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Frequently Asked Questions
Why learn to fly?
By obtaining your private pilot license, you open up a whole new world of opportunity. The personal freedom alone is enough to
make all the training worthwhile. Never again will you have to endure the rigorous inspections and excessive regulations of
commercial airlines. Pursuing your private pilot license enables you to fly for personal business travel or vacation with friends
and family at your own leisure. It alleviates much of the stress you would normally undergo with airline travel. It also allows
for an individual to work with advanced technology in a three dimensional airspace to see the world in a whole new light.
What is a private pilot license and what can I do with it?
One's private pilot certificate enables he or she to fly a single engine, propeller driven aircraft on days during ideal weather
conditions when circumstances do not require flying using solely instruments. It could be considered a necessity to obtain your
instrument certificate immediately following private pilot training in order to fly in unfavorable, IFR conditions. As a private
pilot, you are qualified to fly friends and family around simply for the purpose of enjoyment or for business.
What does is take to become eligible to fly?
There are a few simple requirements an individual must meet prior to receiving their private pilot certificate.
First of all a person must be at least seventeen years of age and capable to read, write and speak the English language.
Despite the age requirement of seventeen to receive the private rating, you can begin training at any age and solo as a student
pilot at the age of sixteen. In addition it is required that a person pass a physical screening done by an FAA approved physician
prior to the first solo flight. We will provide you with a detailed list of FAA examiners in the Hampton Roads area.
What does a typical flight lesson consist of?
Each flight lesson generally consists of three major components. The beginning of the lesson is called the pre-flight briefing
where the student and instructor inspect the aircraft to ensure the aircraft is secure for takeoff as well as discuss what maneuvers
and exercises will be covered during the flight. During the flight you get to take control of the aircraft with the instructor by
your side informing you what to do. The last portion of the lesson is the post-flight or debriefing. During this, you and your
instructor discuss what areas you might need to do some further studying prior to your next flight lesson. When scheduling we
typically reserve two hours per lesson to ensure that there is enough time to go over each topic in it's entirety.
How long will it take me to achieve my private pilot rating?
There really is no set answer to this question. The time it takes to achieve the private pilot rating really depends on the
motivation and availability of the student. The minimum amount of hours required to obtain the private pilot license is 40 total
flight hours, ten of which are solo. Depending upon a person's schedule and availability, a private pilot license very well can be
obtained within the minimum amount of required hours. The more consistent you are with scheduling flight lessons determines how
long the process will take. The student who only flies once a month will spend much more time and money because they will have to
cover a lot of the same subjects more than once because it is likely over such a long time span that they will forget a lot of
details from the previous lessons. All in all though, on average most students finish between 45 to 50 hours.
What is the cost of getting my private pilot license?
The total cost to obtain the certificate is approximately within $6,000 to $8,000, once again considering how long it takes for a
student to finish training. You have the option to pay as you go or receive a ten percent discount by purchasing ten hour blocks
in advance. A typical flight lesson costs around $140 to $200 depending upon the aircraft of choice.
Why Tidewater Flight Center?
Tidewater Flight Center was founded by Andrew Johnson who has had a strong passion for aviation and has wanted to provide a great
deal service for flight training to his customers and the Tidewater area. At Tidewater Flight Center, our goal is to provide
customers with an excellent flight training experience. We aim to improve flight training through the use of modern aircraft,
professional and friendly instructors, and with the emphasis on safety and organization. We hope that you choose to fly with us
and experience the thrill of flight!
How do I get started?
To begin your journey to the exciting world of aviation all you need to do is give us a call or stop by our more than welcoming
facility and any one of our staff will be glad to answer any other questions you may have. The very first and most important step
is the discovery flight which is exactly what the name states. This is a 30 minute flight which gives you the opportunity to
discover whether or not aviation is for you. It costs a flat rate of $80.00. During this flight you are able to take the controls
of the aircraft and get a feel for flying from the pilot seat. If and then you realize this is a hobby worth pursuing, you can
purchase a logbook and record this discovery flight as your very first lesson. We will also set you up with our convenient online
scheduling program which enables you at any time to check out our availability and reserve the times that fit best with your
schedule. The staff here at Tidewater Flight Center takes pride in our flight school and is very confident you will enjoy flying
with us. We hope to see you in the near future!
What is the Private Pilot kit, and is it important for me to have?
We sell a Sporty's private pilot kit which we strongly recommend you get upon flight training. It consists of everything that you
will need to begin as a student pilot. The most important part of the kit is a series of DVD's which will be your primary source
of ground instruction which can be done at your leisure in the comfort of your own home. It is a very organized way to pursue your
license and obtain it quicker because it allows you to study at home and prepare for the next lesson. This makes it so you can get
a heads up on what will be covered for your next lesson each and every time you come to fly. This way you and your instructor can
move right along and spend less time on each subject of the training. The kit is $315.00 with tax.
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