There are nine basic types of pilots: student, sport, recreational, private, instrument rated, commercial, certified flight instructor, airline transport, and designated pilot examiner. You can progress through these different levels of skill by attaining higher ratings.

This rating system designates what type of planes you can fly, if you can carry passengers, and what type of weather you?re allowed to fly in. There is even a rating you must achieve before you can be hired as a pilot. Also, every pilot must have a current certificate of good health from a physician approved by the FAA before they can fly.

Flight training begins with the student pilot certification. To gain this and subsequent certifications (also called your pilot?s license), you must pass a written test, an oral test, ground school, and a flight test. Student pilots begin by taking flights with a certified flying instructor. After you achieve a mastery of a set of basic skills, you will be permitted to fly solo. All student flying must take place near a "home" airport. If your instructor approves, you can make a trip to another airport and back, but a student pilot may never carry passengers.

To advance your rating to that of a sport, recreational, or private pilot, you must be 17 years old. Recreational pilots fly solely for fun and must remain within 58 miles of their home airport unless they have explicit instructor approval.

Recreational and sport pilots can only carry one passenger and are not allowed to fly through airspace where communication with an air traffic controller is required, though recreational pilots can gain approval for airspace. From this point, many pilots proceed to the less restricted rating of private pilot. For more information on the more advanced levels of flight training, contact a flight school and talk with a flight instructor.