You should know that in the United States the private pilot license training consists of two parts, ground school and flight training. English is the language of aviation. Control towers and airports do expect you to speak, read and understand English fluently. The Ground school takes about 40 hours and covers not only communications but also air law, human performance and limitations, navigation, meteorology and aircraft general knowledge. Private pilot flight training also takes about 40 hours, however, many students log 60 to 80 hours before they are ready for their check ride. There also is a minimum age requirement that you should consider.

You should also understand that private pilot flight training can cost three times as much for each hour as you pay per hour for ground school. Ground school culminates in the written Federal Aviation Administration test. You can practice for that with any number of practice tests and practice software. Flight training is completed when a FAA certified examiner flies with you on your final exam and deems your abilities acceptable. In addition to flying with an instructor, you can log more practice hours in a flight simulator. The cost of simulator training is closer to ground school cost than flight training.

Finally, flying is an expensive hobby but as you can see there are ways to reduce the cost of your private pilot flight training and fulfill your dream of being a pilot. Different flight schools have varying techniques of charging for flight training. Some expect you to pay the cost up front while some allow you to pay as you go. If funding your dream is an issue find a school offering the pay as you go plan. To locate schools near you, a good place to check out is the FAA's website at www.faa.gov. They have many resources available on their website.