How Old Do You Have to Be to Learn to Fly a Plane?

For airplanes, the FAA's minimum ages are 15 for the private pilot knowledge test, 16 for the student pilot certificate you need to fly solo, and 17 for a private pilot certificate (FAA testing matrix, 14 CFR 61.83, 61.103). At Merlin Flight Training, you must be at least 16 to take a discovery flight or enroll, and a parent or guardian signs consent paperwork for students under 18.

That's the short answer to "how old do you have to be to fly a plane?" Below, we explain each milestone and how training at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE) works for teens and their parents.

How old do you have to be to fly a plane? The FAA milestones

The FAA attaches its minimum ages to certificates and tests. As its student pilot page puts it, "You don't need a student pilot certificate to take flying lessons." You need one before you fly solo (FAA). For airplanes, the minimums are:

• 15: the Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test, often called the written (FAA testing matrix)
• 16: a student pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.83). For gliders and balloons, the student pilot age requirement is 14.
• 17: a private pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.103), which is what most people mean by the minimum age for a pilot license
• 18: a commercial pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.123) or a flight instructor certificate (14 CFR 61.183)
• 23: an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, or 21 for an ATP with restricted privileges (14 CFR 61.153)

Each certificate also has training, experience and testing requirements, so these ages are the earliest you can qualify, not a schedule.

Teen flight training in Philadelphia starts at 16

Merlin Flight Training is a Part 61 flight school at KPNE, where our FAA-certificated instructors teach one-on-one. Our minimum age is 16 for discovery flights and enrollment, which matches the FAA's minimum for an airplane student pilot certificate above. So you can work toward solo from your first lesson.

If you're under 18:

• A parent or guardian signs consent paperwork for your training.
• For a discovery flight, we send the parental consent form once your flight date is set, and you bring it signed on the day.

Not 16 yet? You can start reading now. The FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is free online.

How to learn to fly at 16, step by step

1. Take a discovery flight. It's an introductory Part 61 flight lesson with one of our certificated flight instructors (CFIs). It's hands-on, and no experience is needed. The standard discovery flight is $249: a $100 deposit when you book online and the $149 balance at the airport by card or cash. Optional extras change the total, so review the full price and cancellation terms before paying.
2. Enroll and show proof of citizenship. TSA rules require us to verify your US citizenship before your first training flight (49 CFR 1552.7). Bring an unexpired US passport, or a US birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID. Non-US citizens, including green card holders, need TSA approval before training starts; our TSA Flight Training Security Program guide explains that process.
3. Get your FAA medical. You need at least a third-class medical before you solo (14 CFR 61.23). Teens follow the same process as adults: fill out the application on MedXPress, then complete the exam with an aviation medical examiner (AME) within 60 days (FAA). Do it early in training: the FAA advises student pilots to see an AME as soon as possible so a medical issue doesn't surface after you've paid for lessons (AIM 8-1-1). If you take any medication or have a medical history, check the FAA's Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners and bring the right records, or your certificate may be deferred to the FAA for review. Because you'll be under 40 at the exam, a third-class medical stays valid for student and private flying until the end of the 60th month after the exam month (14 CFR 61.23), so one exam at 16 can cover your whole private pilot training.
4. Apply for your student pilot certificate. You must be 16 and able to read, speak, write and understand English (14 CFR 61.83). You apply in IACRA with your instructor, who reviews and signs off the application. The FAA says the card arrives in approximately three weeks (FAA), so apply early.
5. Train toward solo. Your instructor decides when you're ready (more on that below).
6. Take your checkride at 17 or older. Meeting the certificate's age requirement is a prerequisite for the practical test, along with a passed knowledge test and the required flight experience (14 CFR 61.39).

Fitting flight lessons around school

We have afternoon, evening and weekend availability, and you choose lesson times around your classes in our scheduling calendar.

With at least two lessons a week, a consistent schedule, no long gaps and regular study between lessons, finishing in about seven months is realistic, for example starting in October and finishing by May. Every student progresses differently, and weather, school commitments and how often you fly all affect your timeline, so we can't guarantee a completion date.

Summer break can be a chance to fly more often, though summer brings its own weather, such as heat and afternoon thunderstorms. Weather cancellations carry no penalty, and rescheduling is free.

One planning note for 16-year-olds: the checkride has to wait until you turn 17. If you start soon after your 16th birthday and fly often, talk with your instructor about pacing your training toward that date. The same goes for the knowledge test: you can take it as early as 15, but it must be passed within the 24 calendar months before the month you complete your checkride (14 CFR 61.39), so taking it very early can mean retaking it.

What parents should know about cost and payment

Teen students pay the same published rates as everyone else. As of October 2026 (current rates and estimate):

• Airplane rental is $185/hr and flight instruction is $75/hr, the same in every program.
• Training is prepaid in blocks, starting with a 10-hour block for $2,600 of prepaid credit. Lessons come out of the balance as you fly, at the hourly rates above (briefing time is billed as instruction), and you top it up when it runs low. You don't need to pay the full estimate upfront.
• Our Private Pilot estimate is about $16,625-$21,414 all-in, based on 55-65 flight hours. The FAA minimum is 40 (14 CFR 61.109).

That estimate is a planning range, not a quote. Your total depends on your pace, the weather and how often you fly, so we can't guarantee an exact total. Prepaid blocks aren't refundable, but any unused balance stays on your account as credit for future flying. Our guide on how to pay for flight training covers blocks and financing in more detail.

Can a 16-year-old fly solo?

Yes, once you hold a student pilot certificate and a medical, and your instructor endorses you. Turning 16 makes you eligible; it doesn't make you ready. Before your first solo, your instructor gives you a pre-solo knowledge test and trains you on the required maneuvers. You have to show proficiency and safety "as judged by an authorized instructor," and then your instructor signs a solo endorsement in your logbook (14 CFR 61.87). Our first solo flight guide walks through each step.

Before every flight, run the IMSAFE personal checklist from the FAA's Aeronautical Information Manual: make sure you're not impaired by Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue or Emotion (AIM 8-1-1). Fatigue from a late night of studying counts.

Student pilot limits still apply after you solo. Among other rules in 14 CFR 61.89, a student pilot acting as pilot in command can't:

• Carry passengers
• Fly for compensation or hire, or in furtherance of a business
• Fly with less than 3 statute miles of visibility by day or 5 at night, or without visual reference to the surface
• Break any limitations your instructor writes in your logbook

So taking friends or family flying comes after you earn your pilot certificate.

Thinking about a flying career?

The FAA advises student pilots who plan a career in commercial aviation to apply for the highest class of medical certificate they might need (AIM 8-1-1). Acting as pilot in command on an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, as airline captains do, requires a first-class medical (14 CFR 61.23), so getting one at your first exam shows early whether you meet that standard. A first-class medical also covers student and private flying.

Commercial and flight instructor certificates start at 18, and an airplane flight instructor certificate also requires at least a commercial certificate and an instrument rating (14 CFR 61.183). Our guide to the private pilot to airline career path covers each step.

Next steps

• Book a discovery flight if you're 16 or older. It's an introductory Part 61 lesson with one of our FAA-certificated instructors at KPNE.
• Book a free phone consultation if you're a student or parent with questions.
• Read more about first solo flight requirements and how to pay for flight training.