Frequently Asked Questions

 

HOw old do I HAVE TO BE FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTION?

You can start flight instruction at any age, however, you need to be 15 years old to take the FAA’s Private Pilot Knowledge Exam, 16 years old to Solo, and 17 years old to hold a Private Pilot Certificate.

 

HOw long does it take to earn a Private Pilot Certificate?

To obtain a Private Pilot Certificate, the FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours of total flight time to qualify to take the Practical Exam a.k.a. “Checkride Exam” with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).  This exam is comprised of two parts; an Oral Exam portion and a Flight Exam portion, if the student is successful on the Oral exam portion.  Typically, however, a student takes between 55-65 hours of flight time, or more, to earn their Private Pilot Certificate, if they are flying 2 to 3 times a week.

Note when a student passes a Practical Exam, the DPE provides the student with a temporary Private Pilot Certificate on-the-spot, and a permanent one arrives in the mail typically 6 to 8 weeks later.

 

How Often should I be flying to Flight Train for a Pilot Certificate or Rating?

A flight student should make every effort to fly 2, or even 3 times, a week. However, weather and schedule conflicts between the student and instructor can often lead to only flying 1 to 2 times a week. 

 

How Long does it take to earn a Private Pilot Certificate?

If the student is flying on average a couple of times a week, they can expect to earn their Private Pilot Certificate in about 6 to 8 months. 

 

Do I have to take a Private Pilot Ground School Course?

Laconia Flight Academy requires students to take either its 10 week Private Pilot Ground School course, or Jeppesen’s Part 61 Private Pilot Ground School Course. Either of these courses can be taken in advance of flight training, or during flight training. Also, the FAA technically does not require Private Pilot flight students to take an official ground school course, however they do require extensive logged ground training conducted by a Certified Flight Instructor. Both Laconia Flight Academy’s and Jeppesen’s Private Pilot Ground School Courses,  meet the FAA Private Pilot ground training requirements. 

 

Do you Offer Accelerated Flight Training?

Yes we do, however it is highly dependent upon weather, and how prepared and committed the flight student is. Please see this link here on our accelerated training programs.

 

Do you need a Flight Medical as a Student Pilot?

In order to take the Private Pilot Practical Exam, a student must possess at least a Third Class Medical certificate.  Though not required for initial flight training, a  medical flight physical is required to not only obtain a pilot’s certificate, but also to even solo an aircraft which occurs early on in training, so it is highly recommended to get the flight physical either before flight training starts or shortly thereafter. We can provide the name and contact of a local Flight Medical Examiner to administer the physical. 

 

Where is Flight Training Performed?

Flight training is based out of Laconia, NH airport (KLCI), located on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, making it an ideal place for destination flight training.  

 

What kind of aircraft Does Laconia Flight Academy Use?

Laconia Flight Academy has a fleet of three PA28-161/151 Piper Warriors, as well as a full motion Redbird Simulator that has configurations that include a Piper Warrior, a Piper (Twin) Seneca, and a Cirrus SR2X. In addition, Laconia Flight Academy can provide flight training in owner aircraft. 

 

How can a Redbird Flight Simulator help me in my Flight Training and Recency Experience?

Use of Laconia Flight Academy’s full motion FMX Redbird Simulator, an Advanced Aviation Training Device (ATTD), can be used towards the FAA’s minimum flight hour experience requirements for pilot certificates, pilot ratings, and pilot recency/currency requirements. This can translate into saving thousands of dollars in flight training costs.

 

• Private Pilot Certificate – Up to 2.5 hours on a full motion simulator can be applied towards the FAA’s minimum of 40 hours of flight training experience required  for a private pilot certificate.   
• Instrument Rating – Up to 20 hours on a full motion simulator can be applied towards the FAA’s minimum of 40 hours of simulated (view limiting device such as foggles) or actual IFR flight training experience required for an instrument rating.   
• Commercial Pilot Certificate – Up to 50 hours on a full motion simulator can be applied towards the FAA’s minimum of 250 hours of flight time experience required  for a commercial pilot certificate, e.g. 200 hours in an actual aircraft, and 50 hours in a Redbird Simulator AATD.

 

• Instrument Recency Experience – a Redbird Simulator AATD can be used to maintain instrument recency/currency FAA requirements involving needing to have completed a minimum of 6 instrument approaches, holds, and course intercept and tracking procedures, within the preceding 6 months of flying an IFR flight. 
• Instrument Proficiency Checks (IPCs) – almost all of an IPC can be accomplished on a Redbird flight simulator (AATD), with the exception of a circle to land and an actual landing in an aircraft. 

 

We look forward to seeing you soon at Laconia Flight Academy!