BabuSoge

Chasing the Dream of Soaring Through the Skies

Since I started flying on commercial aircrafts, my fascination for flying lead me to transform every flight into a daydream of being in the cockpit, contemplating the banter between ATC and pilots, imagining myself maneuvering the flaps and spoilers, and enthusiastically demonstrating to my wife how those fancy ailerons make the plane turn. Throughout my time as a graduate student in the US, one question lingered: Could a non-US citizen like me actually fulfill the wild dream of flying an aircraft in the United States? As it turns out, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t discriminate based on nationality, and with enough money, anyone can make this dream a reality. Of course, there are some hurdles and hoops to go through, but nothing worth doing comes easy, right?

Stability and Money Matters

Learning to fly isn’t exactly what you’d call a budget-friendly endeavor. Getting your hands on a private pilot license will set you back anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000. Sure, you may come across people who have obtained a pilot’s license for half that estimate (see the Reddit thread linked here), but it’s crucial to keep your feet on the ground when it comes to numbers. In an upcoming post, I’ll break down all the dollar signs involved in getting my very own license. Besides the financial bit, it is important to have some stability in life. Flight training demands a hefty commitment, and an out-of-the-blue move back to your home country or elsewhere could seriously throw a spanner in the works. It’s also wise to think about post-training stability, seeing as the Private Pilot License is only valid within the US and for an aircraft registered in the US. So, being ready to stick around the good ol’ US of A for a while would be recommended before taking the plunge into this thrilling hobby.

You’ve to carefully gauge the time you’re willing to invest. Though the pace of learning can be adapted to one’s personal preferences, it is best wrapped up in a few months rather than dragging on for eons. Setting aside at least an hour every day to hit the books (trust me, there’s a boatload of stuff to study!) and a couple of hours each week for some airtime is a non-negotiable.

The First Step – Dabbling in the Skies

The first step in the journey involves (totally optional, but highly recommended) going on a discovery flight. This intro lesson gives aspiring aviators a taste of the thrill of flying first-hand. The instructor takes care of takeoff, landing, and taxiing, while you get to take the reins up in the air. You’ll also take part in the pre-flight and post-flight procedures with the instructor. And you can bring the better half or the family along for the ride. When I say “family,” I mean two additional people – these planes can only fit four folks at most (including the instructor and yourself) – so don’t go planning for a party of 20, this ain’t no Boeing 777!

For me, taking charge of the aircraft up in the air was the moment that sealed the deal. We took off, located our house on the charts, did a few loops around it, cruised over to downtown St. Paul, and landed at St. Paul downtown airport before making the trip back. And for my wife, who joined me on the discovery flight, it turned out to be quite the fabulous joyride, and I am glad that she had a great time.

Folks usually have all sorts of notions when they think about becoming a pilot. The planes used for training and eventual flights are typically vintage 1960s models with old-school dials showing the speed. It’s key not to get ahead of yourself and anticipate flying in swanky jets with a high-tech cockpit. This is exactly why the discovery flight is a big deal – it sets your expectations right where they should be.

Signing Up for Private Pilot Training

After the discovery flight, if you decide to take the plunge, you’ve the choice to stick with the same instructor throughout the training or shop around for an instructor. Once you’re in, the training usually kicks off the very next day, unless you’re on a visa, in which case there are a couple of extra hoops to jump through which are listed below.

Obtaining TSA Approval and Medical Certification

Folks who aren’t citizens need to go through a background check process.

To start the process, head over to https://fts.tsa.dhs.gov/home, sign up, and enter in the details of the flight school. Oh, and you’ll need to pay $130 for the background check (did I tell you its expensive to fly?). The flight school will receive the request for approval which often requires following-up with the school as the approval comes from the chief instructor who may be busy!

Subsequently, you’ll need to submit fingerprints, with instructions provided in an email from TSA. A $24 fee is applicable for the fingerprinting process. Once you’ve done your prints, the school usually gets the permission to initiate training from TSA within a week. With that, you’re almost set to kick off your flight training journey.

Taking the Medical Test

Before you start your training, there’s one last step – the medical check-up. This step is crucial to make sure there aren’t any health hiccups that could throw a wrench in your training. It’s not a run-of-the-mill annual check-up – it is carried out by an AME (aviation medical examiner). And if you’re on any medications for any health conditions, the AME can give the nod on whether you can still take to the skies while on them.

There are three kinds of medical certificates – first, second, and third. The intensity of the check-up ramps up with each level. For us private pilots, a third-class medical certificate is sufficient, involving a basic eyeball, ear, and overall health test. The first class, reserved for the big league airline pilots, gets a way more in-depth once-over.

Getting a third-class medical certificate will set you back $150 (expensive!!). This certificate is good for five years if you’re under 40, and two years if you’re on the other side of 40.

Setting Sail on Flight Training

Finally, with your medical exam out of the way and the TSA approval in pocket, you’re all set to dive into your flight training adventure. Go fly high!