Nicholas Fortuna, a managing partner at a law firm, holds a private pilot's license which allows him to fly recreationally along the coast from New Jersey to New York and Rhode Island. Obtaining a private pilot's license from the FAA requires applicants to be at least 17, speak English, and complete a minimum of 35-40 hours of flight training, including 20 hours with an instructor and 10 solo flights. Pilots must also pass medical exams with an FAA-certified examiner when earning the license and periodically to maintain it.

2.  Nicholas Fortuna, managing partner at
Allyn & Fortuna LLP, holds a private pilot’s
license and frequently flies a Cessna 172
from Morristown, New Jersey, to Rhode
Island and to Montauk, New York.
Nicholas Fortuna especially enjoys flying
along the coast near the water.

3.  A private pilot’s license allows individuals to
fly anywhere in the United States, and
occasionally outside the United States,
assuming pilots comply with the foreign
country’s flying regulations. Earning a
license from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) requires that student
pilots be at least 17 years old. Reading,
writing, and speaking English are also
requirements.

4.  During training, certified flight instructors
oversee students’ progress and endorse their
logbooks. Instructors note when students learn
new maneuvers and when they are ready for
their own solo flights. Typically, students
complete at least 40 hours of flight time, but
some flight schools only require 35 hours. Of the
required hours, at least 20 are flown with
instructors, and at least 10 are supervised solo
flights. Before receiving the certification, and
once every five years thereafter, private pilots
must visit an FAA-certified aviation medical
examiner. For pilots over 40, medical checks
are required every two years.