PILOT TRAINING SECTION A

April 12, 1981 — The United States launches the space shuttle
Columbia, the world's first reusable manned space vehicle and the most
complex flying machine
ever built. Pilot Robert L.
Crippen describes Columbia's landing by
space shuttle commander John W. Young.

We made a gliding circle over our landing

site, runway 23 on Rogers Dry Lake at
Edwards Air Force Base. On final approach
I was reading out the airspeeds to John so
he wouldn't have to scan the instruments as
closely. Columbia almost floated in. John
only had to make minor adjustments in
pitch. We were targeted to touch down at
185 knots, and the very moment I called out
185,I felt us touch down. I have never been
in any flying vehicle that landed more
smoothly. If you can imagine the smoothest
landing you've ever had in an airliner, ours was at least that good. John really greased it
in. "Welcome home, Columbia," said Houston. "Beautiful, beautiful." "Do you want us
to take it up to the hangar?" John asked. — "Our Phenomenal First Flight," by John
Young and Robert Crippen in National Geographic

December 23, 1986 — Piloted by Jeana Yeager and Dick

Rutan, the aircraft Voyager completes the first nonstop-
without-refueling flight around the world. The flight took 9
days, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds.
Voyager was designed by pilot Dick
Rutan's brother Burt Rutan.

With its 7,011.5 pounds of fuel aboard at

take-off amounting to 72.3 percent of the
airplane's gross weight, Voyager was lit-
erally a flying fuel tank. Voyager's
takeoff from the 15,000-foot run-
way at Edwards Air Force Base took
over two minutes as the airplane's
wingtips, heavy with fuel, were grind-
ing on the runway. After finally lifting
off with only 800 feet of runway remaining,
co-pilot Jeana Yeager radioed back, "If it
were easy, it would have been done before."

Breaking new ground is never easy. It may be difficult to understand what an incredible achievement
Lindbergh's flight from New York to Paris was when thousands of airliners cross the Atlantic nonstop
every week and space shuttle flights seem routine. In our quest for flight, we have suffered many defeats
but our successes outweigh our failures, for today, what once seemed impossible is commonplace. 1-7
 CHAPTER 1 DISCOVERING AVIATION

THE TRAINING PROCESS

In the early days of aviation, there were no certificates and no government
regulations to control pilot training or aircraft construction. Little guidance
was provided for individuals who desired to fly airplanes and, for most
would-be aviators, learning to fly was accomplished by trial and error. As a
result, flight training was a risky business which required a tremendous
amount of courage and commitment. Although you may never encounter the
same obstacles and hazards faced by the early aviators, becoming a pilot still
presents a challenge which requires hard work and dedication. However, the
time and energy which you invest in flying will yield countless rewards.

These rewards are unique to each pilot since individuals learn to fly for dif-
ferent reasons. Some relish the challenge of achieving an extraordinary goal,
some yearn to travel and experience the world from a new perspective, some
are looking for an exciting career, and still others simply desire the satisfac-
tion and sense of accomplishment which come from mastering a skill. You
may be thinking about learning to fly for one or more of these reasons, or you
may have an entirely different motivation. Whatever the reason, if you yearn
to spread your wings and expand your horizons, this is your chance.

How Do I GET STARTED?

The first step is to have your questions answered. The more information you
have about the training process, the easier it will be for you to make effective
decisions about pilot training, and the more positive your flying experience
will be.

WHAT IS THE FAA?

Pilot training today is regulated by an agency called the Federa Aviationn
Federal Aviatio
Administration (FAA
Administratio (FAA) which governs commercial and general aviation. The
Federa
Federal Aviation
Aviatio Regulation
Regulations (FARs),
(FARs) which are issued by the FAA, provide
rules which apply to all areas of aviation, including flight operations, the con-
struction of aircraft, and the training requirements which must be met to
obtain pilot certificates and ratings. The FARs are identified by a specific title
number (Aeronautics and Space Title 14) within the larger group of rules con-
tained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

The FARs are divided into numbered parts (FAR Part 61, FAR Part 91, etc.)
and regulations are typically identified by the part number, followed by the
specific regulation number, for example; FAR 91.106. During your training,
you will become familiar with the regulations which apply to you.

As outlined in the FARs, you must meet specific training requirements to

obtain a private pilot certificate. During your course of training you will take
a knowledge test and at the completion of your pilot training, you are
required to take a practical test to obtain your pilot certificate. Although cer-
tain requirements must be met to prepare you for these exams, pilot training
is generally very flexible, and to a large degree you have the ability to choose
your instructor, the type of training, and the lesson schedule which will best
1-8 suit your needs.