PRE-SOLO STAGE
This consists of individual flight lessons in the basic operation of the airplane, during which you will learn to preflight your aircraft, to start the engine, and to perform maneuvers such as taxi, takeoff, climb, level flight, turns, flight at minimum airspeeds, stalls, landings, and emergency procedures just to name a few examples. Once your instructor feels you are ready, he or she will schedule you for a STAGE I Check with the Chief Flight Instructor or assistant. This check assures consistent quality of training and has the added benefit of exposing each student to flying with someone other than their regular instructor. By so doing, students benefit from a different perspective on their performance, plus it makes passing the check ride easier by gaining experience performing with someone looking over your shoulder evaluating your skills! This stage of training is completed whenthe student does their first solo flight, generally consisting of 3 trips around the traffic pattern and 3 landings.
DUAL CROSS-COUNTRY STAGE
The second stage of training consists of a combination of flights with your instructor and a number of solo practice flights in the pattern. You’ll learn the art of navigation by performing 2 cross-country flights with your instructor plus a series of other dual flights learning to perform short and soft field landings, crosswind landings, emergency landings and other procedures needed to safely fly cross-country trips. When you have a good grasp on all of this, you’re ready for your Stage II ground and flight check. With this successfully completed, you’ll graduate to Stage III, the Solo Cross Country phase. By the way, you should have your written Test completed before you move on to Stage III.
SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY STAGE
Consists of 3 trips you’ll make by yourself. You’ll plan each flight yourself, but your instructor will look it over and approve it before you go. You’ll be checking the weather and other conditions along the route of flight, file a flight plan and off you go! During this stage you’ll also be flying some reviewflights with your flight instructor in preparation for the flight test.
PREPARATION FOR THE CHECKRIDE
During this stage you will be continuing final preparation for your flight test. When you can perform all maneuvers to levels required by the Practical Test Standards and know all of the information required of a Private Pilot, your instructor will schedule a Final Stage Check for you and, upon satisfactory completion of this check, you will be scheduled to take the Private Pilot checkride, generally consisting of a 2 to 3 hour question and answer period followed by a flight check with an Examiner designated to do such checks. You will then receive your Pilot's license.
(FAA STANDARDS)