Anyone searching for how to become a pilot is usually looking for ways to get to the right side seat (first officer seat) of an airplane looking like the above and so did I when I first started to look for information to kick start my journey. I was very confused by the information I would normally be presented with. It took me a while to figure out what most of the information even meant.
In short, to become a pilot one needs to build the experience of flying which is counted as hours of flying and recorded in a book called Log Book. As you keep adding your flying hours you become eligible for different licences. The licence required for pilot jobs in most major airlines is an Airline Transport Pilot Licence. For a quick reference there are three important licences one need to become a pilot
| licence | Minimum* required flying hours |
|---|---|
|
Private Pilot licence (PPL) |
40-50 flying hours |
|
Commercial Pilot licence (CPL) |
200-250 flying hours |
|
Airline Transport Pilot licence (ATPL) |
1500 flying hours
|
* These numbers vary based on the country of applying licence and the requirements of the country’s civil aviation authorities.
The path to becoming an airline pilot requires not just dedication and perseverance but also starts with having a clear understanding of all the steps involved. So, I realized the short answer was not sufficient and hence, follows a longer answer. With this comprehensive overview, I intend to give you the steps of becoming an airline pilot, from the initial aspirations to obtaining the necessary qualifications and ultimately landing your dream job in the cockpit
SELF-ASSESSMENT: IF BEING A PILOT RIGHT FOR ME
The image that one gets of being a pilot could be very different from reality. Before you even consider the financial and physical commitment it takes to become a pilot, one needs to assess if this career is the right fit.
Most of the necessary traits and skills one needs to have before stepping into the role of a pilot are usually gained in the learning phase, but there are other important factors that will play a major role in even completing the learning phase of this path. One can assess themselves by doing the following
- Try to get a feel of flying: Sitting in the passenger seat of the car is totally different from sitting in the driver’s seat. This is similar to flying. You can get a feel of this by taking a quick introductory flight from the closest flight school(you do not need to join their program). This might sound like an expensive assessment but it will be nothing compared to what one might end up wasting after many hours of flying on a program, when they realize this is not for them.
- Try to pass an aptitude test: Understand the necessary qualities and skills like decision-making, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and safety commitment and try to take an aptitude test that gives you an idea of what you can expect to be a pilot.
- Preliminary health check: Pilots need to be in excellent physical shape and they frequently undergo health check to be allowed to fly. There are many health conditions that render pilot ineligible to continue flying. So taking a preliminary health like a medical class 1 test could give a basic understanding of your medical fitness level and save a lot of time and money.
- A great tip I once received was to take a book on any ground school subjects like Air Law and Procedures, Navigation, or even Meteorology and see what it feels like to sit on it for a few hours of learning the subjects that you will be learning for a long time. Check if studying such subjects is something one would not mind if not enjoy.
If you want to know more about assessing if you are suitable for a pilot profession I have an article that could help you be more confident about your fit in the world of aviation here
Check if you meet the requirements:
To become eligible for a pilot job and even to start training to become a pilot, there are certain mandatory requirements in terms of education, health, and mental fitness. Here are the key requirements:
Educational Requirements:
Health Requirements:
Aspiring pilots must obtain a valid aviation medical certificate from an authorized aviation medical examiner. The medical examination assesses the applicant’s physical and mental health, including vision, hearing, cardiovascular health, and overall fitness.
Mental Requirements:
Pilots need to have good mental health and cognitive abilities to handle the demands and responsibilities of the job. They should possess strong decision-making skills, situational awareness, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work well under pressure.
These requirements are an overview of the requirements to become an airline pilot. These vary based on the Civil Aviation Authority’s guidelines of the country in which one wants to become an airline pilot. I have an article that talks about requirements of different countries here if you are interested to know more.
CHOOSING TRAINING PATHWAY - 3 TYPES OF PILOT TRAINING PROGRAMS
Although the final goal of training is to get an Airline Transport Pilot Licence and become eligible for pilot jobs, the ways to achieve it are multifold, and of all there are 3 popular routes
Integrated Programs
This is the most common path. It is an intense and structured program like what one would normally come across in any other professional training with fixed schedules of ground school, exams and flying.
In this program during the training, one cannot switch between schools and it is a full-time commitment, unlike Modular training. It takes 18-24 months to go from zero hours to CPL + finishing the exams of ATPL in such programs.
Modular Programs
This path is for people who would like to do the training at their own pace, which people do for various reasons like taking time to arrange funds as you go with training or where one is working full time in another field to fund their training or any other such reasons.
This pathway gives the most flexibility in terms of time and money and it takes anywhere from 24 months to 48 months depending on the commitment of an individual. There are people who do this for years or even take a break between licenses for may be securing funds for next stage or any other reason.
The cost of training in this way is less compared to any other pathway. One must understand that pilot training in this pathway does not affect the chances of getting a job in anyway if one possesses the required traits, but it only takes longer (years) to complete the process this way.
Airline Cadet Programs:
These are considered by many as a safe pathway to becoming a pilot because these programs are offered by the airlines themselves and sometimes give a conditional employment on successful completion of training with a bond to stay with the airlines for a few years. Although one would still have to secure an ATPL by going through all the exams and tests like other programs and still have to prove competency in an interview by the airline before one gets the job offer.
Such programs usually have a very high competition and the selection process by the airlines is also very hard with a lot of entrance and screening tests. But it gives the student peace of mind of a job offer even at the beginning of training which is never the case with the other modular and integrated methods.
Sometimes these programs can also be fully sponsored but they tend to be very tough on requirements and very highly sought after.
You can read more detailed information on different paths one can take to become a commercial pilot here
Be financially prepared - Understand the money involved
Pilot training is one of the most expensive training someone could get. Just to reach CPL(Commercial Pilot Licence) one could be spending from a very modest amount of 80,000 USD to 150,000 USD. The type ratings (training for being able to fly specific models), that are required to secure a job will be an additional cost. For instance an A320 type rating itself could cost around 30,000USD
That amount of financial commitment is not for everyone. If you are fortunate enough to have the funds ready and focus on just finding the right school that is the best thing that can happen to an aspiring pilot. If not, make sure you find ways to gather the funding required and really understand the commitment. Because, according to most of the surveys done on the reason why people quit training, the financial reasons tie among the top three, along with medical and physical issues.
There are very few to no scholarship programs compared to what most other professional programs get. For most, loans from financial institutions are the only go-to option here, and paying back becomes an overhead as the jobs that immediately follow training do not offer big paychecks. So make sure to be financially ready.
Select a suitable flight school
Selecting a suitable flight school is of great importance. The standard of quality in training one receives in a flying school varies a lot from school to school and also sometimes is based on the country of choice too. One can be confident in the school only after doing a lot of due diligence in researching the flight school. Some things to keep in mind while looking for school are:
- Create a list of schools that have good reputations and offer the program of preference such as modular or integrated.
- The cost of training although does not vary too much for same programs in different schools, some very good training institutes offer better rates and this might also be a deal breaker for someone to add to their potential list of schools.
- Once the shortlisting is completed, if possible, try to go to the facility physically and try to check the condition of the existing flights and how the maintenance of the planes happens, just for your peace of mind
- When at the facility try to talk to current students and ask questions on their impressions of the institute. If you could not go physically, at least try and reach out online if you can get a contact.
- Another important point to consider is if one decides to go for a self-paced modular program and if the institute is located at a busy airport it could mean a lot of waiting on the runway, meaning more hours spent waiting than flying, which means it will take longer to get the required hours for a licence compared to other schools at less busy airports
Start studying the ground school subjects
Becoming a pilot involves a lot of studying. Students who arrive at flight school already equipped with a solid understanding of the subject matter tend to excel and progress more efficiently, enabling them to obtain their ratings in a shorter timeframe.
Prior to attending flight school, it is highly recommended to acquire a strong foundation of ground knowledge. By familiarizing yourself with the theoretical aspects of aviation beforehand, you will be at a significant advantage.
One effective approach is to consider joining an online platform for a month, where you can access comprehensive video lessons and quizzes. Or some flight schools even offer ground school beforehand.
Obtain required licences that can be achieved in a flight school:
On the path to building the 1500 hours to become eligible for an Airline Transport Pilot Licence, one usually goes through the process by securing many other licences, some of which are requirements for ATPL, while others can be options. Following is the list of licences in the sequence one would normally pursue
| Name | Mandatory/Optional | Information |
|---|---|---|
|
Private Pilot Licences |
Mandatory |
Allows recreational and personal flying, allows further training |
|
Night Rating |
Mandatory |
Allows flying at night |
|
Instrument Rating |
Mandatory |
Allows flying without visually looking out and using just the instruments |
|
Multi Engine Rating |
Mandatory |
Allows pilots to fly planes with more than one engine |
|
Multi Engine Instrument Rating |
Mandatory |
Allows flying planes with multiple engines by looking only at the instruments |
|
Commercial Pilot Licence |
Mandatory |
Allows to earn money by flying. |
|
Flight Instructor Rating |
Optional |
Allows training other trainees |
Build the required hours for Airline Transport Pilot Licence:
Getting the Commercial Pilot Licence from a flying school is considered a mini graduation of sorts where you no longer are paying for instruction (unless you want to learn something specific or additional ratings like aerobatics etc). With a CPL you can be eligible to fly to earn money.
So if you are extremely lucky you might get hired by some regional airlines right after CPL or may be a type rating might help the chances but nothing like an ATPL licence. Most of the major airlines will have ATPL as a requirement for even their entry-level jobs, unless maybe you went through their own cadet programs.
To become eligible to secure an Airline Transport Pilot Licence a minimum of 1500 flying hours are required by the Aviation Authorities, but from a flying school under instruction for CPL a minimum of only 250 flying hours can be amassed. To get to the 1500 mark, normally aspiring pilots take a few paths.
- Instructing: Pilots with CPL get an additional Flight Instructor Rating to become eligible to instruct other pilots on the path to CPL. This way gives a little money (not much) and allows for hour building to 1500 hour mark
- Flying Jobs: Pilots with CPL can find small flying jobs like flying for advertisements or transporting recreational passengers (like sky-divers) and other such jobs, which also let them earn some money(not much) while building hours to 1500 hour mark
- Sharing/Renting/Owning: Some people even build hours by sharing with others for hour building flights. While some people rent small planes all by themselves for hour building, some even buy used planes to fly them for hour building. These ways of hour building are more expensive compared to instructing and doing flying jobs obviously.
Clear ATPL Theory Examinations and Pass ATPL Flight Skill Test:
After building the hours, the ATPL theory examinations and passing the ATPL flight skill test are critical milestones for aspiring pilots is the next critical step. The ATPL theory examinations assess a pilot’s comprehensive knowledge of aviation subjects, including navigation, meteorology, aircraft systems, regulations, and more. Thorough preparation and study are necessary to successfully pass these rigorous exams.
Once the theory exams are cleared, pilots must then demonstrate their practical flying skills through the ATPL flight skill test. This test evaluates a pilot’s ability to handle complex flight maneuvers, emergency procedures, instrument flying, and decision-making in challenging scenarios.
Successfully clearing both the ATPL theory exams and the flight skill test makes the pilot eligible for most of the airline pilot job positions.
Build a network in the airline industry
Building a network in the airline industry is important for student pilots as it offers mentorship, job opportunities, industry insights, a sense of community, and learning opportunities. Connecting with experienced professionals provides guidance while establishing connections open doors to potential career advancements.
Networking also keeps students updated with industry trends and fosters a supportive community. Additionally, it exposes them to diverse perspectives and career paths within aviation. Overall, networking enhances their chances of success and provides valuable support throughout their journey.
Actively keep a lookout for jobs and be prepared for interviews
Despite a pilot shortage, there is significant competition among aspiring pilots. Actively searching for job openings increases the chances of securing employment in a competitive market.
Actively seeking job opportunities and being prepared for interviews helps student pilots take advantage of the pilot shortage, gain a competitive edge, build networks, improve interview skills, explore career pathways, demonstrate professionalism, and adapt to industry changes. It is a proactive approach to navigating the competitive aviation job market and securing rewarding career opportunities.
Always be mindful of physical fitness
Being physically fit enables them to handle the demands of flying, while an active medical certificate ensures compliance and safety. So, pilots must prioritize physical fitness to keep medical status active, without which the airlines can stop the pilot from flying temporarily until the medical issue is resolved or even permanently if the issue is non-curable.
Becoming an airline pilot is an exhilarating journey that requires commitment, perseverance, and continuous learning. Remember, the road to becoming an airline pilot is not without challenges, but with determination and a passion for aviation, you can make your dreams take flight. So, buckle up and prepare for an exciting career in the skies!