1. General
| Course name | Private Pilot Certification Course — Airplane Single-Engine Land (ASEL) |
|---|---|
| Regulatory basis | 14 CFR Part 141, Appendix B |
| Certificate sought | Private Pilot Certificate with Airplane Single-Engine Land rating |
| Air agency | PilotRules Flight Academy (pilot school certificate # ____________) |
| Chief instructor | Capt. Ethan Collins · CFI/CFII |
| Aircraft used | Cessna 172 series (see fleet); FTD/ATD as approved |
| Governing ACS | Private Pilot — Airplane Airman Certification Standards (current edition) |
2. Enrollment prerequisites & eligibility
- At least 16 years of age to solo; 17 to be issued a Private Pilot certificate.
- Able to read, speak, write, and understand English (ICAO/FAA English proficiency). See Aviation English.
- FAA Medical Certificate (at least third-class) prior to first solo.
- Government photo identification and proof of citizenship or lawful presence.
- Physical training (PT) & body composition: students should meet entry benchmarks — push-ups (2 min): ~47+ reps (Good) to 71+ reps (Excellent); forearm plank: ~1:40 hold (Good) to 2:40 hold (Excellent); 1.5-mile timed run: sub-12:00 (Good) to sub-10:30 (Excellent); body composition assessment (BCA): maximum body fat generally 26% for males and 36% for females upon entry. Track results in the student portal. See the cadet handbook for daily schedule and gear list.
- Non-U.S. citizens: a valid TSA Flight Training Security Program (FTSP, formerly AFSP) Determination of Eligibility before flight training begins, plus applicable student visa (M-1) and SEVIS I-20. See §9 and the compliance system.
3. Course objectives & completion standards
On graduation the student will meet the aeronautical knowledge, experience, and proficiency requirements of 14 CFR 61.103–61.109 and the Private Pilot ACS, and will be able to act safely as pilot in command of an airplane single-engine land under VFR.
| Requirement | Part 141 App. B minimum |
|---|---|
| Total ground training | 35 hours of aeronautical knowledge instruction |
| Total flight training | 35 hours (with a Part 141 provider), of which: |
| — Dual instruction on required areas of operation | 20 hours |
| — Solo flight (or PIC with authorized instructor solo) | 5 hours |
| — Cross-country dual | 3 hours |
| — Night dual (incl. 10 T/O & landings + one XC >100 nm) | 3 hours |
| — Instrument (basic attitude, hood) | 3 hours |
| — Test prep within 60 days of end-of-course test | 3 hours |
Completion standard for each lesson: the student performs each task to the ACS standard for that stage without instructor assistance, unless the lesson is an introduction.
4. Course stages
The flight course is divided into three stages. Each stage ends with a stage check administered by the chief or assistant chief instructor. A student must pass the stage check to advance.
| Stage | Focus | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I — Presolo | Preflight, airplane control, traffic pattern, emergencies, presolo knowledge test | First supervised solo |
| Stage II — Cross-country & solo | Navigation (pilotage/DR/radio nav), night, solo XC, diversion | Solo cross-country privileges |
| Stage III — Certification prep | ACS maneuvers to standard, checkride prep, mock practical | End-of-course test → practical test |
5. Ground training syllabus (35 hrs)
Aeronautical knowledge areas per 14 CFR 61.105. Delivered via online ground school with progress records.
- Federal Aviation Regulations (Parts 61, 91, NTSB 830)
- Aeronautical Information Manual & ATC procedures; airspace
- Aviation weather: sources, reports/forecasts (METAR/TAF), hazards, self-briefing & Leidos
- Aerodynamics, aircraft systems, performance & limitations
- Weight & balance and performance planning (see W&B tool)
- Navigation: pilotage, dead reckoning, radio navigation, GPS; cross-country planning (see nav logs)
- Aeromedical factors, ADM & risk management (personal minimums — see minimums)
- Night operations; emergency procedures
- Preflight action per 91.103; flight plan filing (see flight plan tool)
Ground stage checks: presolo knowledge test (Stage I) and a comprehensive knowledge review prior to the FAA knowledge test (Stage II/III).
6. Flight training syllabus (lessons)
| Lesson | Stage | New items / areas of operation | Dual | Solo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-1 Intro | I | Preflight inspection, taxi, four fundamentals, collision avoidance | 1.2 | — |
| F-2 | I | Slow flight, power-off/on stalls, ground reference intro | 1.2 | — |
| F-3 | I | Traffic pattern, normal takeoff/landing | 1.2 | — |
| F-4 | I | Crosswind T/O & landing, go-around, emergency approach | 1.2 | — |
| F-5 | I | Systems/partial-panel, emergencies, review | 1.3 | — |
| F-6 Presolo check | I | Presolo maneuvers to standard + presolo written | 1.0 | — |
| F-7 First solo | I | Supervised solo — pattern | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| F-8 | II | Pilotage & dead reckoning, VFR nav log, diversion | 1.5 | — |
| F-9 | II | Dual cross-country (>50 nm), flight following, lost procedures | 2.0 | — |
| F-10 | II | Night dual — 10 T/O & landings, night XC >100 nm | 3.0 | — |
| F-11 | II | Basic instrument (hood): attitude, unusual attitudes, nav aids | 1.5 | — |
| F-12 | II | Solo practice area + solo cross-country | 0.5 | 3.0 |
| F-13 Stage II check | II | Navigation & solo privileges review | 1.2 | — |
| F-14 | III | ACS maneuvers to PPL standard; performance takeoffs/landings | 1.5 | — |
| F-15 | III | Checkride profile / mock oral + flight | 1.5 | — |
| F-16 End-of-course | III | End-of-course practical test (chief/assistant chief) | 1.5 | — |
Hours shown are planning targets; students progress by proficiency to ACS standards. Additional lessons are added as needed and documented.
Open the full 0→ATP lesson plans (Private through ATP — elements, objectives, completion standards & hours) → Convert to your home country →
7. Stage checks & tests
- Stage checks are given by the chief instructor or an assistant chief instructor, not the student’s primary instructor where practicable.
- An unsatisfactory stage check requires additional instruction and a re-check before advancing.
- End-of-course test demonstrates the student meets the graduation requirements; on satisfactory completion the school issues the graduation certificate and the instructor endorses for the FAA practical test.
8. Graduation & certification
A student graduates upon (a) completing all ground and flight lessons, (b) passing all stage checks and the end-of-course test, and (c) meeting the aeronautical experience of Part 141 Appendix B. The school issues a graduation certificate and the required endorsements (61.39/61.107/61.109 as applicable) for the FAA knowledge and practical tests.
9. Foreign-student vetting & visa compliance
Before a non-U.S. citizen begins flight training, the school verifies and records all federal requirements. This course is coupled to the live compliance system and the student portal. Training is administratively blocked until clearance is granted.
| Requirement | Authority | Tracked in |
|---|---|---|
| TSA FTSP Determination of Eligibility (Category 3 for ≤12,500 lb SEL/IR/MEL) | 49 CFR part 1552 · fts.tsa.dhs.gov | Compliance system |
| Fingerprints & fee (Pay.gov) as prompted by TSA | TSA FTSP | Compliance system |
| Photo captured at first lesson of each training event | 49 CFR 1552 | Compliance system |
| Security Awareness Training (initial + recurrent) | 49 CFR 1552 | Compliance system |
| Citizenship/nationality verification for exempt persons | 49 CFR 1552 | Compliance system |
| Student visa (M-1) & SEVIS Form I-20 | 8 CFR part 214 · SEVIS | Compliance system |
| I-94 arrival record & program end date | DHS CBP | Compliance system |
10. Records & inspection
- The school maintains each student’s enrollment record, graduation certificate, and progress/stage-check records for at least one year (14 CFR 141.101).
- Foreign-student vetting records are retained per TSA and SEVIS requirements and are exportable from the compliance system for FAA/TSA inspection.
- The chief instructor is responsible for TCO currency and instructor standardization.