Wow!, Have things changed since I started flying back in the mid 1970's. Glass cockpits, ICAO rules, Light Sport Aircraft, and TFR's to make you dizzy.
But, getting there is half the fun, right? I have taken the private pilot exam once or twice, my instrument exam once, and I've passed the commercial over 3 times. I passed the commercial exam every time but you have to get the rating within a couple years or it lapses.
Now, to pass these exams I have rendered the services of Gleim books, FAA Aeronautical publications, King Schools, Sporties Pilot Shop, Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft, and ASA publications for various information.
Needless to say I've spent a bunch. I've purchased VHS Tapes, CD's and mostly books. I even purchased the questions and answers to the Commercial Exam which helped a lot. The FAA Private Pilot Exam has hundreds of questions but you will only get 60 and about hours and thirty minutes.
If this is the first time you are taking a written exam you must have a written endorsement from a flight instructor or training facility to take the written FAA private pilot exam. If you let it laps you can use the old exam results to take the test again. Here are the regs for flight time requirements;
(a) For an airplane single-engine rating. Except as provided in paragraph (k) of this section, a person who applies for a private pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b)(1) of this part, and the training must include at least—
(1) 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a single-engine airplane;
(2) Except as provided in §61.110 of this part, 3 hours of night flight training in a single-engine airplane that includes—
(i) One cross-country flight of over 100 nautical miles total distance; and
(ii) 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport.
(3) 3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments, including straight and level flight, constant airspeed climbs and descents, turns to a heading, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, radio communications, and the use of navigation systems/facilities and radar services appropriate to instrument flight;
(4) 3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in a single-engine airplane in preparation for the practical test, which must have been performed within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test; and
(5) 10 hours of solo flight time in a single-engine airplane, consisting of at least—
(i) 5 hours of solo cross-country time;
(ii) One solo cross country flight of 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations; and
(iii) Three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.
The regs have increased a bit in the type of flying required like the instrument part but it is all still fun flying.
Have a look at this link for some good information.
