How to become a professional pilot?
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How to become a professional pilot?
Hi, I'm 17 and studying for my a levels at college. I'm exploring different career paths and being a commercial airline pilot was one of them but I don't know what you do to qualify to be a pilot? Do you need any qualifications prior to flight school? Do you need a degree in Physics? I was directed here by a friend of my dads and he said the easiest way is through the RAF which my mother rejected straight away and i wasn't really too fond of. So my question is what do you have to do to be a pilot (avoiding the RAF)?
Thanks in advance
Tom
Thanks in advance
Tom
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Hi Tom,
You've found a source of info. I suggest you research here and GAPAN to find what you seek.
Good luck.
You've found a source of info. I suggest you research here and GAPAN to find what you seek.
Good luck.
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This documentary will explain. Also, the person is named Tom out of coincidence
YouTube - Tommy's New Job - Come Fly With Me - BBC One
YouTube - Tommy's New Job - Come Fly With Me - BBC One
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The Basics for a Newbie
I'm exploring different career paths and being a commercial airline pilot was one of them but I don't know what you do to qualify to be a pilot?
*Sit the Airline Transport Pilots Licence theory, quite tricky but well within the grasp of an A level grade student I would think as long as you are dedicated and interested. The amount of information you must absorb in the short time period as the most challenging aspect of this course. 14 exams which must be completed in a shortish time scale usually within 6-9 months.
*Build up your flight hours to around 150-200 total
*Complete the Commercial Pilots Licence training. 25 hours flight (IIRC)
*Complete the Multi Engine Instrument Rating training. 45 hours flight (IIRC) The hardest and most demanding part of your initial journey to a professional licence, and the most expensive!
*Complete the Multi-Crew co-operation course. 25 hours sim (IIRC) This teaches the basics of operating together with another pilot on the flight deck
This is the basic path to a professional career as a pilot and will cost £60,000+ and will put you in a position to apply for your first job.
Do you need any qualifications prior to flight school?
Do you need a degree in Physics?
I recommend now that you download this document LASORS and spend some time here on PPRuNe using the search function. There are different paths to the flight deck but all the questions you will have, have been answered many times before on here and this is an unfriendly forum for wannabes who are too lazy to do even the most basic of research.
Best of luck.
MP
Information on flying careers from the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Although to be honest, I think that an inability to do a bit of basic research on your own probably excludes you from most responsible professions - and you may find that once you've started on a career, you may have to stop relying on your mother for the decisions. I'd have concerns about your chances in A levels as well.
G
Although to be honest, I think that an inability to do a bit of basic research on your own probably excludes you from most responsible professions - and you may find that once you've started on a career, you may have to stop relying on your mother for the decisions. I'd have concerns about your chances in A levels as well.
G
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How To Become A Pilot
There are as many ways to get into the profession as there are pilots flying today. Each person has their own story of how they managed to find their first job and which type of training they chose. There are no hard and fast rules, apart from hard work and a real ambition to succeed.
Probably the most difficult part of a pilots’ career is the beginning. Getting that first job can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Most airlines only recruit experienced pilots who have flown jet aircraft before, and are not willing to employ cadets fresh from flight training. This gap is bridged either by paying for extra training, by networking and getting a job flying smaller aircraft or simply by luck.
Education
Most pilots start their flight training with a minimum of 5 GCSEs and 2 A-levels. Some flight training schools require this as part of their entry criteria, but not all list it as a must. In any case, it’s a good idea to have sound understanding of scientific subjects such as physics and maths, and you must be able to speak English fluently to be able to qualify. A university degree is not necessary, but some people choose to do one in order to add an extra string to their bow. However, most pilots tend not to have one.
Skills
To be a pilot you will need to be able to juggle more than one task at once, have a logical approach to problems and be well organised.
• A good grasp of maths is useful; there is no need to juggle algebraic
equations during a flight, but working out time-distance-speed problems does
form part of every day life.
• You’ll need to have a mind for technical details, pilots are expected to have a
deep understanding of their aircraft’s systems.
• Working under pressure and being able to work as part of a team are
absolutely essential skills, as are having good spatial awareness and
co-ordination.
The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) provides an aptitude test and assessment scheme for people with little or no flying experience. Although not a requirement for flight training, it could prove a useful way to decide whether you are suited to this career, before you make a financial commitment to training. Visit SYWTBAP - GAPAN for more information.
There is nothing to say that the skills you need can’t be learnt along the way. History is littered with examples of individuals who have achieved their dream against the odds. The most important thing is to keep focused on your goal, keep learning, and keep going.
Flight Training
Before you start you will need to decide whether you want to fly a helicopter or a conventional “fixed wing” aircraft. The structure of the courses are very similar but they lead to two separate qualifications. There are far fewer companies who operate helicopters and as a result the vast majority of trainees choose to enroll on a fixed wing course. However flying helicopters offers the opportunity to fly to oil rigs, work for the police in surveillance roles and many other positions which are not open to the conventional airline pilot.
A Guaranteed Job?
There are a wealth of schools in Europe which offer Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) courses, which in theory will give you the ability to apply for your first job as a pilot with an airline. However, it is very important to understand that these training organisations rely on a constant stream of trainee pilots in order to stay in business, and that there may not be a constant supply of jobs in the industry.
Modular Vs. Integrated
There are two routes to achieving an ATPL; an “integrated” course where the training is condensed into a very intensive course lasting about 18 months, or a “modular” course where the trainee pilot completes the various phases of training in more manageable chunks. The advantages and disadvantages to the two different routes are listed below:
• Modular courses can be completed one stage at a time with breaks in
between, allowing more flexibility. Some pilots choose to take a break after
one phase in order to go back to work and earn enough money to pay for the
next module.
• Modular courses are less expensive, but involve more self-studying. The
theoretical exams are identical, but pilots from integrated courses are likely to
have much more classroom tuition to prepare them.
• Airlines tend to favor pilots who have qualified from an integrated course,
mainly because the training standards are seen as being higher. Unfortunately
some newly qualified pilots from modular courses find themselves being seen
as second best by employers, and this can have a real impact on their chances
of gaining employment.
The Hard Sell
Despite what the schools will often tell you, there is not a shortage of pilots in the industry, nor are there signs of one occurring soon. There may, however, be a shortage of experienced pilots, those who have several thousand hours flying commercial jet aircraft. There is a stark difference between the two, and unfortunately most people who finish their flight training, even from the mainstream schools who claim to have good connections with airlines, often find themselves unable to even apply for the vast majority of jobs because they lack the experience required. This is something which the training schools will never admit to, but you will need to be prepared for.
Bridging the gap between qualifying and gaining employment is fraught with difficulties, and often requires buying expensive additional training in the hope of finding a job. You need to think very carefully before you enroll on a flight training course, and decide whether you can afford to finish the course and not find a job. Getting onto an airline sponsored scheme where a job is offered upon completion may be the safest way, but there will be fierce competition for places on such schemes.
Probably the most difficult part of a pilots’ career is the beginning. Getting that first job can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Most airlines only recruit experienced pilots who have flown jet aircraft before, and are not willing to employ cadets fresh from flight training. This gap is bridged either by paying for extra training, by networking and getting a job flying smaller aircraft or simply by luck.
Education
Most pilots start their flight training with a minimum of 5 GCSEs and 2 A-levels. Some flight training schools require this as part of their entry criteria, but not all list it as a must. In any case, it’s a good idea to have sound understanding of scientific subjects such as physics and maths, and you must be able to speak English fluently to be able to qualify. A university degree is not necessary, but some people choose to do one in order to add an extra string to their bow. However, most pilots tend not to have one.
Skills
To be a pilot you will need to be able to juggle more than one task at once, have a logical approach to problems and be well organised.
• A good grasp of maths is useful; there is no need to juggle algebraic
equations during a flight, but working out time-distance-speed problems does
form part of every day life.
• You’ll need to have a mind for technical details, pilots are expected to have a
deep understanding of their aircraft’s systems.
• Working under pressure and being able to work as part of a team are
absolutely essential skills, as are having good spatial awareness and
co-ordination.
The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) provides an aptitude test and assessment scheme for people with little or no flying experience. Although not a requirement for flight training, it could prove a useful way to decide whether you are suited to this career, before you make a financial commitment to training. Visit SYWTBAP - GAPAN for more information.
There is nothing to say that the skills you need can’t be learnt along the way. History is littered with examples of individuals who have achieved their dream against the odds. The most important thing is to keep focused on your goal, keep learning, and keep going.
Flight Training
Before you start you will need to decide whether you want to fly a helicopter or a conventional “fixed wing” aircraft. The structure of the courses are very similar but they lead to two separate qualifications. There are far fewer companies who operate helicopters and as a result the vast majority of trainees choose to enroll on a fixed wing course. However flying helicopters offers the opportunity to fly to oil rigs, work for the police in surveillance roles and many other positions which are not open to the conventional airline pilot.
A Guaranteed Job?
There are a wealth of schools in Europe which offer Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) courses, which in theory will give you the ability to apply for your first job as a pilot with an airline. However, it is very important to understand that these training organisations rely on a constant stream of trainee pilots in order to stay in business, and that there may not be a constant supply of jobs in the industry.
Modular Vs. Integrated
There are two routes to achieving an ATPL; an “integrated” course where the training is condensed into a very intensive course lasting about 18 months, or a “modular” course where the trainee pilot completes the various phases of training in more manageable chunks. The advantages and disadvantages to the two different routes are listed below:
• Modular courses can be completed one stage at a time with breaks in
between, allowing more flexibility. Some pilots choose to take a break after
one phase in order to go back to work and earn enough money to pay for the
next module.
• Modular courses are less expensive, but involve more self-studying. The
theoretical exams are identical, but pilots from integrated courses are likely to
have much more classroom tuition to prepare them.
• Airlines tend to favor pilots who have qualified from an integrated course,
mainly because the training standards are seen as being higher. Unfortunately
some newly qualified pilots from modular courses find themselves being seen
as second best by employers, and this can have a real impact on their chances
of gaining employment.
The Hard Sell
Despite what the schools will often tell you, there is not a shortage of pilots in the industry, nor are there signs of one occurring soon. There may, however, be a shortage of experienced pilots, those who have several thousand hours flying commercial jet aircraft. There is a stark difference between the two, and unfortunately most people who finish their flight training, even from the mainstream schools who claim to have good connections with airlines, often find themselves unable to even apply for the vast majority of jobs because they lack the experience required. This is something which the training schools will never admit to, but you will need to be prepared for.
Bridging the gap between qualifying and gaining employment is fraught with difficulties, and often requires buying expensive additional training in the hope of finding a job. You need to think very carefully before you enroll on a flight training course, and decide whether you can afford to finish the course and not find a job. Getting onto an airline sponsored scheme where a job is offered upon completion may be the safest way, but there will be fierce competition for places on such schemes.
