No matter what your ultimate goal in aviation is - be it recreational flying or a more advanced training program - you must start by getting a private pilot's license.(Word to the wise: technically, pilots hold "certificates," not licenses, to fly, although hardly anyone except the FAA calls them that.) This private license allows a pilot to fly a single-engine airplane under visual flight rules (VFR), meaning visibility of at least three miles, as well a sat night. A private pilot may carry passengers but may not be paid for doing so, although the pilot can share operating expenses with the passengers.