How Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot?
How Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot? – 15 min read
Written By A Real Airline Senior First Officer.
is the ultimate ‘how long does it take to become a pilot’ guide, and it will answer all your questions.
You can read the full How To Become An Airline Pilot Guide by following the link.
Realistically, when we answer the question of how long does it take to become a pilot, we need to look at where you are conducting your training.
We will look at how long it takes in America/Canada and the UK/Europe.
THE QUICK ANSWER
Eligibility/Certification For Major Airlines in America/Canada
Major airlines will require a certain number of hours (usually 1000 hours, but Southwest just reduced their requirement to 500) to be flown on larger aircraft, such as turbo-propeller aircraft and jet aircraft of a certain weight.
This means it takes even longer to fly for these major airlines (like Delta, Southwest etc.) as you will need to also meet these eligibility criteria.
Therefore, this will give the total time to become an airline pilot of:
- At least two years before being eligible to fly for regional airlines (though this usually takes around three years).
- At least three years working at the regional airline, before being eligible for the major airlines. However, most will serve around 5 years before moving from regional airlines to major airlines.
*Of course, with both points above, you must find a job with a regional/major airline, which can greatly increase this time.*
THE DETAILED ANSWER
How To Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot? – Everything You Need To Know
How Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot In America/Canada?
how long does it take to get a pilot license and how long is pilot school?
Private License (PPL)
When looking at how long does it take to become a pilot, this is usually the first step. This is a type of pilot who can fly for fun.
It can take just two months to earn your Private Pilot License (PPL), or private pilot certificate, as it is sometimes known.
It requires a much smaller amount of flight time (minimum number of 40 hours) and will allow the license holder to fly a small airplane, like a Cessna.
This type of license is great for those who don’t want a career in aviation.
Commercial License (CPL)
You can expect to complete your training and achieve your Commercial Pilot License ( commercial pilot certificate) in 12 months (from zero experience).
However, some flight schools claim they can complete this flight training in as little as 7 months.
You will complete the following:
- Private License (PPL)
- Instrument Rating (IR)
- Commercial Pilots License (CPL)
Some flight schools will also include your Multi-Engine Rating, allowing you to fly twin-engine aircraft.
This is important to factor in when researching how long does it take to become a pilot.
Once you have completed the necessary hours of training, you will have your CPL and other relevant qualifications and will then look at flight instruction to build your hours.
This is the start of your pilot career.
Airline Transport Pilots License (ATPL) – Needed To Fly For Regional And Major Airlines
The Requirments
When people ask how long it takes to become a pilot, most are interested in how long it takes to fly for airlines.
You will need the following:
- A Commercial License (9-12 months)
- 1,500 flying hours to earn your Airline Transport Certificate to make you eligible for airline employment. (12-18 months)
- Between 500 – 1000 hours on larger turbo-propellor or jet aircraft to fly for major airlines, such as Southwest, American Airlines etc. (18+ months).
Therefore, this will give the total time to become an airline pilot of:
- At least two years before being eligible to fly for regional airlines (though this usually takes around three years).
- At least three years working at the regional airline, before being eligible for the major airlines. However, most will serve around 5 years before moving from regional airlines to major airlines.
*Of course, with both points above, you must find a job with a regional/major airline, which can greatly increase this time.*
This 1500-hour rule is unique to the United States and Canada, and the FAA sets out this rule.
There are different methods to building these 1500 hours.
Some private hire aircraft at their own expense, some tow banners, but most will work as flight instructors.
Getting Your 1500 Hours – Instructor Certificate
Most flight schools will offer you the option to get your Certified Instructor Rating (CFI) as part of their training and become a certified flight instructor.
Once you have your CPL, this instructor certification can take 1 – 3 months.
The time it takes will vary on the flight school and how much you pay (the more you pay, the quicker the course).
Once you have achieved your flight instructor certificate, the flight school will usually employ you as a flight instructor, teaching their cadets.
You will usually teach basic, visual flight rules (VFR) training either full-time or part-time.
Therefore, you will earn money with your CPL and build your hours until you have 1500 hours. This is a good idea when it comes to the hour building.
As mentioned, getting these 1500 hours can take 12-18 months.
You will most likely be instructing on a Cessna or other small aircraft.
Now you know the answer to how long does it take to become a pilot in America-Canada.
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How Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot In The UK/Europe?
Private License (PPL)
Earning your Private Pilots License (PPL) can take just two months, allowing you to fly for fun.
A PPL is a great license and has many benefits.
You can read how much it costs to become get a PPL.
Commercial License (CPL)
When looking at how long does it take to become a pilot, we must factor in that those in the UK/Europe only require 250 to work for major airlines.
This is thanks to the Civil Aviation Authority (UK) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency not following the same rules as the Federal Aviation Administration.
This is different to the 1500 hours required in America/Canada
Therefore, a CPL is slightly more redundant in the UK/Europe if the dream is flying for an airline.
This license takes around 12+ months to achieve in the quickest possible time.
Airline Transport Pilots License (ATPL)
When talking about how long does it take to become a pilot, we are usually most interested in working for an airline.
In the UK and Europe, the quickest course is an Integrated course.
This course will take a cadet from 0 flying hours to their Frozen Airline Transport Pilots License in 18-22 months.
Therefore, they can go from 0 flight hours/flight experience to flying for an airline in under 24 months.
This course is usually more expensive than the Modular (pay-as-you-go) training method.
During both the Integrated and Modular courses, you will complete the following:
- Ground School
- Flying and Hour Building – Including your first solo flight, your multi-engine rating/training, and other exciting steps where you’ll fly as a student pilot.
- Instrument Rating – Some training schools wont include this as standard.
- Airline Qualification Course (AQC), sometimes known as a Multi Crew Cooperation course (MCC)
Once you have completed the above points, you must complete further training, known as your Type Rating course, which can take about two months.
With this in mind, it took me almost 23 months to complete my training, get my necessary licence and fly passengers for the first time in an A320 aircraft.
The FAA 1500-Hour Aviation Rule In America
We need to look at the 1500-hour rule in America/Canada when discussing how long does it take to become a pilot.
Commercial pilots legally need 1500 hours to work for airlines in America.
You can read our in-depth blog post regarding the 1500-hour rule in American.
Yes, even after becoming fully qualified, those in America still need to log 1500 flying hours before legally being allowed to work for an airline.
This delays their career working with the major airlines. And will subsequently delay them earning a larger salary.
Again, I must stress that this is part of the federal aviation regulations and doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.
This means when looking at how long does it take to become a pilot, we need to look at this total time and flight experience requirement and the extra length it can add to the timeline of becoming a flight crew.
This is incredibly different from the rules in Europe, and the UK, where cadets require 250 hours to get their Commercial Pilots License and fly for the airlines.
Different Types Of Pilot Licences And Qualifications
Private License (PPL)
With this licence, you can fly as a pilot in command of a small, private piston aircraft. However, you can not earn from flying under this licence.
Commercial Licence (CPL)
This licence allows you to fly under nine passengers for commercial purposes.
The Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) License
When looking at how long does it take to become a pilot, this Airline Transport Pilots License is usually what we are talking about.
This differs from a CPL and is necessary to command or operate a flight with more than nine passengers.
After completing training, you will usually be awarded a ‘frozen’ ATPL
This license will become unfrozen once the holder reaches 1500 hours and passes the ATPL skills test in the simulator.
Of these 1500 hours, they must have completed the following licence requirements:
- 500 number of hours flown as a multi-crew in transport or commuter aircraft
- 250 hours flown in command (PIC/Solo flight) (or 100 PIC and 180 PIC under supervision)
- 200 hours flown on cross-country flights (100 in command)
- 75 hours of instrument flight time
100 hours of night flying, in command or as a co-pilot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a pilot with no experience?
If you pick the faster training in America and Canada, you can expect to fly for a regional airline in about three years and a major airline in around five years.
In the UK & Europe, you can fly for a major airline within two years.
What are the requirements for becoming a pilot?
- You don’t need a degree to become a pilot, but some airlines will favour those that do.
- At least 17 and a half years old to start commercial pilot training in the US/Canada.
- You must be 18 years old to start in the UK/Europe.
- Class 1 Medical required.
What is the best way to become a pilot?
Find a flight school with a good reputation with regional/major airlines.
If in America, look for a flight school that will provide you with an instructor job to build 1500 flight hours to allow you to work for the airlines.
Research the flight schools carefully.
How hard is it to become a pilot?
It isn’t easy to become a commercial airline pilot.
The pilot training course will involve commitment and dedication for at least 18 months (18 months on an integrated course and potentially longer on the modular course).
Is becoming a pilot worth the cost?
Although pilots don’t earn huge starting salaries, salaries do increase quickly within the first 5 years of their careers, and can be $500k+ in their late career.
Great salaries, pensions, bonuses and a job that’s different daily make being a pilot a fantastic job, despite the expensive training cost.
What is the best age to become a pilot?
You can start training at 17 and a half years old in America/Canada and 18 in the UK/Europe.
Arguably, it’s worth starting early.
This means that you can start earning good money early on and reach the higher pay scales at a younger age.
To Summarise – How Long To Become An Airline Pilot
So how long does it take to become a pilot?
Training is a fantastic experience and one I would highly recommend.
To Summarise:
- You can get your Commercial Pilots License in just 12-18 months.
- Those in the UK/Europe are eligible for an airline job with just 250 hours – straight out of flight school. I’m evidence that you can complete your training and be flying passengers in under two years in the UK.
- Those in America need 1500 hours before joining an airline. This is the most significant factor that impacts how long it takes to become an airline pilot.
Once you have been offered a job with a commercial airline, joining that airline and completing the necessary training and Type Rating (a license to fly a certain type of aircraft) usually takes about 2-3 months.
I’m evidence that you can complete your pilot training and be flying passengers in under two years in the UK.
However, newly trained cadets who have just finished flight school are more likely to get a job quicker if they have completed nearly or all of their training with first-time passes.
Commercial training is costly, but the good news is that the salaries are usually very highly paid and are likely to get even better as the world heads towards a global pilot shortage.
Now you should know the exact answer to “How Long Does It Take To Become A Pilot?”.
