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5 Answers

When are you Considered a Student Pilot

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Student Pilot

At what point is one considered a Student Pilot? After Starting or Completing Ground School? After they Start flying? After they have their medical? or After they have their Student Pilot Certificate?

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5 Answers



  1. Brian on Oct 26, 2012

    The moment they decide that they love and wish to learn how to fly. This is just my opinion however. I don’t know that there is a clear cut ‘politically correct’ answer, as it were. Perhaps the day you get your student pilot certificate?

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  2. Nathan Parker on Oct 26, 2012

    As far as the FAA is concerned, a student pilot is one who has a student pilot certificate.

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  3. Matthew Waugh on Oct 28, 2012

    While I agree with Nathan (and Brian) – I’m interested in where the question is coming from, why would you ask it, and what situation has arisen that leads to the question?

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  4. Christopher Goodman on Oct 29, 2012

    @ Mr Brian & Mr Parker, Thanks for answering.
    @ Mr Waugh. I have completed ground school 3 yrs ago and I had gotten a 3rd class medical back then.

    I have since renewed my plans to go after my Pilots license. And i plan to be a career CFI once I earn that Title.

    I am restudying the ground school materials that I have from Jeppeson and am considering buying the CD’s for Sportys or the King School Cessna Programs to refresh until I can start flying after the 1st of the year.

    With that said, I would Still consider myself a student of Aviation at least, if not a Pilot in training since I do study the ground materials on a daily basis. But I don’t exactly walk around bragging that I am a student Pilot because I am not flying…Yet.
    -Christopher

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  5. Matthew Waugh on Oct 30, 2012

    Thanks for the explanation Christopher. You certainly are a Student of Aviation, and also a Pilot in Training (why else would you be doing the Ground school work) and I would consider you a student pilot if we were hanging out.

    In the long run it doesn’t matter – get your Private and solve the question forever 🙂

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