Private Pilot Training

Precision Windsports is authorized to provide Private Pilot training for weight-shift control aircraft with the exception of night training.  That means that all of the hours you accrue in training for your Sport Pilot certificate will count toward your Private Pilot.

Privileges of a Private Pilot

• All the privileges of Sport Pilot
• You can fly in controlled airspace without additional logbook endorsements
• You can fly at night (we cannot currently provide night instruction)
• You can tow hang-gliders
• You can fly above 10,000 feet

Requirements

To become a Private Pilot the FAA requires you:

• Be 17 or older
• Hold a FAA 3rd Class Medical certificate
• Have a minimum of 20 hours of dual flight instruction
• Have a minimum of 10 hours of solo flight instructions
• Have a minimum of 3 hours of night training (if you want to fly at night)
• Have a minimum of 40 hours total flight time
• Complete a solo cross country trip of at least 100 miles (this requirement is so much fun to satisfy :-).
• Pass a written knowledge test
• Pass a practical test/checkride (oral test followed by flight test)

Typical Student

The typical Private Pilot student is already a Sport Pilot and is interested in towing hang-gliders or flying at night.  Since Precision Windsports doesn't do night training we don't see any of the "I want to fly at night" students.

Syllabus

The syllabus (and the checkride) for Private is identical to that for Sport with the following additions:

• More time spent in cross country training.
• Training in controlled airspace operations.