Private Pilot Course

Understand your airplane, prepare for the written exam and build your flying knowledge from the beginning.

$149 one-time · no renewal

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Cessna training airplane illustration

Buy this course

$149 USD once

No subscription or renewal.

Includes lifetime course and matching study guide access, plus 24 months of Written Prep.

Get the coursePreview the included study guide Free PDF · 3-page excerpt
Javier Ramírez, Pilot Method founder, in the cockpit

Created by Javier Ramírez

Airline pilot · ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI

Meet the founder

What you’ll learn

For your first airplane single-engine land certificate. Aircraft handling and care are included throughout the course.

Start with the orientation, then work through eight stages.

01Understand the Airplane27 lessons +
  1. Your first visit to the airplane
  2. Four Forces & Steady Flight
  3. How a Wing Makes Lift
  4. Angle of Attack, Lift, Stalls, and Load Factor
  5. Primary Flight Controls: Yoke, Pedals, and Control Surfaces
  6. Stability, Axes, and Center of Gravity
  7. How Speed Changes Drag and Power Required
  8. Turning, Load Factor, and Maneuvering Speed
  9. Coordination in a Turn
  10. Energy Management, Ground Effect & Wake Turbulence
  11. From Fuel and Air to Thrust
  12. Fuel System: From Tank to Engine
  13. How Air Reaches the Engine: Induction and Carburetor Ice
  14. How a Propeller Makes Thrust
  15. Cabin Heat, Defrost, and Carbon Monoxide
  16. How the Airplane's Electrical System Works
  17. Landing Gear, Brakes and Tires
  18. How the Airframe Carries Loads
  19. What a Changed Indication Can Tell You
  20. Clean the airplane without damaging it
  21. Pitot-Static System: Sources, Instruments, and Blockages
  22. Instrument Sources: What Each Indication Depends On
  23. Read the Panel: Speed, Altitude, Trend
  24. Altimetry
  25. Magnetic Compass, Heading Indicator, and AHRS
  26. Can This Airplane Fly Today?
  27. Inspect the Airplane, Brief Your Passengers, and Start Safely
02Understand Your Role as a Pilot6 lessons +
  1. Before You Act as Pilot in Command
  2. What Can a Private Pilot Be Paid For?
  3. PIC Authority, Emergency Deviations, and Reporting
  4. Where to Find the Official Answer
  5. Tell someone when you find a problem
  6. Know when a task needs maintenance
03Fly & Operate Locally19 lessons +
  1. Move the airplane safely on the ground
  2. Airport Surface Operations
  3. Know When You May Cross or Enter a Runway
  4. Fly the Airport Traffic Pattern
  5. Read the Chart
  6. Find the Airspace You're Actually In
  7. Recognize Class A Through G
  8. The E/G Layer
  9. Before You Enter
  10. Stay VFR
  11. Special Use and Other Airspace
  12. Fly the Route
  13. VFR Communications
  14. Prepare the airplane and the people aboard
  15. Right-of-Way, Minimum Altitudes, and Airspeed Limits
  16. Take Off, Land, and Go Around Safely
  17. Park, secure and leave the airplane ready
  18. Slow Flight, Stalls & Spin Awareness
  19. Steep Turns & Ground Reference Maneuvers
04Read the Day & Know the Airplane's Limits4 lessons +
  1. Weather Fundamentals and Hazards
  2. Get the Weather Briefing, Then Make the Call
  3. Calculate Weight & Balance for the Whole Flight
  4. Aircraft Performance: Takeoff, Climb & Landing
05Navigate & Plan Real Flights4 lessons +
  1. Navigate with the Chart, the Clock & What You See
  2. Build and Use a VFR Navigation Log
  3. Cross-Country Planning: Build a Plan That Can Change
  4. Share an airplane responsibly
06Fly Beyond the Familiar2 lessons +
  1. Basic Instrument Flying and an Accidental Entry into Cloud
  2. Night Operations
07Manage the Unexpected2 lessons +
  1. Emergencies: Fly the Airplane and Use the Right Procedure
  2. Human Factors: Fitness, Physiology & Good Decisions
08Put It All Together1 lesson +
  1. Checkride Preparation & Putting It Together

Written-test endorsement included

Complete the required course work, then request instructor review. Your endorsement is issued at no extra charge once an authorized instructor confirms your preparation and eligibility.

Request your endorsement review

Official exam fees, aircraft rental and flight instruction are separate.

7-day course refund

Request within 7 calendar days of purchase. All three conditions apply:

  • Less than 80% of the course completed.
  • No request for final instructor review or a knowledge-test endorsement.
  • No completion credential issued.

The included Written Prep and guide follow these same course refund conditions.

Full refund policy
Course references

Part 61 ground school through home study. Use the AFM/POH for your airplane’s procedures and limits.

Questions? Contact us