Sport Pilot

• Sport pilot is the entry-level certificate to get into the air. The sport pilot certificate, introduced in 2004, requires no medical exam and accepts a driver's license as proof of fitness. Training requirements stipulate only 15 hours of flight training, including five hours solo. Holders of sport pilot certificates are limited to piloting aircraft in the Light Sport Aircraft category, which means they can carry only one passenger and not fly faster than 100 mph. Sport pilots may not fly after dark and are restricted to airspace that does not require radio communication with air traffic control.
  
  

Student Pilot

• Most student pilots are on their way to a recreational pilot or private pilot certificate. Student certificates require a Class III medical examination. At the outset, student pilots do all their flying with a certified flight instructor. They learn day and night flying, cross-country flying, and basic instrument flight. Student pilots may not carry passengers other than the instructor. After demonstrating sufficient skills, the student will be certified by the instructor to begin solo flights.
  
  

Recreational Pilot

• Recreational pilots are mostly aviation hobbyists who have no intention of advancing to higher certifications. A Class III medical exam is required. Recreational pilots need a minimum of 30 hours of flight time, including 15 hours with a certified flight instructor. They are restricted to piloting only single-engine airplanes with fixed landing gear, and may not fly more than 50 miles from the airport where they have received training. They cannot fly at night nor in airspace where radio communication with air traffic control is required. Due to these restrictions, most pilots who aspire to a more intensive flight experience choose the private pilot certification instead.
  
  

Private Pilots

• The private pilot category is the largest in the U.S., with over 229,000 certified private pilots, as of 2009. Private pilots must accrue at least 40 hours of flight time, including 20 hours with an instructor and 10 hours solo. Solo requirements include a daytime, cross-country solo flight, a nighttime cross-country solo flight, and solo takeoffs and landings at an air traffic-controlled airport. Subject to ratings they may earn after certification, private pilots can fly any aircraft for non-commercial purposes in any weather.
  
  

Commercial Pilots

• Commercial pilots get paid for doing what they love. They must be at least 18 years old and pass a stringent Class II medical exam every year. They are required to have 250 hours of flight time with at least 100 hours as a pilot in command. Commercial pilots also must hold an instrument rating or be restricted to daylight flight under visual flight rules. They must submit to a revalidation of their certificate every other year, including a flight review under the auspices of a certified flight instructor.
  
  

Air Transport Pilots

• Air transport pilots are at the top of the ladder. They are responsible for the safe flying of commercial passengers and are required to have extensive experience and training. They must pass the most demanding Class I medical exam every six months. A commercial pilot certificate is a prerequisite and ATPs must have accumulated a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight experience, including 500 hours of cross-country and 100 hours of night flying. FAA regulations require these pilots to revalidate their certificates every 24 months. However, most will also undergo a check-ride with an instructor or equivalent time in a simulator every six months as a private requirement of employment.