Being an airline pilot is fun, but it is pretty hard work too. Since safety is vital in the aviation industry, airline pilots have to undergo a lot of training, exams and check flights in order to keep the various skills required sharp and up to date. Even a captain of a 747 will have to undertake various exams and flight checks several times a year.

Though it looks glamorous from the outside, there is a lot of hard work that goes into becoming an airline pilot in the first place and then to maintain the high standards required to be an airline pilot. In addition, you will not earn the big bucks until you become a captain.

How To Become An Airline Pilot

In order to become an airline pilot, you need to have lot of dedication and put in a lot of hard work.  A degree is not a requirement to become a pilot in general, but in order to become an airline pilot these days, a degree is a big advantage. However, the degree does not have to be in the aviation related field. 

Usually the journey to become an airline pilot begins by getting the Private Pilot Licence.  Do your due diligence when choosing a flight school to get your PPL. Don’t just disregard an instructor at a local flight school.  The bigger flight schools have a lot of advantages, as their instructors may often be recently retired airline captains with vast experience.  Local flying schools have the keen young instructors who may well be suitable for the younger generation.

Once you get your PPL, your next important target is to get the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL).  This will require you to build up the flying hours as well as doing exams and flight tests.  While you are building up the hours for the CPL, you could get the instrument rating and/or an instructor rating added to your PPL.

An Instructor rating will enable you to teach and gain valuable experience as well as logged hours. You should also try to add multi engine ratings to your licence.

The next licence up the ladder is the Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), which you will require as an airline pilot with a major airline. However, provided you have the proper ratings, and in some cases even with about 500 to 1000 hours of flight time, you may get the opportunity to work for a regional airlines flying turboprop and regional-jet aircraft.  These do not require you to have an ATPL. You can upgrade to ATPL once you have obtained the necessary experience.

Most airlines usually require you to have ATPL and favour applicants who have completed the integrated courses as these are of known quantity and include the multi-crew co-operation course. The modular trained pilots are expected to have 1500 hours or more before being accepted but this varies from company to company and also as the market changes. Flying with a regional airline is a good advantage as they usually have a strong tie with the larger airlines.

If you are successful in getting into an airline, then you will start as a first officer. Then you will work your way up to become a captain. However, the opportunity to undergo training for upgrading from the first officer to captain is usually given on the seniority within the airline, not on the flying experience.

Hope you found this article useful. If you want to become a pilot in the shortest possible time and with the least cost, then watch the free video on How To Become A Pilot on a Budget.