You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 12

S
So, you've decided you want to learn to ﬂy. Congratulations, future pilot! An epic
journey awaits. Like any great venture, it will take preparation, determination, and will,
and there will likely be struggles and setbacks along the way, but nothing that can't be
overcome. In the end, you'll have a pilot certiﬁcate and be free to explore our world as
few do-from above.
Learning to ﬂy is a serious undertaking, and especially if you aim to be the ﬁrst pilot
in your family, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are the basics, including
what to expect, how to get started, and tips for success from AOPA Air Safety Institute
(ASI) certiﬁcated ﬂight instructors (CFIs).
WHAT'S YOUR WHY?

Before you dive into training, you should clearly deﬁne why you want to become a pilot.
Do you want to buy your own airplane and ﬂy your family about your state, or is your
goal to ﬂy for the airlines? Have you been inspired by YouTubers and want to get into
the off-pavement world? Or perhaps aviation is a family tradition. Knowing your goals
will help your instructor tailor your training for you. And when training challenges
arise, that goal can be the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps you motivated.
CHOOSING A FLIGHT SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTOR

The three absolute necessities for ﬂight training are you, the airplane, and the
instructor. To ﬁnd parts two and three, start by looking for a ﬂight school; plan to
visit more than one and compare.
On your visits, ask yourself a few questions:
* Is the ﬂight school a reasonable commute for you?
* Do you get a good feeling when you walk in?
* Could you imagine spending thousands of dollars here?
If you have pilot friends, ask for their advice, or maybe even for their help in
vetting various schools.
After you choose a ﬂight school, you'll either choose or be assigned an instructor.
A good instructor will (at a minimum) brief you on each lesson, keep you informed,
answer your questions (even if they have to doublecheck the answer themselves),
and make you feel safe in the airplane. You're in charge of your training-if you don't
click with your instructor, switch to a new one. If it turns out you don't care for your
ﬂight school, go somewhere else. Transitioning to somewhere new might add a few
extra hours to your training, but there's no reason to stay with a training situation
that isn't working for you.
Use AOPA's Flight School Finder to help ﬁnd a school near you (aopa.org/schools).

" Plan for a flight lesson like a college class: One hour of flight equals three hours
of study time, then do the homework and show up prepared for the flight. "
-CFI John Collins, ASI's manager of aviation safety programs
12

FLIGHT TRAINING YOU CAN FLY 2021

COURTESY FLYING CLASSROOM

ASI TIP

http://www.aopa.org/schools

You Can Fly - 2021 edition

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of You Can Fly - 2021 edition

Contents
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Intro
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Cover1
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Cover2
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Contents
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 2
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 3
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 4
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 5
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 6
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - I1
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - I2
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - I3
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - I4
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 7
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 8
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 9
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 10
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 11
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 12
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 13
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 14
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 15
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 16
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 17
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You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 19
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You Can Fly - 2021 edition - H1
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - H2
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 47
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 48
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You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 50
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 51
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - 52
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Cover3
You Can Fly - 2021 edition - Cover4
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