Student Pilot Certificate (in Canada "Permit")
Age: A minimum of 16 years in the United States, 14 years in Canada.
Privileges: May receive instruction and fly solo under the supervision of a certificated flight instructor. May not carry passengers.
Physical: Must possess at least a valid Third Class or Category 3 medical certificate prior to flying solo.
Education: Should have a good basic education in mathematics, sciences, and English.
Experience: In the United States, after accumulating a minimum of 35 hours of training at an FAA-certificated school or 40 hours at a non-FAA certificated school—including specified hours of training in cross country, introduction to instruments, and emergency procedures—the student may be recommended for a private certificate. In Canada, a minimum of 45 hours of similar flight training and 40 hours of ground school is required by Transport Canada before a student may apply for a private pilot license.
Private Pilot Certificate (in Canada "License")
Age: A minimum of 17 years.
Privileges: May pilot any aircraft for which a class rating is held and may carry passengers, but may not be paid or receive other compensation for activity as a pilot.
Physical: Must possess at least a valid Third Class or Category 3 medical certificate.
Education: Besides a basic education, must have specialized instruction in such areas as aviation regulations, navigation, radio communications, weather observation and evaluation, aircraft loading, and flight planning.
Experience: Must pass a written examination administered by the FAA or Transport Canada, and must successfully demonstrate to an FAA- or Transport Canada–designated examiner pilot skills including flight planning, preflight procedures, straight-and-level flight, climbing and gliding turns, soft-field and short-field takeoffs and landings, stall recovery from various attitudes, 720-degree turns with precision, and crosswind takeoffs and landings.
Commercial Pilot Certificate (in Canada "License")
Age: A minimum of 18 years.
Privileges: May act as pilot in command of any aircraft for which rating is held and may receive compensation, except that for a scheduled airline may act as first officer.
Physical: Must hold a valid and current Second Class medical certificate in the United States. In Canada, a Category 1 medical certificate is required.
Education: In addition to education requirements of a private pilot certificate, must have extensive aeronautical experience. The requirement is at least 250 hours of flight time (in Canada, 200 hours), including in part at least 100 hours as pilot in command, 50 hours of cross-country (20 hours in Canada), 10 hours of instrument instruction, and an instrument rating or limitations will be placed on your certificate. In Canada, an instrument rating is not required, but an applicant must have 20 hours of instrument time.
Experience: Must pass a detailed written examination and demonstrate to an examiner most of the skills required for a private pilot certificate, but performed with a higher degree of precision and additional higher degree of difficult maneuvers.
Air Transport Pilot Certificate
Age: A minimum of 23 years in the United States; 21 in Canada.
Privileges: May serve as pilot in command of an aircraft for which rating is held for a scheduled airline for compensation.
Physical: Requires a current and valid First Class (U.S.) or Category 1 (Canada) medical certificate.
Education: In the U.S. 1,500 flight hours, 250 pilot in command, 500 of which are cross-country, 100 at night, 75 instrument hours. A commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating is required. In Canada, the minimum 1,500 flight hours must include 250 as a pilot in command, and 200 hours cross-country. Otherwise the experience requirements are similar, except that a multi-engine rating is required as well as the instrument rating.
Experience: Must successfully pass a written examination (three in Canada) and demonstrate to an examiner the ability to pilot an aircraft within the ATP standards, which are more stringent than set forth for a commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating.