Flight School | What you will need for Private Pilot Training

So you decided it’s time to start taking flight lessons! You’ve convinced your significant other that it will be well worth the investment and have set aside the money to finally pursue your dream of learning to fly. Congratulations!

Like any new hobby or profession, you are going to need some materials to get started! There are tons of training kits for flight training available online, but be careful, many do not come with everything you will need to get started and often times include non-essential items–hiking up the price. So be a smart shopper! Here is a list of 10 MUST HAVE training materials you will need to purchase before starting flight school:

10. Ipad with ForeFlight Subscription

It may seem like an expensive investment, but trust when I say it is worth it! Foreflight is an incredibly powerful tool for pilots; allowing for flight planning, weather monitoring, and even live traffic awareness (if equipped). The application has even won an award for improved flight safety!

The basic subscription is $100 per year, but with it, pilots have access to a world of information, literally. You can easily update your electronic charts, create performance profiles for aircraft, and complete weight and balance computations straight from your Ipad. It is truely a pilot must have!

8. Aeronautical Charts (VFR Sectional)

Pilots may not have road signs in the sky, but they do still use maps! For Visual Flight Rules, abbreviated VFR, we use aeronautical charts referred to as “Sectionals”. These expire regularly so be sure to replace them often. They are also specific to particular regional areas of the United States, so be sure to get the correct one. You may also want to purchase “TAC charts” if you live in a congested terminal area. Just ask a flight instructor if you are unsure of which to get. 

Foreflight actually provides electronic versions of VFR Sectionals which can be updated for free. Just be sure to keep a hardcopy back up in case your Ipad dies or other technical issues prevent you from accessing  important information during flight. You’ll also need a hardcopy to use during your Checkride. 

6. Chart Supplement

As you’ve probably already found out, there is A LOT to know as a pilot. While VFR charts do a great job of illustrating the most important information for pilots, not all of it can fit on the chart. That’s where the Chart Supplement comes in. 

The Chart Supplement is where all of the details about a specific airport or special airspace rules can be found. Formerly referred to as the “Airport Facilities Directory”, this publication is updated regularly by the FAA, so be sure to update them accordingly! ForeFlight contains all of this information; but, once again, you will need a current hardcopy version for your exam.

4. ASA Oral Exam Guide

From day one of flight school, student’s should be working hard to prepare themselves for the Private Pilot Checkride. ASA’s Oral Exam Guide does a great job of condensing the most important practical exam questions into an easy to digest, question by question reference. Whenever you have a little bit of down time, its an effective and proven resource to study!

3. Sporty’s Complete Learn to Fly Course

There are lot’s of great online courses. In the modern tech age of the internet, student’s who don’t take advantage of these resources are doomed from the start. Why pay an instructor hundreds of dollars to teach you basic concepts that you could just as easily learn online? Sporty’s Complete Learn to Fly Course accomplishes that perfectly (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that). They even provide a syllabus for your instructor to help supplement your ground lessons to ensure all of the bases are covered before checkride day!

2. Aviation Headset

Likely your most expensive purchase will be your aviation headset. I usually advise students not to spend a fortune here. Save your money for where it matters most, flying! Regardless of which you decide on, you will definitely need a headset. In the loud noisy environment of small piston aircraft, it can be next to impossible to hear your instructor or air traffic control without one. 

Here are three popular aviation headsets we recommend based on your budget:

1. Pilot Logbook

And, I saved the most important for last: your very first Pilot Logbook! This should be your most exciting purchase. This is the book that will capture all of your future flying memories, your adventures; but most important, document your training!

Have some other training materials we missed or we forgot to mention? Be sure to comment them below!