Flight training
Flight training teaches basic airmanship skills for pilot certification.
Flight training is the process of learning to operate an aircraft. Its main goal at the beginner and intermediate levels is to build and refine basic airmanship skills. This training can follow a structured, accredited program at a flight school with an instructor, or it can be taken as private lessons without a set syllabus, as long as the student meets all the experience requirements for the desired pilot certificate or license.
Training typically combines two elements: flight lessons in an aircraft or a certified flight training device, and ground school, where an instructor teaches aeronautical theory in a classroom setting to prepare for written, oral, and flight exams. Although many aircraft types exist, the basic principles of flying them—especially heavier-than-air aircraft—share common techniques.
Flight schools often rent aircraft to students and licensed pilots by the hour, usually based on the Hobbs meter or tachometer, so the pilot pays only while the engine is running. Instructors can be booked with or without an aircraft for proficiency or recurrent training. The oldest flight training school still operating is the Royal Air Force's Central Flying School, founded in May 1912 at Upavon, UK. The oldest active civil flight school is at the Wasserkuppe in Germany, originally called "Mertens Fliegerschule" and now known as "Fliegerschule Wasserkuppe."
**Licences**
The International Civil Aviation Organization sets global standards for pilot licensing, which each country's civil aviation authority enforces. Aspiring pilots must first meet their country's requirements for a student pilot certificate, needed for training toward a private pilot licence (PPL). They can then advance to a commercial pilot licence (CPL) and finally an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL). Some countries offer a light aircraft pilot licence (LAPL), but it is not valid internationally. Separate licences are required for different aircraft categories, such as helicopters and aeroplanes. In the United States, for example, a pilot adding a rotorcraft category helicopter rating to an existing certificate must complete flight training in specific areas, including hovering maneuvers and autorotation, as prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Oldest flight training school
- Royal Air Force's Central Flying School, formed May 1912 at Upavon, United Kingdom
- Oldest civil flight school
- Fliegerschule Wasserkuppe, founded as Mertens Fliegerschule at Wasserkuppe, Germany
Lore & Background
Typically, flight training consists of two parts: flight lessons given in the aircraft or in a certified Flight Training Device, and ground school primarily given as a classroom lecture or lesson by a flight instructor where aeronautical theory is learned in preparation for written, oral, and flight examinations. Although there are various types of aircraft, many principles of piloting them have common techniques, especially those aircraft which are heavier-than-air types. Flight schools commonly rent aircraft to students and licensed pilots at an hourly rate, typically determined by the aircraft's Hobbs meter or Tach timer, so the student is only charged while the engine is running. Flight instructors can also be scheduled with or without an aircraft for pilot proficiency and recurring training. The oldest flight training school still in existence is the Royal Air Force's Central Flying School formed in May 1912 at Upavon, United Kingdom. The oldest civil flight school still active is based in Germany at the Wasserkuppe, founded as Mertens Fliegerschule and currently named Fliegerschule Wasserkuppe.
Reader's Guide
Flight training is significant as the foundational process for acquiring pilot licenses and certificates. The International Civil Aviation Organization sets global standards for pilot licensing, implemented by a country's civil aviation authority. Prospective pilots must first meet their country's requirements for a student pilot certificate, then progress to a private pilot licence, commercial pilot licence, and airline transport pilot licence. Some countries have a light aircraft pilot licence, but this cannot be used internationally. Separate licences are required for different aircraft categories, such as helicopters and aeroplanes. Type conversion training allows a pilot to fly a different type of aircraft, resulting in a class rating or type rating added to the license. An instrument rating allows flight under instrument flight rules, and a night rating allows flight in visual meteorological conditions at night. The legacy of flight training is its role in enabling safe and regulated piloting across diverse aircraft types and operational conditions.
Did You Know?
- The oldest civil flight school still active is Fliegerschule Wasserkuppe in Germany, originally founded as Mertens Fliegerschule.
- Flight training typically consists of flight lessons in an aircraft or certified Flight Training Device and ground school classroom instruction.
- A type rating is for a specific aircraft type, while a class rating covers multiple types of similar design.
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