Private Pilot License
A Private Pilot License (PPL) is the most sought after type of pilot certification. This license is similar to what a driver’s license is for automobiles. Private pilots are trained to navigate small aircraft by themselves. Flight training includes aircraft maneuvers, navigation, emergency procedures and cross-country flight planning.
Since the private pilot certificate allows you to fly in and out of all civil airports, a licensed pilot may fly to a nearby airport for lunch, travel across the country or even around the world without ever stepping foot on an airliner. A private pilot can take friends and family for rides, practice maneuvers, or become involved in many of the wonderful programs that introduce people to flying.
Instrument Rating
An Instrument Rating (IR) is a pilot rating earned through intensive training focused on flying solely by reference to instruments. It is arguably one of the most valuable ratings you can add to your pilot certificate and is a fun and challenging discipline of flight training.
There are several reasons why a pilot might want to earn an instrument rating on their pilot certificate, the primary reason is due to safety. Even if you never intend to fly in the clouds or conditions outside of visual flight rules, the instrument rating provides an extra layer of safety just in case things do not go as planned during a flight.