Pilot Questions Answered: What New and Future Pilots Want to Know
Can I fly with glasses? Am I too old? How hard is it? These are the questions every future pilot asks, answered in plain English, with episodes from pilots who have been there.
By Justin Siems · Updated November 2026Most healthy adults can become pilots. There’s no maximum age to learn, glasses are fine, and many medical conditions can be worked through with the FAA. A private pilot license requires age 17 and at least 40 hours of flight time.
Getting started
How old do you have to be to fly a plane?
There’s no minimum age to take lessons and log time with an instructor. You can fly solo at 16 in an airplane (14 in a glider or balloon) and earn a private pilot license at 17. Commercial pilots must be at least 18, and airline captains at least 23.
Am I too old to become a pilot?
There’s no upper age limit for a private or commercial license, as long as you can hold a medical (or fly under BasicMed or sport pilot rules). US airline pilots must retire at 65, so a career change in your 30s, 40s or even early 50s can still mean many years in an airline cockpit.
How hard is it to learn to fly?
It takes effort, but it isn’t reserved for geniuses. Most people find landings and the volume of new information the hardest parts. Consistency matters more than talent: flying several times a week makes it much easier.
What is a discovery flight?
A short introductory lesson, offered by most flight schools, where you take the controls with an instructor. It’s the best first step.
Medical questions
Can you be a pilot if you wear glasses?
Yes. Glasses and contacts are allowed as long as your vision meets the standard with correction. You’ll just have a limitation requiring you to wear them when you fly.
Can you be a pilot if you’re color blind?
Often, yes. Many color-deficient pilots pass an alternative FAA color vision test. Others receive a restriction, such as no night flying, that may limit an airline career, so test early.
What medical certificate do I need?
A third-class medical for private flying, a second-class to fly commercially and a first-class for airline flying. BasicMed lets many private pilots fly without a current FAA medical, and sport pilots can fly with a US driver’s license.
What if I have a medical condition or take medication?
Many conditions and medications need extra FAA review or a special issuance, but many pilots get there. Talk to an Aviation Medical Examiner before your exam, because a denial is harder to undo than a careful first application.
Training questions
How long does it take to get a pilot license?
Most students take three to six months flying several times a week, or a year or more part-time. The FAA minimum is 40 hours; the typical student needs 60 to 75.
What is the difference between Part 61 and Part 141?
They are two sets of FAA rules for flight schools. Part 141 schools follow an FAA-approved syllabus and can train to slightly lower minimum hours; Part 61 training is more flexible. Both lead to the same license.
Do I need ground school?
You need to learn the material and get an instructor’s sign-off to take the FAA knowledge test. You can do that in a classroom, with your instructor or through an online course.
What is a checkride?
Your final test for each certificate or rating: an oral exam and a flight with an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner.
What can I do with a private pilot license?
Fly yourself and passengers almost anywhere in the US, day or night, in airplanes you’re rated for. You can share costs with passengers, but you can’t be paid to fly.
Money and career questions
How much does it cost to become a pilot?
A private pilot license usually costs $12,000 to $20,000 or more in 2026. A full career path to a commercial certificate often costs $90,000 to $125,000 or more.
How much do pilots make?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median of $232,140 for airline pilots and $123,220 for commercial pilots. First-year regional pay is far lower than senior captain pay.
How many hours do you need to fly for an airline?
Generally 1,500 hours for an ATP certificate, or 750 to 1,250 for military pilots and graduates of approved aviation degree programs.
Do pilots need a college degree?
Not for any FAA certificate. Several major airlines dropped their four-year degree requirement, though a degree can still help.
Is there a pilot shortage?
Hiring rises and falls with the economy. The BLS projects about 16,400 pilot openings a year through 2035, but airlines slowed hiring after the 2023 boom. Professor Jim Higgins tracks the market on the show.
