Therefore, the answer varies between a few weeks to several years. Depending on your availability and study choice, the duration of ground school could range from two to several weeks until completion. The structure of the flight school at which a prospective pilot trains is a major factor in how long it takes her to complete professional pilot training. Why? It takes 3 months to become a pilot and earn your private pilot license. Most pilots need a few more hours to achieve the necessary flight proficiency, which often adds one or two weeks to the duration. Commercial operations often require using cockpit instruments for navigation. The Federal Aviation Administration, under part 141 of the Federal Aviation Regulations has set a minimum time for an applicant to obtain the Private Pilot’s License at 35 hours of flight time but the FAA does not set a timeframe to accomplish those hours. Even though a student may not have their certificate for 6 months, they’ll feel like a pilot right away as they take the controls with their instructor within the first week of training, especially when they take that first solo flight around month 2. Most airline jobs require several hundred, and sometimes over a thousand, flight hours. The time to start is now. To become a Sport Pilot it takes just 20 hours of total flight time. Thereafter, the appropriate airman certificate branch processes the application. and the Airline Career Pilot Program training timeline. Starting off right is critical to speeding up the process of getting a pilot license. The private pilot license (PPL) makes you wonder why anyone would go for a recreational. Moreover, other factors come into play such as your availability, aptitude, and choice of pilot school. You’ll also have to pass both knowledge and practical tests. Finally, some pilots receive their education courtesy of the military. You often receive both simultaneously, therefore, time to solo is mostly about how long it takes to complete your flight instruction. Fun as it may be, a sport pilot license has quite a few limitations. If you’re looking for an alternative, you could opt for a recreational pilot certificate, which offers access to bigger aircraft and more privileges. It’s because of the pilot license we talk about next. Time to learn to fly, from zero to CPL/IR + ATPL theory passes: typically 18 months, plus or minus a few. How To Become a CFI – Training, Certificates, and More. Along with these hours you will also be studying and practicing on the ground to prepare for your PPL test. However, the minimum flight time for license issuance goes up to 30 hours, but most pilots require additional hours before becoming ready for a flight test. So, how long does it take become a pilot captain at a major airline? how long does it take to become a fighter pilot? Some people take even longer; I used to work at a flight school and there was at least one student who literally took years, but in his case he was a total dumbass. Well, nothing in life is ever guaranteed, but we’ll take a look at what’s possible. You see, the FAA allows pilot schools to operate under either Part 61 or Part 141, which are sections of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Pilots have challenging roles that require a lot of training. Overall, expect four weeks to 12 weeks to become a sport pilot and longer if you want to fly at your own pace. Luckily, you only need 25 hours of training time (at a minimum) to become a certified flight instructor, or CFI, on airplanes. That changes when you get a commercial pilot license (CPL). With just a little extra investment of time and money, a private license grants you far more privileges than a recreational one. Taking this into account, it can take as little as 12 weeks to get your CPL if you choose an accelerated course. You don’t have to invest much time or money into it either. So, how long does it take to get a pilot's license at this level? Typically the time consumed to become a pilot is not more than 5 years. In private pilot training, flight schools usually instruct students using single-engine airplanes such as a Cessna 150. CFI ratings themselves are not required to become an airline transport pilot, however for many this is a manageable path to gaining 1500 hours by instructing others. Becoming a pilot can be a really exciting new adventure, and one of the more common questions that comes up during someone’s research is understanding how long does it take to become a pilot and what does that process look like? Your email address will not be published. Becoming a private pilot is the first step in a student’s pilot journey. Before you do that, though, you must meet certain aeronautical knowledge and flight time requirements. The hour requirement can be reduced to 1,250 or even 1,000 hours depending on if someone has an appropriate college degree. The course, on its own, lasts a few weeks up to 3 months. A popular option is to teach others how to fly. The first 10-12 months is all about the training and getting the needed FAA certifications and ratings, including what’s needed to become a CFI at AeroGuard. To become an airline pilot, it takes just over two years to gain the required 1,500 hours flight time. We are a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. The FAA came up with the sport pilot certificate, Checklist to Ace Your FAA Private Pilot Written Test, How to Become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), 3 weeks for certificate (1 to 7 weeks to solo). Part-time students can expect to accomplish the PPL within 4-6 months. The short answer? It depends on your goal, aptitude, and availability among other variables. Training can be … You may choose between an instructor and a home-study course to acquire the required aeronautical knowledge. But the license constitutes only one requirement for solo flight, though. But you only have a couple of hundred hours or so once you get your commercial license. By submitting this form, I agree that AeroGuard Flight Training Center, and their representatives may email, call, and/or text me with marketing messages about education programs and services, as well as for school-related communications, at any phone number I provide, including a wireless number, using prerecorded calls or automated technology. Why? For some positions, it can take up to 10 years of flying experience to even qualify. Its highly likely that you won’t be at the required 1500 hours once out of college but this highly depends on the program and how it is structured. Pilot Institute may earn commission from sales that happen when you click on links. This alone might stall your airline career for a couple of years. The multi-engine rating makes it possible for you to fly aircraft with more than one engine. The time it takes for each of those is different depending on the pilot career path they choose to take or even the type of flight school. Fewer than 200 pilots hold a recreational license in the US according to the latest civil airmen statistics. With dedication and practice, though, … Becoming a private pilot is the first step in a student’s pilot journey. Taking funding out of the equation and if you join an integrated ATPL program, and if things go well with the build up programand CAA examination, my guess is that between 18 months to a 2-year period. Every time you start an airline, you’ll start as a First Officer and have to work your way up, and how fast you do that will depend on pilot seniority. So far, none of the pilot license we discussed permits you to get paid for flying aircraft. You need to build your flight experience to land an airline job. Most pilot schools offer 12-week standard courses and 4-week fast-track programs. Let’s focus on the question at hand, though. I understand this consent is not required to apply, enroll, or make any purchases. FAA regulations require applicants to complete at least 40 hours of flight time. Getting an education is also good for a consistency of training, so it's preferred to wait to start your journey until you are in a certified school, like LETU. While not fit for an airline job, a commercial pilot can make money from several aviation activities like banner towing and aerial photography. Most of the time when someone is asking “how long does it take to become a pilot”, they really mean an airline transport pilot working for the airlines flying passengers around the country. Subscribe now and get a weekly video sent to your inbox on various drone topics hosted by Greg. From zero to fully trained commercial pilot with ratings such as instructor, multi-engine, etc. It may be weeks for a few, months for others, and even years for some. Once it passes the review, you receive the student pilot certificate within 3 weeks. Required fields are marked *. Ideally, becoming a pilot should only take 3 to 4 years, the time it takes to get your Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight. It takes ground and flight training to know how to operate an aircraft safely, though, and that takes time. Most budding pilots dream of an airline career. Most pilots need a few more hours to achieve the necessary flight proficiency, which often adds one or two weeks to the duration. At AeroGuard, our Pilot Pathway Program is designed to navigate students through this path in 2 years from beginning to ATP eligibility. The ultimate end goal for almost every student pilot out there is becoming a captain at a major airline like United, Delta, American or Southwest. Add about a year for getting your CPL, potential CFI, and time spent looking for a job, and the total becomes three years at a minimum. How long does it take to become a pilot? On average, this step takes around 60 hours total for people to complete. But some pilots may take a year or longer to get their PPL, which is perfectly okay as many pilot schools allow you to fly at your convenience. Some first officers have upgraded to captain in around 2-3 years with their regional airline. That slight difference is negligible, though, since most pilots need 60 to 75 hours to become qualified for a PPL. The first step in starting a career, or even switching careers for some, is research and taking the time to thoroughly understand the career that you’re looking at getting into. For those interested in pursuing flying as a career, after obtaining their Private Pilot License they will move onto the next steps of obtaining their instrument rating and then their Commercial Pilot License. Assuming a student has no previous experience, a student can become a private pilot in as little as 4-6 months. Most schools offer a standard, sometimes called integrated, training packages that consist of CPL, instrument rating, and multi-engine rating courses. Within the AeroGuard Pathway Program, students then have the opportunity to work at AeroGuard as a CFI, or Certificated Flight Instructor, training the next generation of students and gaining their 1500 hours of flight time necessary. But you must pay your dues before you become an airline pilot. That means you’ll have to complete a four-year degree before attending officer training of some sort (there are multiple routes, ranging from ROTC to Officer Training School). You need a license to become a pilot, and most aviators start as students. To become  an airline transport pilot, pilots will need their commercial pilot license and instrument rating, along with 1500 hours of flight time experience before they are eligible to gain their ATP certificate. To become a flight instructor, you need to have a commercial pilot license. You can complete a private pilot certification course in about a month. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. takes just over 13 months. All rights reserved. The 40 hours are a mere minimum requirement (35 for Part 141) but the average amount of time that student take to get their PPL is about 50-70 hours according to AOPA. However, be warned of the differences between a Commercial Pilot vs an Airline Pilot– they do not mean the same thing. For a flat rate of $81,000, dedicated students can go through the training program in as little as 9 months. Once they’ve worked at the regional airline as captain for an additional 2-5 years is generally when they will try to move over to the major airlines. How long does it take to become a pilot, though? (By contrast, a recreational pilot certificate requires fewer hours of training, but it has more restrictions. © Copyright 2020 Pilot Institute. Outlined here is how long it will take you to become a pilot in the fast track, accelerated Airline Career Pilot Program &emdash; ATP's complete pilot training solution. Assuming you land a decent pilot job, accumulating those hours takes around two years. We mentioned it’ll take 2-3 years from 0 experience to become an airline transport pilot. Getting the license, though, is a bit more complex than that for a sport or recreational pilot license. Well, the extremely lucrative pilot salary and outstanding benefits don’t hurt! We’ll cover the positions most commonly asked about. All you need is to pass an FAA Medical exam and have a desire to fly for a living and a way to get the training. With all these perks, it’s only logical that it’ll take you a bit longer to become a recreational pilot. Overall, expect four weeks to 12 weeks to become a sport pilot and longer if you want to fly at your own pace. The answer to this question, we must consider a number of factors such as the type of license to earn, type of flight school, experience required and the time taken to clear the exams. Posted: March 02, 2020 ... You don't need any prerequisites or previous experience in order to become a pilot. However, either course is normally based on the minimum flight time required by the FAA. This is a process that may take approximately 3 – 4 months after their PPL is completed, bringing the total time to 7-10 months, depending on the path that they take. The ground school is quite similar to sport’s, though. Another factor to consider is that airline jobs are highly competitive, which means your job search may linger a bit. Other ways of building flight experience to 1500 hours are also available to Commercial Pilots looking to work for the airlines, which may vary in the amount of jobs, flight time, as well as pay available to them to meet their career goals. Some first officers have waited decades to become a captain while others can upgrade in just a few years, but we’ll set an average range of 5-12 years from first officer to captain at a major airline. For additional information, view How long does it take to become a pilot? Taking shortcuts or attending subpar flight schools can lead to bad habits and delay the process. What’s interesting is that you can get your private pilot license in 14 days through an accelerated training course. Many people look at experience required to become a pilot for an airline and get discouraged. All Rights Reserved. 5 of those hours have to be solo and the rest can be with an instructor. That comes in handy as the majority of commercial flight takes place on multi-engine airplanes. November 23, 2020. Being an airline pilot can be a glamorous, exciting, and highly rewarding job. The shortest possible time it takes to train as an airline pilot is around 18 months, assuming the trainee has no previous flying experience and performs to a high standard throughout their training. Assuming a student has no previous experience, a student can become a private pilot in as little as 4-6 months. The time will vary depending on each student’s aptitudes and determination, and whether they participate in full-time accelerated flight training or part-time flexible flight training. The ground school, flight training, and exams to obtain the license don’t take much time. While individuals who opt for this path enjoy the benefit of free training, they do have to serve their country for around 10 years. Well, that answer can vary depending on what type of pilot is being asked about. How Long Does It Take to Become a Pilot? This is when you’ll look at beginning your career at a regional airline like SkyWest. This time can be reduced or lengthened depending on if you decide on full-time or part-time study. For that reason, many pilot schools allow you to “pay as you fly” without committing to a formal course. As previously discussed, getting your CPL takes between 190 to 250 hours, at a minimum. While not required to take flight lessons, the student pilot license is a prerequisite for flying solo. Although no published minimum hours exist, both options usually provide 40 hours of ground schooling. There are many types of pilots and stages of a career that a pilot goes through. Back in 2004, The FAA came up with the sport pilot certificate to make flying more accessible to aviation enthusiasts. Pilot Skills: What Makes a Great Aviator? Welcome to our newest Sandboxx series: Air Force Fighter Pilots with U.S. Air Force F-35 pilot instructor and Sandboxx News contributor, Major Justin “Hasard” Lee. To simplify matters, expect to spend three to five years until you become an airline pilot. That’s right, working as a flight instructor makes for a great way to accrue hours while constantly honing your aeronautical knowledge and pilot skills. In this case, you can basically expect it to take you the full four years to get your pilot ratings in addition to your degree. Assuming you’re taking four lessons per week, you’re looking at one to nearly seven weeks until your first solo. If you enrol on an integrated flight training course, you can start the course with no previous flying experience and reach the point of operating a commercial passenger aircraft in about 18 to 24 months. It’s worth noting that it takes less time if you use the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website instead of submitting a paper application. It could be anywhere between a few hours to 40 hours. Your email address will not be published. It depends on the type of pilot you want to become and what sort of aircraft you want to fly. All in all, the duration of a recreational pilot course varies from 4 weeks to around 3 months depending on whether you choose a fast-track or a standard course. You may receive ground training from an authorized instructor or through a home-study course. Ll look at beginning your career at a major airline: March,... Home-Study course pilot ” is a bit longer to become a CFI –,! 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