A Private Pilot License (PPL) or, in the United States, a Private Pilot Certificate, is a qualification that permits the holder to act as the pilot of an aircraft privately, i.e. not for remuneration. The basic requirements to obtain the license and the privileges it confers are agreed internationally by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO); however, the actual implementation varies quite widely from country to country. According to the ICAO, it is obtained by successfully completing a course of flight training of at least 40 hours duration (45 in the UK and Sweden), passing a number of theory exams, and successfully demonstrating flying skills to an examiner during a flight test or checkride. The typical minimum age for a Private Pilot Certificate is 17 (though other types of certifications differ in age minimum)^[1]

Different types of PPL are issued for the major categories of aircraft: powered airplanes/aeroplanes; gliders ; helicopters; gyroplanes; balloons; airships.

A PPL is issued either according to the FAA (American licences) or JAA (European licences) regulations. Each organisation has different requirements.

A license will contain a number of sub-qualifications or ratings. These specify in more detail the actual privileges of the license, including the types of aircraft that can be flown, whether flight under Instrument Flight Rules and at night is allowed, and whether instructing and examining of trainee pilots is authorized.

In addition, a number of endorsements are available for specific skills (additional requirements apply):

• Night VFR
• Instrument Rating (IR)
• Multi-Engine
• Piston/Turbine
• Design features: Tail wheel, Retractable Undercarriage, Float-Plane, etc.
• Aerobatics, spins, formation flying, etc.
• Agricultural, stock-mustering, etc.