Introduction To Flying

The Aeronautical Knowledge section provides basic knowledge for the student pilot learning to fly, as well as pilots seeking advanced pilot certification. For detailed information on a variety of specialized flight topics, see specific Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handbooks and Advisory Circulars (ACs).

This section offers a brief history of flight, introduces the history and role of the FAA in civil aviation, FAA regulations and standards, government references and publications, eligibility for pilot certificates, available routes to flight instruction, the role of the Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) and Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) in flight training, Practical Test Standards (PTS), and new, industry-developed Airman Certification Standards (ACS) framework that will eventually replace the PTS.

CONTENTS

• History of Flight
• History of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• The Role of the FAA
• Aircraft Classifications and Ultralight Vehicles
• Pilot Certifications
• Selecting a Flight School
• The Student Pilot
• Becoming a Pilot
• Knowledge and Skill Tests