May is Learn to Fly Month, making it the perfect time to hop in the left seat and start earning your pilot certificate, or, if you are already a pilot, to learn a new way to enjoy your passion. No matter your age or experience, there is an aircraft and avenue for nearly every dedicated and enthusiastic person to earn his or her wings. From the traditional private and sport pilot certificates for fixed-wing aircraft to ultralights and powered paragliders, here are a few of the more affordable and thrilling forms of flight.
Private Pilot
This is the most traditional form of flight training and often takes place in a traditional fixed-wing aircraft such as a Cessna 172, or if training in a tailwheel, a Piper Cub. In this track, a student pilot can solo at a minimum of 16 years of age. The private pilot certificate also requires obtaining a third-class medical or getting certified under BasicMed. Once you obtain your certificate, there are an exciting number of additional ratings and endorsements you can earn to take your flying to the next level, from instrument and multi-engine flight to tailwheel or seaplane flying. Learn more about becoming a private pilot >>
Sport Pilot
The sport pilot certificate is a great, inexpensive way to become a pilot for those who are only interested in daytime flying, or flying lighter-weight aircraft. It can also be a useful stepping stone to earning a private pilot certificate. The sport pilot certificate does not require any sort of medical certificate and has lower training hour minimums. In fact, in recent years EAA launched its Sport Pilot Academy, a condensed, but intensive, training course that helps eager student pilots earn their certificate in as little as three weeks. Learn more about becoming a sport pilot >>
Glider Pilot
Experience flight unadulterated by the thrumming and vibrations of an engine and propeller. You can solo a glider as early as 14 years old, and training for this form of flying often comes with a much more affordable price tag. Learning to fly gliders has the added benefit of making pilots much more in tune with energy management, since the absence of an engine means the aircraft needs to rely on thermals or orographic lift to stay aloft. Once a person has his or her glider certificate, it is also easy to make the transition to powered flight. Learn more about soaring >>
Gyroplane Flying
Gyroplanes are a type of rotorcraft that fly using unpowered rotor blades. These recreational aircraft are known for being extremely stable, agile, and have a very short landing roll — as little as zero to 20 feet. See how short you can land! Training is affordable, and should you choose to purchase or build your own gyroplane, maintenance costs are also often lower than fixed-wing airplanes or helicopters. Learn more about flying gyroplanes >>
Ultralights
There is a wide array of flying machines within the ultralight category, from weight-shift trikes to light, powered, and unpowered fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft, to powered parachutes and powered paragliders. Low-and-slow ultralight flying is often considered to be one of the purest, most fun ways to get into the air. To qualify as an ultralight under Part 103, an unpowered vehicle must weigh less than 155 pounds, and if powered, weigh less than 254 pounds, among other restrictions. Although ultralight pilots do not earn an official certificate from the FAA, training is still considered mandatory from a safety standpoint. Learn more about flying ultralights >>
Powered Paragliding
In this form of flying, which also falls into the ultralight category, the pilot literally runs into the air wearing a motor and propeller or his or her back. Depending on how quickly you learn, you can be soloing within a few weeks of your first powered paragliding lesson — and there is no minimum age limit. Learn more about flying PPG >>
Hang Gliding and Paragliding
While hang gliding and paragliding tend to be most popular in more mountainous regions, there are a number of places that offer winch launches, or, in the case of hang gliding, even an aero tow. Soaring in silence, chasing thermals and ridge lift under a brightly colored wing, is just about as close to being a bird as you can get. The equipment is inexpensive, no medical certificate is required, and training is readily available, usually in beautifully scenic locations. Learn more about hang gliding and paragliding >>
Hot Air Balloons
When flying in a hot air balloon, the experience truly is more about the journey than the destination. You travel to wherever the wind carries you in this lighter-than-air craft. There is still a great deal of skill to the sport, though, and you can solo as early as 14 years old. Learn more about balloon flying >>
Skydiving
If you don’t feel ready to pilot an aircraft or simply aren’t interested in flying inside a piece of machinery, consider skydiving or wingsuit flying lessons — May is also Learn to Skydive Month! Experience the sensation of freefall and get a true birds-eye view of the world. Who knows, that bucket-list item may turn into a full-fledged hobby. Learn more about skydiving >>
Lead photo by Moose Peterson