Virtually anyone can learn to fly—a lot depends on what kind of flying you want to do. If you keep it simple, and fly a basic airplane for your own enjoyment, as a sport pilot or private pilot, the cost doesn't have to be that much—and you can pay for the training as you go.

Yes, a "regular person" can fly a plane, but the definition of "flying" depends on whether you mean as a hobbyist, a student, or a licensed pilot. If you just want to experience the sensation of flight, you can book a "Discovery Flight" at almost any local flight school. During this one-hour introductory lesson, a certified flight instructor will let you sit in the captain's seat and actually handle the controls for the majority of the flight—usually everything except the takeoff and landing. To fly a plane legally on your own, you must obtain a pilot's license, the most common being the Private Pilot License (PPL). This requires you to be at least 17 years old, pass a medical exam, complete a minimum of 40 hours of flight training, and pass both a written exam and a practical "checkride" with an examiner. In 2026, there are also "Sport Pilot" licenses which have fewer requirements and are meant for flying smaller, lighter aircraft. So, while you can't just hop into a cockpit and take off without any training, the path to becoming a pilot is open to anyone with the time, health, and budget to pursue it.