From Arrival to Final Checkride: What Flight Training in the USA Looks Like

Choosing the USA for flight training is, in my opinion, one of the best decisions a pilot can make in his/her aviation journey. In my previous articles, I discussed the essential steps and provided a guide to the paperwork required to ensure you are good to go on the legal front.

Now, you’ve chosen a school, booked your tickets, and the real journey begins. The American flight training system is one of the most structured and widely respected in the world but nobody discusses what it actually looks like to someone who has never seen the workings of a flight school, which in themselves are a whole another world. This article helps you understand the life as a student pilot in the FAA and what you must expect post arrival in the United States of America.

Step 1: Settling In

The first few days are about getting yourself organized. You’re in a new country, so before even touching an airplane, you’ll have to handle basics like:

Getting a local SIM card and setting up a U.S. bank account
Moving into your accommodation (school housing or shared apartments are common)
Buying your Headsets (I would personally recommend Bose Aviation, I have the A30s and I have never looked back, they're absolutely amazing), a Flight Bag (Sporty's is a good choice) and a Kneeboard (Again, can't go wrong with sporty's but you can also check out ASA's on Amazon). the Bag and Kneeboard aren't essentials but I would strongly advise you to invest in these as they will make your journey a lot smoother.
Familiarizing yourself with the public transportation or figuring out your preffered mode of transport to and from the school as well as within the city
Meeting your instructors, dispatchers, and fellow students
Attending school orientation, safety briefings, and standard operating procedure sessions

More often than not, you will already be signed up for a scheduling app like Flight Schedule Pro, managed by your flight school. This app will have all your important information such as Documents, Transaction history and Receipts as well as your Schedule for your flights and ground sessions as and when created by the Dispatch/Scheduler. It's a good idea to be comfortable with the usage of the app since you will be spending a lot of time on it. Make sure to upload all the required documents in the relevant section as this will help speed up your enrollment/registration process.

A screengrab from the Schedule tab of FSP; Image source: FlightSchedulePro.

TSA/SEVIS Inspections are common in Flight Schools; some are scheduled while others aren't. It always saves both the school and yourself, a lot of trouble if all your documents are in place before these inspections so the management doesn't have to run to find you and your papers on D-day.

This period is also when you get a feel for the cultural side of things. Many schools have students from across the globe; India, Europe, Africa, South America. You’re suddenly surrounded by people who share the same dream but come from completely different backgrounds. It’s not just flying skills you’ll gain in the time you're there; this is where independence, adaptability, and even lifelong friendships begin to take shape.

Step 2: TSA and FAA Approvals

Before you can legally start flying, the paperwork kicks in. It can be a bit of a head scratcher but it is essential you understand this step before you can proceed further.

TSA Clearance (FTSP Program): Every international student has to complete fingerprinting and background checks before beginning training on U.S. aircraft.
FAA Medical Certificate: Usually a Class 1 medical, done through an FAA-approved examiner. (If not already done in India)
Student Pilot Certificate: Issued by either the local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office) or an instructor who can process it digitally. This is mostly carried out by the flight school itself. Your Instructor will help you through this.

Biometrics is one of the first thing you'll have to take care of after arrival in the USA. Image source: samayam.

This is when you’ll start organizing the paperwork side of things. If you haven’t already, this step can feel overwhelming. I’ve broken down the full process in detail in a guide here: Navigating Documentation and Formalities for Flight Training in the USA.

Step 3: PPL Training (Private Pilot License)

This is your foundation. Most locals acquire a PPL to fly their own aircraft out of privately or public-owned airstrips so you'll meet a lot of hobby pilots, those looking to buy an airplane of their own and even some A&Ps (Aircraft Mechanics) looking to get into the flying side of the business. Training generally starts in a single-engine trainer like a Cessna 152, Cessna 172 or Piper Archer, depending on your school's fleet and your choice. This stage also includes:

Ground school: Most flight schools in the U.S. run in-house sessions, but many students also choose online options like King Schools or Sporty’s because they’re flexible and self-paced. Whichever route you take, the goal is the same: clear your FAA written exam early. If you keep pushing it off, it lingers over your head like a heavy hanging sword and makes the rest of your training unnecessarily stressful.

One of the lessons from my PPL Ground school teaching us the correct procedure for entry into slow flight.

Discovery flight where you will explore your local practice area as well as nearby airports and terrain.
General flying where you will start working towards earning your first license. This includes maneuvers, emergency training, normal landing practice and performance landings.
Pre-solo training including takeoffs, landings, stalls, and emergency procedures
Stage Checks: You fly with a different instructor who evaluates you based on the number of hours and lessons you have had to see whether your assigned instructor is a good fit for you.
Your first solo flight: a milestone every pilot remembers forever. After a few laps in the pattern, your instructor decides whether you are ready to take command of the aircraft and fly alone for the first time, keeping in mind the weather and your performance. Once he/she is satisfied, they step out of the aircraft and you fly alone for the first time ever! Make sure to document it using a GoPro camera IF your flight school allows them and take the necessary precautions while mounting the camera so as to not cause any safety infringements.

Traditional celebrations after my First Solo flight.

Solo cross-country flights to build hours, navigation and confidence. You need 10 hours of solo flight time to be eligible to take the PPL test so you have to build these on your aircraft. 5 hours of cross country flight time is required while the other 5 can be cross country or just local flying. I would suggest practising your maneuvers in the last 1-2 hours so that you can be ready for the End of Course check by the time your requirements are complete.

A navigation log for a 50 NM cross country.

An End of Course Check aka EOC, in which a Check Examiner will determine whether you are ready to go for a checkride, which is the final stage of obtaining your license. Just like the full Checkride, an EOC also consists of an Oral exam and once you pass that, a flight test. The examiner will try to create conditions and put you in positions similar to or tougher than you will face in the checkride so as to make sure you are not caught off-guard.
After passing the EOC, if your instructor is confident enough, they will give you a sign-off for the checkride. Before the checkride comes up, make sure you are fully ready, mentally and physically. Go solo or fly with your instructor if you or they feel that you need to brush up on some things. Double check your endorsements and fill your IACRA properly. Your instructor will guide you through this process but you must be proactive as well.
The checkride with a DPE (Designated Pilot Examiner), which includes an oral exam and flight test. This is the final step to obtaining your PPL. The DPE judges you based on your knowledge and according to the Airmen Certification Standards (Check it out here), which clearly outline your performance parameters that must be met in order for you to pass. If the DPE determines you fit within those parameters for both the Viva and the Flight, he/she issues you your PPL!

Most students complete their PPL in about 45 to 55 hours, and it often becomes the most memorable stage of training because it’s the first time you’re truly in command of an aircraft. If you go beyond those hours, it’s nothing to worry about. Everyone has their own pace and journey. The key is not to obsess over the number of hours but to focus on becoming a skilled pilot who understands exactly what’s happening inside the aircraft. Your ground knowledge should be just as strong as your flying skills, if not stronger. That balance is what transforms you from someone moving the controls into someone who can confidently call themselves a pilot.

A lot of students fall into the trap of cramming concepts just to blurt them out during a checkride. The truth is, most DPEs can see right through that. If they sense you’re just reciting without true understanding, they’ll dig deeper and make it tougher to really test your knowledge. Even if they don’t, you owe it to yourself as an aviator to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. You only earn the right to call yourself a pilot when you’ve put in that effort with honesty. A license feels very different when it’s built on genuine hard work instead of shortcuts; it’s almost as if the airplane itself knows whether you’ve earned it or gamed the system.

Step 4: Instrument Rating (IR)

This stage is a humbling one. Flying under Instrument Flight Rules forces you to let go of instincts and rely on raw discipline: your scan, your procedures, and your trust in the instruments. The first few flights in actual or even simulated IMC can feel overwhelming, because suddenly there’s no horizon to lean on, just your training. This step is generally undertaken in a Single Engine aircraft as well but in one with either a glass cockpit (like G1000) or a smaller installation like G5, whatever your school has in their fleet.

Garmin G1000 in action in a Tecnam P2006T during Night Operations.

It’s also the point where you start seeing why your ground school matters so much. Briefings, approach plates, enroute charts stop being theory and become survival tools. The more you understand them, the calmer you’ll be when the cockpit workload spikes. That’s the real goal of the IR: not just being legal to fly in clouds, but being able to keep your head cool when everything outside the cockpit is a blank sheet of grey. Training includes:

Flying in simulated IMC (under a hood or with foggles).
Learning about IFR procedures, approaches, and holding patterns in Ground school as well as in the flight.
Clearing the IRA or the Instrument Rating Airplane Written exam.
IFR cross-country flights, often to busy airports like KOPF, KORL etc.
Flying in real-world weather when conditions allow.

The training consists of the Ground School, Written exam, Stage checks and EOC as well before the checkride with the addition of IFR Cross Countries. By now, you will be familiar enough with the process and must focus solely on your training.

A screengrab from Foreflight (Low Altitude IFR Chart) during my IFR Long Cross Country to KOPF showing busy airspace.

The instrument rating usually takes about 40–50 hours. By the end of it, you’ll be able to fly through clouds and shoot approaches down to minimums with confidence. It’s one of the toughest stages in training, but also the most rewarding. This is the kind of flying you’ll be doing for the rest of your career, and it’s where you start to feel like a professional. Check out the ACS here.

The challenge lies in the workload: radio calls, navigation, aircraft configuration, and procedures all happening at once. The key is to stay calm and collected. Once you learn to trust the checklist, set the airplane up at the right time, and rely on your training, everything starts to click. The procedures turn into reflexes, and suddenly IFR flying stops feeling like pressure, it feels like rhythm. That’s when it becomes the most fun you’ve ever had in the cockpit.

The beautiful Miami skyline after departing from KOPF.

Step 5: Hour Building

Hour building runs alongside and continues after your IR. To qualify for the Commercial Pilot License (CPL), the FAA requires:

250 hours total time
100 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC)
50 hours of cross-country PIC

The DGCA requires you to have 100 Hours Solo PIC time as well as 50 Hours Solo PIC Cross Country time alongside other requirements for a CPL Issuance so keep those in mind when Hour Building.

On the Departure leg of Runway 9L at KMLB.

This stage is where training turns into pure flying enjoyment. You’re no longer focused only on checkrides, you’re flying to build real-world experience. Students often plan long cross-country trips, hop between states, or fly to scenic airports they’ve only seen in movies or travel blogs. You can plan flights where you fly alongside your friends. Keep in mind though, if you want to log Solo hours for DGCA Requirements, you must be alone in the cockpit, otherwise they will only count as PIC for the FAA and not the DGCA. So what most indian students do is, they request the school to schedule their flights alongside their friends so that you can still be solo but also fly together, in different aircrafts. For examle, if you are hour building in C-152s and there are 4 of you who want to go together, you can all book different aircrafts and then fly to the destination and back together, while taking necessary precautions, of course.

DisneyLand Orlando at night, spotted from ~3500 ft.

How you build those hours is often the best part. You can plan scenic cross-countries; mountain airports in Colorado, coastal strips in Florida, or even a bucket-list flight to Oshkosh during AirVenture. This is when living in the U.S. really shows its perks. You can literally hop into an airplane and spend the weekend exploring a new city or state.

Returning home after a long Cross country with Florida skies in the background, a sight one can never forget.

Think of this step as a bridge. You’re still polishing your flying skills, but more importantly, you’re gaining the confidence that only comes from hours in the seat. By the time you’re done, you won’t just be “training to be a pilot”, you’ll already feel like one. This makes the flying even more memorable; flying to scenic airports and exploring the city is a freedom you just don't get later in life.

Step 6: Commercial Pilot License (CPL - Single Engine)

The CPL stage usually takes less time in dual instruction but more in practising solo or with a friend at the same stage. Depending on how efficiently you plan your flying, you can cut down unnecessary costs. This is where you transition from “learning to fly” to “learning to fly like a professional.” Every maneuver, every flight, and every decision you make now carries a higher standard. You have to think like a pilot who has passengers sitting in the back, sipping on their mimosas or wine and fly with finesse so as to ensure their comfort.

Practising Chandelles over the South practice area, KVNC.

It isn’t just about logging hours either, you’re expected to demonstrate precision. Steep turns, chandelles, lazy eights, Power-off 180s and cross-country flights all sharpen your stick-and-rudder skills. But more importantly, CPL training pushes you to think like a captain: fuel planning, weight and balance, alternate strategies, and decision-making under real-world constraints. The Power-off 180 is one of the toughest maneuvers I have ever learnt to perfect but also the most rewarding. The moment you learn how to nail those, you'll feel the satisfaction of putting in all those hours and practising endlessly.

Eights-on-Pylons practice for the CPL Checkride.

Some days it feels like a grind because you’re flying long hours to build time. That’s normal. What matters is consistency. If you approach each flight with the mindset of improving one small thing every time, you’ll walk out of this phase as not just a licensed pilot, but a professional aviator ready for the next step. This stage includes:

Complex aircraft training (if your school requires it)
Advanced maneuvers like chandelles, lazy eights, and power-off 180s
Solo and dual cross-country flights, with longer legs
Night flying and advanced systems knowledge
End of Course check
The commercial checkride with a DPE

You’ll need a total of 250 hours to qualify for a CPL. Most of this comes from structured training plus a big chunk of time-building.

Step 7: Multi-Engine Add-On

Once your single-engine CPL is done, the last piece is the multi-engine rating. Training is short but intense, usually 10–15 hours in the aircraft with the remaining hours in the simulator. Focus areas:

Multi-engine aerodynamics and systems
Asymmetric thrust and single-engine handling
Vmc demonstrations and engine shutdown drills
End Of Course check
The multi-engine checkride

Tecnam P2006T is one of the most beautiful and advanced multi engine aircraft that exists.

At this stage, you’re finally a Commercial Pilot with both single and multi-engine privileges.
The multi-engine rating is short, usually 10–15 hours, but it feels like the biggest leap in your training. For the first time, you’re flying something faster, heavier, and with twice the power. The airplane reacts differently, and so must you. Steep turns, landings, stalls, all feel very different to whatever you've been used to before. Landings, in particular, are wildly different. Cut the power like you used to in a 152 and the aircraft falls like a rock. The finesse you learn during your CPL is applied at this stage and tested as well. You are examined as a CPL holder, not a student anymore and to live up to those standards, like any good pilot, you must know your plane and how to do what you do as well as why you do it.

Practising Mid-air Engine Shutdown and Restart during ME training.

The real test is in handling an engine failure. Multi-engine training teaches you discipline. Lose an engine, and you’ll feel the aircraft yaw hard to one side. That’s when you have to act quickly, identify, verify, and feather the dead engine. The first time you get it right, you’ll feel that rush of control, knowing you saved the airplane.

This stage is about sharpening your decision-making under pressure. You manage the aircraft instead of just manipulating the controls, you develop a feel for flying and for the plane at this stage, which comes only with experience. And once you finish your multi, you carry that confidence into every aircraft you fly after.

Life Beyond the Training

Training in the U.S. is about more than just licenses. Living in a new country teaches independence, adaptability, and confidence. You’ll meet people from every corner of the world, step outside your comfort zone, and grow both as a pilot and as a person. Many students walk away not just with a CPL, but with lifelong friends and unforgettable experiences of exploring one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on Earth. By the time you’ve completed your PPL, IR, CPL, and Multi-Engine Rating, you’ve checked every box needed to become a professional pilot in the U.S. Each step builds on the last: PPL gives you the basics, IR teaches you discipline and precision, CPL makes you commercially viable, and MER prepares you for the kind of airplanes airlines actually fly.

If you’re still weighing your options between training in the U.S. and India, I’ve broken it down here: Flight Training in the USA vs India: Which Skies Should Aspiring Pilots Choose?.

The biggest tip? Fly regularly, study hard, and keep momentum. That’s what separates those who finish strong from those who get stuck halfway.

At this point, you’re not just a student pilot anymore, you’re a trained aviator with the skills and experience to take the next step, whether that’s flying for a regional airline, building more hours as a CFI, or preparing for license conversion if your goal is to return and fly in India.

Every great pilot started with a first flight, this could be yours.

At 6Pistons, we bring real-world insights from pilots who’ve walked this path. Follow us at @6pistonsmedia and share your journey, we’d love to hear where your wings take you.

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