Sign up here!
The general structure of FAA pilot certification is student pilot, sport pilot, recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, and airline transport pilot (ATP).
As a beginner, you will need to obtain a student pilot certificate, as this is the certificate that will allow you to learn to fly, and a medical certificate, depending on the type of certificate you are working toward.
A student pilot certificate is not necessary to begin flight training, but you will need it to be able to fly solo. As a student pilot, you will train for one of the following: sport pilot, recreational pilot, or private pilot. The most common certificates issued are sport pilot and private pilot.
A pilot certificate never expires, however every pilot is subject to a flight review with a certified flight instructor (CFI) every two years from the month in which they were certificated. The flight instructor will endorse your logbook to prove the review was successfully completed.