Young Pilots
When should training start?
There are only two questions about someone who wants to learn to fly, and they apply to potential pilots of any age—but they’re especially important for 14- to 16-year-olds:
- Are they mature enough to handle the responsibility and risks?
- Do they really want to learn?
The federal aviation regulations don’t specify when someone can start taking lessons—only when they can solo. The regulations permit powered airplane students to solo at age 16 and earn their Private Pilot certificates at age 17 followed by Commerical Pilot and Flight Instructor at age 18. However, we really need to look beyond the minimums at the realities and make the judgment accordingly.
When it comes to maturity, anyone who has raised more than one teenager will agree that individual teens mature at wildly different rates. In most families, siblings are often so different they might as well be from different species. For that reason alone, it’s impossible to say that a child will have developed the maturity to handle an airplane at a given age. It has to be done on a case-by-case basis and should ultimately be determined by a CSA flight instructor.
CSA is very experienced in teaching younger pilots. If your child is interested in learning to fly, we can design an appropriate program to expose them to aviation. We have many students that have begun flying with CSA at 14, soloed at 16, received their private at 17 and became a commercial pilot and CSA flight instructor at 18.
Whether your son or daughter wants to experience the adventures and joys of flying on an occasional basis or would like to begin a career in aviation, CSA is here to help.
Let their adventure begin with CSA!
801.355.2244