So believe it or not there are actually a ton of flying licenses available. Since I'm really only interested in fixed-wing airplanes, I'll really only get into those. Other types of licenses include rotor powered aircraft (helicopters), balloons, gliders, lighter than air (blimps) and the list goes on and on. The first license a fixed-wing pilot usually obtains is the private pilots license, although it is possible to obtain a sport or recreation pilots license, however; these two licenses have strict limitations on where you can fly i.e. only 50 nautical miles from your initial location. The benefit of these licenses is that you don't need to pass a medical exam every few years, you only need to certify that you yourself are healthy enough to fly the aircraft. The private pilots license has a few more restrictions. You have to pass a medical exam at least every 5 years, and there is more flight hour requirements. After one has obtained a private license, the next step is typically an instrument rating. An instrument rating allows a private pilot to fly in clouds, get better air traffic control vectoring, and basically gives the holder more opportunity. Since clouds cause a complete loss of ground reference, private pilots without an instrument rating are basically limited to sunny days, or days where they would be able to fly under a cloud layer. After the instrument rating, one typically gets a multi-engine rating. This rating is as simple as it sounds, you can fly a plane with more than one engine. Up next is the commercial pilots license, which gives the holder the option of flying for compensation or hire. As a private pilot, I am not allowed to accept money for flying people or cargo. I can however pay a share in the flight, but it must be no less than the total operating cost divided by the number of people on board. After the commercial license, one can get a certified flight instructor rating. This is where pilots typically accumulate the bulk of their flight hours, teaching other people how to fly a plane. At 2500 hours total time, one is allowed to apply for an airline transport pilots license, which allows them to be hired by major airlines, but has very strict rules. A class 1 medical certificate is required, which must be renewed every 2 years if you are under 40 years old, or every 12 months if you are over 40 years old. The mandatory retirement age for airline transport pilots is now 60 years old. At 60 years old, one cannot fly for an airline, but can continue to fly for leisure on their own.

There are many requirements in obtaining a pilots license. Perhaps the most nerve racking is a cross country solo flight. From my first flight lesson, I was extremely nervous to get that requirement completed. Finally, the day of my cross country solo arrived. I would first fly from Manassas, VA to Lynchburg, VA (a total distance of about 150 nautical miles). I would then go From Lynchburg to Richmond, VA, and finally back to Manassas. I woke up that morning to a ringing telephone. To my relief, it was too windy to do the flight that day. I scheduled it again for the next few weekends, but for some reason a different meteorological phenomenon kept me grounded. Finally a perfect day came. I drove myself to the airport thinking of the task at hand. What if I get lost? What if something goes wrong? So much was running through my mind. I arrived at the airport, and before I knew it I was preparing my plane for the days flight. I got clearance and taxied to the runway. Before I knew it, I was rolling down the runway. I got up and continued south. The plane, lacking a GPS was working like a horse, and I quickly proceeded to my destination. About an hour in, I noticed that the landmarks I was seeing on the ground did not match up to the ones I had highlighted on my aviation chart. I knew I was lost. I immediately contacted air traffic control and requested vectors to Lynchburg. The kind air traffic controller helped me out, and after about an hour and a half of flight time, I had Lynchburg airport in sight. I landed into a strong headwind, parked, refueled and was back on my way. I was heading to Richmond in the windy conditions, and less than an hour later, I began to see the city skyline. It was such an awesome feeling to be so high over a populated area. It was different from the farms and mountains I was used to flying around. I had Richmond International Airport in sight, and I touched down smoothly among great sized commercial aircraft. Soon enough, I was on my way back to Manassas. The wind continued to blow me off course, but using navigational logic, I was able to make it back to my familiar practice area. I asked air traffic control for a clearance into the Washington DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA), but my request was denied. I continued to circle for a little bit, and the controller came back on clearing me in. I made it back to Manassas with a strong sense of accomplishment. I'd never been happier. After that day, I had every confidence in my piloting abilities.

            So one day last summer I remember walking out to my mailbox to grab the mail. I had received an Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association magazine that I'd normally just flip through, look at all the pictures and dump somewhere in my room. This particular issue however had red bold print on the front of it. "FAA TO INCLUDE GENERAL AVIATION USER FEES IN LONG TERM RE AUTHORIZATION BILL," the magazine stated. I couldn't believe it. I was already working 3 jobs to fund my passion, and now the Federal Aviation Administration wanted to me to grow up even faster and get another one.
              What are user fees you may ask? Basically, whenever you fly you have the option of calling what is known as a flight service station and filing a search in rescue flight plan. If you don't make it to your destination within 30 minutes of your expected arrival time, the station will take measures up to and including sending out search and rescue teams to find you in the event that you crashed somewhere along the route. This service has and always should be free, as it is an important safety measure. The FAA wanted to impose a charge, based on a number of factors, to file these search and rescue flight plans. Knowing that pilots had the option not to file them, the FAA also suggested raising taxes on aviation grade and jet fuel. After all, if you don't have fuel you're not going to get very far.                                     Today, the FAA finally released their long term re authorization bill. No user fees. No fuel tax hikes until at least 2015. What a relief. Flying general aviation aircraft obviously doesn't come cheap. Fuel prices have been high since the recession struck. Last weekend 1 gallon of aviation grade fuel was $6.72 at the University Park airport. Take into account the amount of money it takes to maintain an aircraft, pay taxes on it, and fork over more money for numerous federal inspections, and you're already deep in a hole unless you sleep on hundred dollar bills. Having to spend even more every time you fly would just make flying impractical. Charging for a search and rescue flight plan is also absurd. How could they charge for a service that saves lives? A plane could go down in the boonies and the proper authority might not know for hours, days, perhaps even weeks. By that time, there would be little to no chance of survival. The FAA doesn't even pay for search and rescue services (i.e. search aircraft, police, medical services). It is the financial responsibility of the downed pilot to pay for any services used. The FAA does not lose any money on these missions. Although pilots aren't quite out of this yet, we can breath easy for the next three or so years.
       Care to read more? Check this out:
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120201long-term-faa-funding-flies-in-house-and-senate.html