Today (Right this second!) is the best time to start training for your private pilot license (PPL), whether you want to fly in your personal capacity or join a major airline. Thousands of airline pilots will be retiring over the next ten years, giving you time to build expertise and flight hours.
At Monmouth Executive Airport (BLM), we support your dream of becoming a pilot. That is why we host two outstanding flight schools in NJ – Elite Flight Experience and Eagles View Flight School. Our airspace is uncrowded, making Monmouth the ideal airport for flight training. In this guide, we explore how to become a private pilot and all the steps you need to take.
What is a Private Pilot License?
A private pilot license (PPL) is a certificate granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It allows a pilot to fly an aircraft for non-commercial purposes. What can you do with a PPL?
- Fly for personal recreation or business.
- Fly at night.
- Fly internationally if you comply with specific entry procedures.
- Tow unpowered ultralight vehicles and gliders under specific FAA requirements.
- Become an airline pilot with further studies.
What can you not do with a PPL? You can take passengers when you fly with a PPL, but they cannot pay you for your services as a pilot. However, passengers are allowed to contribute a pro rata share of the flight’s operating expenses.
Steps to Get Your Private Pilot License
You must be 17 years old before you can earn a PPL. Let’s look at all the steps required:
Step 1: Take a demonstration flight
Take a demonstration flight with Monmouth Executive Airport’s Young Aviator Club if you don’t already have a student pilot certificate.
Step 2: Go for basic medical certification
Step 3: Select a pilot school for private pilot training
Step 4: Complete ground school
You study subjects such as FAA regulations, principles of navigation, weather avoidance, and stall/spin awareness.
Step 5: Fly with an instructor
Step 6: Fly solo
Step 7: Take your written exam
Step 8: Take cross-country flights
Step 9: Do your check ride
This oral and practical test brings all aspects of your training together, and you can only schedule it when you have the required endorsements. A designated pilot examiner will ask you a series of questions to determine if you fulfill the FAA’s Airman Certification Standards (ACS).
Step 10: Congratulations! You’re ready to soar.
How Long Does It Take to Get Your Private Pilot License?
Finances and time are two factors that affect your private pilot certification timeline. You require a minimum of 40 hours of flight time for a PPL, but the reality is actually 70 hours, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). It includes 20 instruction hours and 10 solo hours.
You can earn a private pilot certificate within three to six months, but airline pilot certification will take more than two years, as you need time to build up the required flight hours.
How to Become an Airline Pilot After a Private Pilot License
The three major U.S. airlines hired nearly two thousand pilots in the first half of 2025. You know how to become a private pilot, but what do you need to become a first officer at a major airline such as United?
- High school diploma/GED equivalent/bachelor’s degree
- Private pilot license (PPL)
- Commercial pilot license (CPL)
- Unrestricted FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate
- Instrument rating
- Multi-engine rating
- Current FAA first-class medical certificate
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit (RR)
- Minimum of 1,500 hours of total time, 1,000 hours of fixed-wing turbine time, and 100 hours of flight time within the last 12 months.
Enhance your pilot training programs by attending as many aviation events as possible to build your network. ‘Who you know’ is important in the aviation industry. It might lead to your dream airline pilot position. Start training by contacting Monmouth today! You can also visit us at: https://monmouthjetcenter.com/