Questions and Answers about Learning to Fly
Why learn to fly?
How much does it cost to get a pilot's license?
How difficult is it to learn to fly?
How long does it take?
Am I too old to learn to fly?
What about my physical condition?
My eyesight isn't the greatest. Will that disqualify me?
How safe is flying?
Who would my teacher be?
What kind of airplane would I learn in?
How long is each lesson?
What additional supplies and materials do I need?
What is the test like?
Are these tests difficult?
Why should I learn to fly at New Garden?
I've always wanted to learn to fly, and now I'm ready. What do I do next?
As much as I want to learn to fly, I'm not sure it's for me
What can I do after I pass the test?
Many people have dreamed of becoming a pilot so that they could see the world from a different perspective, travel quickly from place to place, or just to have the sense of accomplishment that mastering a skill provides.
Business people learned long ago that reducing travel time increases productivity. Although most general aviation airplanes travel at only a fraction of the speed of a commercial airliner, private pilots fly on their own schedule and needn't spend time driving to a big-city airport, parking, and standing in lines. A private pilot can often get to his or her business meeting sooner than the airline passenger, and can land at a smaller airport closer to the destination.
A private pilot can fly the family or friends for a day at the beach or skiing, or just to have lunch or dinner with a distant friend or relative. Driving the same distance would be impractical.
For those interested in a career in aviation, obtaining a private pilot's license is an important step.
The typical cost is about $4000 to $5000, spread over a period of
months. Although this sounds like a lot of money, it is not out of line with many other endeavors such as golf, boating, skiing, etc.
Like any skill, it takes practice and a degree of dedication. But thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds have learned to fly. Most students reach a plateau during
their training when they seem to be stuck mastering one skill or another (usually landing), but once past that point, almost all go on to pass their test.
Piper Tomahawk
Most students take four to six months from their first lesson
until they pass the test for their Private Pilot's license.
If you have the time, you could conceivably obtain your
license in a couple of months. Some people spread their
training over a period of years.
We have taught grandparents how to fly! If you are in reasonable physical condition, there is no reason why you cannot learn how to fly at any age.
Pilots are licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, a U.S. government agency, and are required to pass a physical examination before their first solo flight, and periodically thereafter. The exam is designed to screen out people
who might have a serious problem that could affect their safety in the air; most people in average health will have no problem passing.
People with normal vision, even if corrected by strong
prescription eyeglasses, are qualified.
Flying a general aviation airplane, per mile traveled, is ten times safer than driving your car. Much of the training time for a pilot's license is spent on safety. Most pilots fly a lifetime without an accident of any kind.
Airplanes must undergo rigorous periodic inspection and maintenance, so a mechanical failure is very rare.
The FAA licenses instructors who have to go far beyond the
minimum pilot qualifications. Most instructors have graduated with a aeronautical degree from an accredited college.
In addition to their flying skills, they must also pass
tests of their teaching ability.
New Garden Aviation uses Piper Tomahawk aircraft for training. This is a simple and forgiving 2-seat airplane designed specifically for teaching people to fly. Some students have an airplane available to them (perhaps owned by a
relative) and they can learn in that airplane instead. And
some people even buy an airplane to learn in.
Each lesson is about one hour of flying, with additional time before the flight spent reviewing the goals of the day with the flight instructor and making a pre-flight inspection of the airplane, and time after the flight to discuss the lesson and plan for the next one, for about two hours total. Most students try to schedule one lesson per week. Lessons are subject to weather conditions. With that in mind, many students book two lessons per week, knowing that some will have to be cancelled for weather.
Piper Tomahawk Instrument Panel
Books, charts, planning tools, etc. Plan on spending about $100 on these. Everything you need is available from New Garden Aviation. Additionally, you will have to purchase "renter's insurance" before your first solo flight. The cost is about $115 per year. Your instructor can help you in obtaining everything you need.
There are actually two FAA-administered tests you must pass
to obtain a Private pilot's license: a "written" test of
your knowledge of regulations, weather, aircraft performance, aerodynamics, communications, navigation, etc. The
"final exam" is a flight test taken with an FAA Designated
Examiner. During the flight test the examiner will be
checking to make sure that you understand how to control the
airplane, understand the rules and regulations, and are
trained to be a safe pilot.
The written exam, a 50-question multiple-choice test taken
at a test center on a computer, requires a good deal of
preparation.
If you are motivated and reasonably well-prepared, neither
the written test nor the flight test will be difficult.
They are an opportunity to show what you have learned.
New Garden Aviation offers a "ground school" program of classes one night a week for 8 weeks to get you ready for the test. The cost is around $200.
Some students prefer to study on their own from various textbooks, and this approach is fine as well.
We have been training people to fly
since 1972 and offer a good selection of airplanes and
facilities. We are a general aviation airport, not just an
airport that tolerates flight training and general aviation
aircraft. The atmosphere is friendly and inviting, with other students and experienced pilots to talk to, and lots of interesting aviation activity going on.
Call New Garden Aviation at 610-268-2048, or stop by the airport Office to schedule your first lesson!
Take an introductory flight lesson for just $50! You will go up in the same type of airplane you will be learning in, with one of our flight instructors. You will actually have an opportunity to take the controls of the airplane and see what it is like. Call New Garden Aviation at 610-268-2048 to schedule your flight!
You are now qualified to fly any simple single-engine air
plane, anywhere in the U.S. you want to go. (Of course,
there are some restricted areas where no one is allowed to
fly.) You can take passengers with you.
Most new pilots rent airplanes for a period of time after
receiving their license; some then go on to buy their own
airplane.
Want to continue building your skills? There are always new challenges for those pilots who want to keep on learning. The next step most private pilots take is to obtain an "Instrument Rating," which teaches you how to fly when the visibility is poor. Some pilots continue on to obtain their "Commercial" pilots license, or even all the way to the top: "Air Transport Pilot" license.
Other pilots want to learn about aircraft maintenance and repair, or how to build their own airplane from a kit. Some learn specialized piloting skills like flying airplanes on floats or skiis. A few want to learn how to perform aerobatic maneuvers like rolls and loops. You can learn how to fly a glider. (New Garden is an active airport for gliders.)
And you can even obtain an instructor's license, so you can teach others how to fly.
Many pilots are satisfied with just flying around the countryside on a sunny weekend afternoon.
Want to read more? Click on these links to other web sites:
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) 
Be A Pilot
RETURN TO THE INDEX PAGE
LEARN TO FLY -- Find out what's involved in getting your pilot's license
FUEL -- New Garden has 100LL aviation fuel, available 24-hours a day
MAINTENANCE SHOP -- From an oil change to an engine change, New Garden has the facilities and experience to handle your single-engine or light twin maintenance
ENSTROM HELICOPTER -- Authorized Sales and Service
AIRCRAFT RENTAL -- Rent a Piper Cherokee or Tomahawk
ROGER LEHNERT -- One of the finest Piper J-3 Cub airshow pilots in the air today calls N57 home.
MATT CHAPMAN AEROBATICS -- Top-ranking aerobatic pilot on the U.S. National team is based at New Garden
HANGAR RENTAL -- Protect the investment in your aircraft
COLONIAL FLYING CORPS MUSEUM -- On the field
AIR SHOW
P.O. Box 481
Toughkenamon, PA 19374
Tel: 610-268-2048
Fax: 610-268-0342
e-mail: everitt@n57.com
May 5, 2006