Training, Endorsements and Aeronautical Experience

A private pilot applicant must receive ground and flight training from an authorized instructor covering the required knowledge areas and areas of operation. Along the way the instructor provides endorsements in your logbook certifying that you are prepared to fly solo, to take the knowledge test, and to take the practical test. These endorsements are official records and cannot be self-signed. For an airplane single-engine rating the experience requirement is a minimum of 40 hours, including at least 20 hours of dual instruction and 10 hours of solo flight, along with specific cross-country, night, and instrument training experience. In practice most students take more than 40 hours, so the number is a floor rather than a target. Logging your time accurately matters because the examiner will review your logbook and endorsements before the checkride.