Learning to Fly at Hawkins: Your Private Pilot Starter Questions, Answered

You can start private pilot lessons at either of our two bases: Shelbyville Municipal Airport (KSYI) in Shelbyville, TN, our headquarters, or Tupelo Regional Airport (KTUP) in Tupelo, MS. Both bases teach the same private pilot maneuvers and milestones, so the choice mostly comes down to where you live and work. Start with the Shelbyville flight lessons page or the Tupelo flight lessons page to see what training looks like at each airport.

Pick the base you can reach most often, because steady lessons matter more to your progress than anything else on this list. At KTUP you work with a control tower from your early lessons, so talking to air traffic control becomes routine early. Wherever you start, private pilot training includes takeoffs and landings at an airport with a control tower, and your instructor builds that into your plan. If you are still unsure, book a Discovery Flight at the base that fits your week and see it for yourself.

Both can get you to a private pilot certificate. What changes is who supplies the airplane, the maintenance, and the training plan. At a school like ours, all three sit under one roof, so your energy goes into flying. Our guide to flight school or freelance CFI walks through which setup fits your goals and schedule.

No. Private pilot lessons start from zero, and the usual first step is a Discovery Flight: about 1 to 1.5 hours with a briefing, 30 to 45 minutes in the air with your hands on the controls, and a debrief. If you already know you want the full certificate, that same flight is a good time to talk with us about the Private Pilot program and your schedule.

You do not need a medical or a student pilot certificate to take your first lesson with an instructor. Before training starts, we verify your U.S. citizenship, which is a TSA requirement for every flight school, so bring proof such as a valid U.S. passport. If you are not a U.S. citizen, TSA has to approve your training first, so start that early. Our first flight lesson checklist covers what to bring and what to start in your first weeks.

Each lesson follows a brief, fly, debrief rhythm: you talk through the plan on the ground, fly it, then review what went well and what comes next. Early lessons commonly cover preflight, taxiing, straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs and descents, slow flight, and then the traffic pattern and landings. Your instructor sets the order and pace based on how you fly, and you solo when your instructor signs you off, not on a set date. See your first 10 private pilot lessons for a week-by-week look.

We recommend two to three lessons a week for most students. At that pace, skills from one lesson are still fresh at the next, so you spend less time reviewing. If you work full time, weekend and part-time schedules work too, and if you want to move quickly, accelerated full-time training is available. Tell us how many days a week you can fly, and we will help you build a schedule you can keep.

Your instructor makes the go or no-go call for safety. Early training is visual flying, so low clouds, poor visibility, or strong winds can ground a flight. A weather day can become a ground lesson so the week still counts, and you rebook the flight for the next good day. If weather is not suitable on the day of your Discovery Flight, we reschedule it at no charge.

Build your plan around how many lessons you will fly each month. Your start-up costs include the Discovery Flight, aircraft and instructor time, ground school or study materials, a headset and supplies, and your FAA medical exam. FAA rules set at least 40 hours of flight time for a Part 61 private pilot airplane applicant, and most students need more, so treat that number as a minimum. We price our programs so you know what you are signing up for before your first lesson. Call us and we will walk through what is included, and use our first-month budget plan to build your numbers.

Yes, financing options are available to qualified applicants. We work with Stratus Financial and AOPA Finance, so you can settle funding before training starts and avoid a pause halfway through. A steady funding plan protects your progress the same way a steady schedule does. Visit our financing page to compare the options and apply.

You need one before your first solo, not before your first lesson. A third-class medical is enough for student pilot flying, and it comes from an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) after you start the application online in MedXPress. If you are aiming for a flying career, ask the AME about the higher medical class that path needs. Book the exam early, so any question has time to resolve long before solo. For eligibility questions about a condition or medication, talk with an AME.

Start ground school alongside your first lessons, so what you learn in class shows up in the airplane. Our in-person ground school runs 14 weeks and is taught by a Certified Flight Instructor. It prepares you for the FAA knowledge test, the written exam you pass before your private pilot checkride. Visit our ground school page to sign up for the next class.