Student training time explained
Lately, we at Upper Limit have had some questions about what counts as official instruction time from your flight instructor. To help you better understand when you will be billed for instruction, we thought we would clarify.
Billable Flight Instruction is when you are:
- In-flight with an authorized Instructor.
- On the ground with an authorized Instructor.
- Or in a flight simulator or flight training device from an authorized Instructor.
Additional terms you'll need to know.
Click on each term to see what they mean:
Flight or instrument ground time during which a person is receiving flight instruction from a properly authorized instructor. .
Flight time during which a student pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft.
Training other than flight training received from an authorized instructor
Before every flight, students and instructors discuss the following topics:
- Weight and Balance
- Weather
- Performance
- I’m Safe checklist
- PIC authority
- Lesson objectives
The post flight briefing is to review and assess the student’s performance and note areas in which the student is doing well and also needs improvement. The student and instructor should both be familiar with the Airmen Certification Standards and the instructor should offer ideas as to how the student can improve their performance to reach the desired outcome. The post flight briefing also prepares the student for the next lesson and flight, and lets students know what to expect and what is expected of them.
For Clarification:
If an instructor meets with a student prior to a solo flight, that time is considered ground instruction, not dual flight instruction.
Also, if a solo student checks in a plane, they should ensure they are checking it in correctly under solo and not dual. The Flight Schedule Pro system is automated and will automatically bill you if you enter this incorrectly. If you discover that you were charged incorrectly, please contact your local ULA office or accounting staff to correct the issue as soon as possible.
We greatly appreciate you and want you to have the very best flight training experience with us. Also, if your fellow student pilots are struggling with these definitions, help them out by directing them to this page.
