Skip to main content

How to Rent an Aircraft

Edited by Adam R Riggs, Maluniu, Jeff
To fly aircraft on your own, you may want or need to rent an aircraft, as it can be less expensive than buying one. Aircraft rental rates are often charged by the hour, offering you temporary use of a plane if you want more experience flying one by yourself. During the rental process, you should be able to prove you are knowledgeable, qualified, and fit enough to fly an aircraft. Follow these steps to rent an aircraft.

1. Pass a medical evaluation. This should include a physical exam and ensure that you are healthy enough to fly. In the United States, find an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct your evaluation


2. Get your medical certificate. Make sure it is current and valid. You should have your certificate with you when trying to rent an aircraft and/or whenever you fly.

3. Sign up for flying lessons if necessary. The cost of renting an aircraft may be included in your flight school's lesson expenses. You may need to spend several hours flying with a flight instructor and flying solo.

4. Get your pilot's license. Pass all necessary written and flight tests to become licensed.

5. Find an aircraft rental company in your area. Try searching online or find out if your flight school also rents aircraft.6

6. Read and sign a rental agreement. Go over any questions you have about the agreement before signing it.

7. Fill out any other required paperwork. A questionnaire demonstrating knowledge of piloting, a checklist for new pilots, and a form to authorize credit card charges are a few examples of other documents you may need to complete.

8. Provide proof of identification and/or renter's insurance if necessary. You may need to show your passport, driver's license or other accepted photo identification.

9. Pay the necessary rental fee(s). The rental rate may be charged by the hour. Rental prices can vary depending on the rental company's fuel, maintenance and aircraft costs.

Popular posts from this blog

How to make a balloon fly

How does a hot-air balloon work (in theory)? In a word: buoyancy . Hot-air balloons float in the sky for pretty much the same reason that boats float on the sea. A boat floats because it's supported by the water beneath it: the weight of the boat (pulling downward) is exactly counterbalanced by the pressure of the water beneath it (pushing upward). A boat doesn't float perfectly on the water surface but sinks partly into the water according to how heavy it is. The bigger the boat, the bigger the area of water beneath it, the greater the force of the water pressure pushing upward on it, and the more weight it can carry. Here's another way to look at it: generally speaking, an object will float if it's less dense than water (in other words, lighter than an equal volume of water) and sink if it's more dense (heavier than an equal volume of water). Imagine a block of lead the size of your arm dropped into a bathtub filled with water. An "armful of lea...

Low Cost Airlines in the USA

1. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co. is a major U.S. airline and the world's largest low-cost carrier, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The airline was established in 1967 and adopted its current name in 1971. The airline has nearly 46,000 employees as of December 2014 and operates more than 3,400 flights per day. As of June 5, 2011, it carries the most domestic passengers of any U.S. airline. As of November 2014, Southwest Airlines has scheduled service to 93 destinations in 41 states, Puerto Rico and abroad. Southwest Airlines has used only Boeing 737s, except for a few years in the 1970s and 1980s, when it leased a few Boeing 727s. As of August 2012, Southwest is the largest operator of the 737  ...more on Wikipedia 2  JetBlue JetBlue Airways Corporation, stylized as jetBlue, is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Long Island City neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens, with its main base at John F. Kennedy Intern...

Protecting your wheelchair

As with all luggage, you should tag your chair with all your contact details, name, address, telephone number and hotel address in the unlikely event that your chair goes missing. Ideally, you should also attach a photocopy of instructions to dismantle to your chair. If your chair requires any special equipment for disassembling, discuss this with the airline in advance so that they accommodate your needs. Remember, even if you are on hand to help with dismantling your chair before departure, it is unlikely that you will be present at the other end of your flight to assist with re-assembly. If you encounter any problems, then you should immediately speak to the 'Complaint Resolution Officer'. All airlines should have a CRO officer available 24hrs a day either by phone or in person, who is trained to deal with any problems a disabled flyer may encounter whilst travelling. Disabled travellers in the U.S. can order a free booklet from the U.S. Department ...