions, but in a nutshell there are two main components. Just like for your driver's license, you'll have to pass a written test and a "road" test -- only our road test is in the air! There's a lot to learn for both portions, but there are many ways to accomplish it. The instructors at Southern Maine Aviation can help explain various options. You'll need a minimum of 20 flight hours to get a pilot license.
Q. What's the difference between the sport license and the private license?
A. The sport pilot license is great for someone who wants to fly as a hobby just for fun. You can progress on to the private license if you change your mind, but as a sport pilot you can only fly certain airplanes, with no more than 1 passenger, during the daytime, and in good weather. The private license adds a few more requirements geared toward a pilot who may fly for business, wants more flexibility in the airplanes he or she flies, or is working toward a career as a pilot.
Q. How do I get started if I want to learn to fly?
A. It's really not that hard. Call 207-324-8919 and make an appointment with us, and
we'll take you up on an introductory flight. Once you fall in love with
flying, we can help explain the process of getting your pilot license and
get you started on a training program that fits your needs. In a nutshell,
there are two components -- the knowledge portion and the flying portion.
There are many ways to acquire the knowledge for the written test, but for
the flying each lesson is usually about 1-1.5hrs long, with most of that
time in the air but some ground instruction (pre and post flight briefings
and such). Most people fly once a week or so, but the more often you fly
the less you tend to forget. People who fly 2-3x per week often get their
license in 3/4 the total number of hours compared to someone who flies 1x
per week.
Q. How much does it cost to get a pilot's license?
A. Costs vary considerably and depend on numerous factors. But a rough
estimate valid for a typical part-time student in 2008 would be $4000-$5000
for the sport license or $8000-$9000 for a private. There are ways to cut
costs without cutting corners on your training, though. So if you really
want to fly but think this is a little much for your wallet, please call and
talk to one of our instructors about options. There is even pilot training
financing available. Or just take lessons as you can afford them -- a
typical hour long lesson will be around $120, but you'll be having a lot of
fun along the way. There is no time limit to get your license, so all these
hours will count for your total training requirements!
Q. How long does it take to get a license?
A. Just like costs, the time from person to person varies considerably.
People who fly more frequently often finish in fewer total hours, since you 'forget' less between lessons. So someone flying 2-3x per week might
complete a sport license after only 3 months and in 25 or 30 hours, whereas
someone flying every weekend or two might take a year and spend 50 or 60
hours total. There are also people who have done it in 3 weeks.
Q. What can I do after I get my license?
A. It's surprisingly easy to rent an airplane. Many people fly just because they enjoy it and aren't really going anywhere. Just cruising above the
coastline or around Mt. Washington is an awesome experience. But you can
also rent an airplane for a weekend trip -- you only pay for flight time,
not the time the airplane is gone (with certain daily minimums). Suppose
you want to spend a day in Bar Harbor -- you can rent an airplane in the
morning and be there by mid-morning. Spend the day shopping, enjoying the
sights, perhaps going on a whale watch cruise. Have a relaxing dinner and
fly home. You'll pay for 3 hours of airplane rental (assuming 1.5 hours
each leg). The alternative is about 8 hours of driving and probably an
overnight stay, just to enjoy 1 day there. The total cost might even be
comparable between gas and hotel!
Q. How much does it cost to rent an airplane?
A. Every airplane has a different hourly rate, and the time is from when the engine starts to when it shuts down. At Southern Maine Aviation, our rates are "wet rates" meaning the fuel is included. You don't pay any extra for fuel. For lessons, the instructor hourly rate must be added to the airplane rental price.
Q. Can anyone learn to fly?
A. There are very few people who just don't seem to get the hang of flying. It's new and different, so it takes some time to master. But if you have good judgment and can walk and chew gum at the same time, you'll probably be able to fly an airplane. Helicopters are a little harder, but that's a different question! You can also start taking lessons at any age, but cannot solo until age 16 or get your license until age 17. If you're not a US citizen, there is some additional paperwork to go through, but we can help guide you through that process.
Q. How does the ground instruction work?
A. First of all, let's distinguish between the 'ground' portion of the flying lessons and the ground instruction needed to pass the knowledge test. As part of your flying lessons, there will be some time you need to work with an instructor on the ground. But you also need to pass the written test, which involves learning a lot about things like regulations, aerodynamics, aircraft systems. You can gain this knowledge in many ways. 1. You can do most of the studying on your own at your own pace. For this you can use free online materials, commercially available textbooks, online study programs, DVDs or video course. 2. You can sit down with a flight instructor and pay for one-on-one sessions until you know all the material. 3. You can take a classroom style course and learn with others, sharing the expense of the instructor among multiple people. There are advantages to each method and you can definitely mix and match! Studying at your own pace might sound attractive, but keeping to a schedule might be difficult. Taking a class might sound expensive, but if you pay for DVDs or hourly sessions with an instructor that can add up even faster. Some people just don't absorb knowledge as well when reading it, so books may not be the way to go. Choose what works for you.
Q. What are the career prospects for pilots?
A. If you love to fly, careers as a pilot are definitely worth considering. There are short-term ups and downs, but hiring trends overall look good for the future. It does take time and a lot of training and cost to get all the certificates and ratings and experience you need, though, so it's worth talking to one of our instructors to get the overall picture. There are also various career opportunities you might not have considered.
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