Do you want to become a pilot but don’t know where to begin?
How do you know if you’ll like it? Will you make a good pilot? Where do you start training? What flight school should you choose? Do you need a medical exam? How do you make a career out of aviation?
If you’re a little bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information out there, you don’t have to be! We’ve covered just about everything in this guide for you to begin your aviation journey.
There’s a lot of information available out there, and it’s easy to get lost in all of it. So we’ve compiled every bit of it right here for you – from how to know if you are a good pilot candidate, to your long-term aviation career aspirations. Below, we’ll take you from your first discovery flight, help you gather resources, explore different career pathways, research your financial options, earn your certificates and ratings, and finally, prepare for your first flying job.
Get ready to fly!
Phase 1: Self-Discovery
As you begin your journey to become a pilot, you might find yourself wondering if you’re really cut out to be a pilot. Will you be able to learn everything you need to learn? What does it take? Are you even eligible?
The short answer is YES – you probably are a great candidate for flying, and YES, you can learn all the things you need to learn! But before you climb aboard an airplane and begin flying, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about those things. Examining your eligibility, interests, values, strengths, and goals will make this process much more clear and easier to navigate.
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
Before you embark on this exciting career path, it is worth checking that you meet the minimum requirements for granting a license as defined by the Federal Aviation Authority. Here is a quick rundown of what is required:
Minimum Pilot Eligibility Requirements:
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- Private Pilot License Requirements: To become a private pilot, one must be at least 17 years old, read, speak, write and understand English, pass an aviation medical exam, and complete the required ground and flight training elements, which includes a written exam, at least 40 hours of flight training, and a final check ride.
- Commercial Pilot License Requirements: Commercial pilots have the same minimum requirements, but applicants must be at least 18 years old, have at least a private pilot certificate and at least 250 hours logged.
- Airline Transport Pilot Requirements: To apply to be an airline transport pilot, one must be at least 23 years old (or 21 years old in certain cases) and have accrued a minimum of 1,500 flying hours (with some exceptions.) Applicants must have a commercial pilot license with an instrument rating and complete an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate Training Program (ATP-CTP)
- Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Requirements: A Restricted ATP (R-ATP) is offered to certain pilots with fewer than 1,500 hours. Graduates of an FAA- approved aviation Bachelors program from an accredited university can obtain a Restricted ATP with just 1,000 hours. Associate degree graduates can obtain an R-ATP with 1,250 hours.
- Tip: Eligible CAU graduates can qualify for a restricted ATP (R-ATP) with only 1,000 hours at the age of 21. By earning a degree from CAU, eligible students can qualify to fly for the airlines at only 21 years old with 1,000 hours. Without a degree, candidates can qualify for a R-ATP at age 21 but they’ll need 1,500 hours. Typically, without the reduced hours a degree offers, it is more difficult to earn 1,500 flight hours by age 21 to qualify for a R-ATP. That typically means CAU students can fly for airlines up to 2 years sooner.
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Step 2: Take a Discovery Flight
It would be a shame to invest all of that time and effort, only to discover that you really did not enjoy flying, (It is doubtful, but it can happen) A trial flight, also known as a discovery flight is short and relatively inexpensive. You can give it a go and see for yourself how exciting it is. Most local flight schools offer discovery flights.
Step 3: Assess Your Interests & Values
What are you excited about? Do you really like flying? Do you also enjoy all the things that come with becoming a pilot, like learning aircraft systems, weather, or flight planning? Do you like travel, or are you more of a homebody? Your interests and values will determine if becoming a pilot is the next step.
Self-Discovery Assessments for interests, values, and more:
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- MAPP: The Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential is a career assessment that focuses on what motivates you. They offer a free and paid version of the assessment, with trillions of unique results written in narrative format that cover things like your learning style, how you relate to people, data, things, etc.
- 16Personalities: This assessment uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for determining personality types. 16Personalities categorizes these types into four different domains: Analysts, Diplomats, Sentinels, and Explorers.
- Keirsey Temperaments: The Keirsey assessment is a great resources for understanding how you communicate with others and how you take action and is a good complement to the 16Personalities.
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Step 4: Assess Your Personal Strengths, & Areas For Growth
Do your strengths align with becoming a pilot? Pilots are required to be punctual, organized, and pay attention to detail. In addition, they must be flexible, have good study habits, and operate well under pressure. If you possess those qualities or want to develop those skills, becoming a pilot would be a great choice.
Self-Discovery Assessment for Strengths:
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- StrengthsFinder: This assessment helps you rank your strengths in order from strongest to weakest and helps you identify your top 5 strengths and your primary domain of strengths. It also advises on what areas you can strengthen and what areas to avoid personally and professionally.
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Step 5: Set Short-Term & Long-Term Goals
If you are ready to become a pilot, it’s helpful to set short-term goals and long-term goals. Getting your aviation medical exam and studying for the private pilot knowledge exam are good short-term goals, while your long-term goals might be to become an airline pilot and travel the world. Once you’ve identified your long-term goals, you can start to identify the short-term goals that will lead you there.
Phase 2: Explore Pilot Career Paths
Maybe you already have a career goal in mind, or maybe you’re still wondering what it’s really like to be an airline pilot versus a corporate pilot or a helicopter pilot versus a fixed-wing pilot.
The world is full of career choices for pilots. While people think of airline pilot as the main career when they think of a “commercial” pilot, the truth is that there are many different types of commercial pilot jobs. From agricultural pilots to airline pilots, or corporate pilots to cargo pilots, there are numerous flying jobs out there.
How do you know what type of flying you might want to do? Well, that’s not an easy answer, but you can start with researching those careers, querying pilots that are doing the specific type of flying you are interested in, attending career events and trade shows, and volunteering with your local aviation groups.
Step 6: Research Commercial Pilot Careers, Industries, & Companies
Many people start out with the clear goal of becoming an airline pilot, but there are many pilot jobs and industries to consider if you want to become a pilot – airlines are just one option!
Step 7: Attend Pilot Career Events
There are many pilot job fairs and conferences throughout the year to attend, hosted by flight training companies, airlines, and specialized professional groups like RTAG, Women in Aviation, NGPA, NBAA, and many others. Joining these professional groups can come with valuable networking benefits and offer learning opportunities for new pilots.
Step 8: Interview Professionals
Maybe the most valuable way to learn about pilot jobs is to query people who are in the industry you’re interested in. Track down a pilot from each sector – airlines, cargo, corporate, firefighting, agriculture, healthcare, etc. and ask them all of the questions you can think of.
Step 9: Shadow or Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to get acquainted with the industry, make new friends, and find mentorship from other pilots. There are many pilot volunteer opportunities available. You could volunteer at an airshow or help a nonprofit aviation organization like EAA or Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
Step 10: Compare Education & Training Pathways
The elements to flight training are all the same, but the methods can be very different. You might accomplish flight training at your own pace at the local flight school flying once or twice a week, or you might choose a fast-track flight academy where you fly every day and learn at a fast pace. Or you might want to go to an aviation college and earn a degree alongside your flight certificates so that you can get that Restricted ATP. There’s no wrong way to do it, but you’ll want to find what works for you. When researching and comparing pathways, consider asking prospective flight schools and universities questions we outlined in our previous post for choosing the right flight school.
Phase 3: Chart Your Pilot Path
After you’ve discovered a specific pilot career path that suits you, you can begin to chart your path forward. Don’t worry- you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do at first. But it helps to have an idea of whether you want to fly helicopters or fixed wing aircraft, for example. Or if you prefer to fly for a large, global company and travel the world, or stick to a small, local flight department that might keep you closer to home.
Choosing a path will help you identify which specific training you might need, as well as help you determine how much time and money to plan on spending on your training.
Step 11: Choose Your Path
Do you want to fly business jets to Europe with high-profile clients and be on call with a lot of days off to lay by the pool at the resort? Or do you want the predictability and stability of an airline schedule, knowing you will fly four days a week either domestic or internationally, with a predictable number of days off? Or maybe you want to fly medical personnel in life-saving missions, or fight fires all summer? Once you identify your goals, it’s time to determine your path to achieving them.
Step 12: Outline Required Degrees, Certification, & Training
All commercial pilots require at a minimum the same technical training – a commercial pilot license, usually with instrument and multi-engine ratings, a first-class medical certificate, and experience applicable to the job. Some jobs, like aerial firefighting, may have specific reequipments like tailwheel experience. Others, like Customs and Border Patrol, may require on-the-ground or field experience before hiring pilots.
Some flying jobs require degrees, and some do not. And the requirement for a degree can be dependent on the current state of the economy. It’s best to assume that most pilot jobs will require a degree. Even if there is a current pilot shortage is resulting in many companies are hiring pilots without college experience, that can change with an economic slowdown.
You’ll want to determine what the requirements are for the specific pilot job you want.
Step 13: Research & Plan Financial Aspects
Flight training isn’t cheap, and many people find the financial aspect of flying to be a challenge. Identify ahead of time what the costs associated will be and determine a plan forward. Will you pay cash for flight training? Take out a loan? Some training programs require you to have the money up front, while others allow you to pay as you go at your own pace. Collegiate training programs often come with the added benefit of lower-interest federal loans.
Most people will utilize a combination of loans, cash, and scholarships to finance flight training.
Step 14: Identify Your Resources
Whatever your goals, you’ll depend on a variety of resources during your flight training adventure. Do you have the books and materials you need? Besides flying supplies like headsets, books, a kneeboard, etc., you’ll want some support groups, too. Is there a study group? An organization or student group where you can find mentorship? Maybe a local organization where you can volunteer and find scholarships. Seek out these valuable resources as soon as you can!
Step 15: Map Your Timeline
Making a timeline can be helpful for you and your instructor. How long do you need to set aside for your training? Do you plan to finish in a year, or four years? This will vary depending on if you are in a fast-paced Part 141 training program vs. a local flight school vs. a collegiate program. But having goals and a timeline will help you stay on track. But you’ll need to stay flexible with that timeline and make sure it’s realistic. There are often weather delays, maintenance delays, or wait lists for flight training that pop up, and delays are often part of the process, too.
Phase 4: Flight Training, Education, & Credentialing
Once you’ve assessed your interest, taken a discovery flight, and chosen a path, it’s time to hop on board an airplane for some real training!
First, you’ll want to find a reputable school that offers what you’re looking for. You might consider Part 61 training versus Part 141 schools, or example. Or a collegiate program versus a local flight school. Then, there’s some paperwork to be done. You’ll need a student pilot certificate and medical exam. Finally, after all of that, you can begin your private pilot training, get additional certificates and ratings, build flight hours, and enter the career world!
Step 16: Obtain Medical & Student Pilot Certificates
So you’re ready to become a pilot? The first step is to get an aviation medical certificate. These are available in First-, Second-, and Third-Class options. Student pilots need a third-class medical certificate, while commercial pilots are required to have a second-class, and airline pilots must have a first-class medical certificate. Some employers will also require a higher-class medical certificate than the FAA requires. There is a list of local FAA medical examiners near you on the FAA website. A minimum of a third-class medical certificate is required to solo an airplane, but you can begin flight training without one.
Next, you’ll apply for a student pilot certificate through an FAA application online. You’ll need an instructor to help you with this, as they have a role in signing the application and verifying your identity. This can be done at any time prior to training.
Step 17: Apply to a Reputable Flight School
Once you’ve found a flight school you want to train at, you’ll want to ask about application requirements. Local flight schools may just have a form to fill out and might assign you an instructor to help you complete the FAA student pilot application. Collegiate flight schools will have a college application process and will assign you an admissions counselor to assist with the application process.
Step 18: Complete Ground School
The ground school portion of the private pilot certificate requirements involves a knowledge exam. To take the knowledge exam, you’ll first need an endorsement from a certified flight instructor or an online training program. To complete this requirement, you can take an online ground school course, offered from a variety of sources, you can study one-on-one with your instructor, or you can take a local in-person class at a college or local flight school.
Step 19: Build Flight Hours
Start flying! You’ll build most of the required flight hours through instructional flights with your instructor that are part of a syllabus. But once you have a solo endorsement, you can also go up alone! And once you’ve obtained your private pilot license, you can fly anytime you want. While most of your training hours will be done with an instructor, most people supplement and gain hours on fun flights on their own.
Step 20: Earn Required Certifications & Education
If you’re on a pilot career path, you’ll work your way through the flight certificates one by one. You’ll earn a private pilot certificate, and then typically an instrument rating, a commercial pilot certificate, and then a multi-engine rating. From there, you’ll gain hours toward an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate. An ATP is required for an airline job, but some other operators also require it as an experience requirement and/or because their aircraft insurance requires it, so it’s wise to get it even if you don’t plan on going to an airline.
In the meantime, many people also obtain a degree or other life experience in the industry that they want to go into. Test pilots for NASA or Boeing, for example, will most often have an engineering degree that requires a four-year college degree plan, as well.
Phase 5: Career Development & Advancement
For many pilots, the first job is in a small airplane, flying tours or cargo or working as a certified flight instructor. While these jobs are often readily available, they’re still competitive, and you’ll want to put your best foot forward to be considered a candidate. Aviation jobs demand highly skilled, competent, and professional pilots, and hiring teams expect you to be all of those things.
Finding flying jobs can be easy, but getting the job is a different story. Securing a position as a pilot often comes only after filling out extensive applications, attending skill-specific, multi-part interviews (sometimes flying a simulator as part of the interview), and actively networking to make sure that people know who you are.
Using all of the career resources available to you will help you navigate the process and finally obtain your dream job!
Step 21: Start the Application Process
Once you’ve obtained your certificates and ratings and necessary hours, it’s time to apply for jobs! The best way to find jobs is to network locally and ask around or search online job postings. Airlines typically open pilot jobs postings a few times per year, depending on the hiring pace. Airline job applications are extensive and require a large amount of effort, so it’s wise to start a job portfolio during training with all the necessary documents and information so that you’re ready when the time comes.
Step 22: Prepare for Interviews
Pilot job interviews are not casual, and they often require extensive preparation and research. An advantage of colleges and universities is that they also offer interview preparation classes and coaching. Either way, you’ll want to do research for each specific company and interview and do practice interviews with industry professionals before you go to your first dream-job interview.
Step 23: Utilize Your Career Resources
There is a variety of career resources out there for you. Colleges and universities offer career centers with valuable career coaches for students. Take advantage of these resources while you can! Outside of colleges, there are airline-specific career coaches, as well as conferences, job boards, and much more that will help you get started.
Step 24: Network, Network, Network
If there’s a secret to landing a pilot job, it’s probably networking. The aviation industry is small, and if you conduct yourself professionally, are pleasant to work with, and treat people well, you’ll benefit from human-to-human networking. This happens at coffee shops, while volunteering, at conferences, career fairs, and at your flight school. Pilots working in the industry are happy to mentor you and help you if you’re willing to take advantage of your networking contacts and maintain a positive relationship with people.
Aviation Organization to Consider for Networking Opportunities:
Step 25: Work toward the long-term
It’s easy to get caught up in what’s happening right in front of us, and for many that may currently be a private pilot license. But don’t forget that this is a long-game, and you’ll want to keep both your short-term and long-term goals in mind as you progress.
The journey to becoming a pilot doesn’t have to be overwhelming! With the tips from this guide, careful consideration, and a little bit of research, you’ll be better equipped to take action as you fly your way to the top!
As you begin, it’s helpful to consider your skills, values, and goals through self-discovery. Then, explore your career options and choose the appropriate path forward. (There’s no wrong answer, so don’t get stuck too long in the choices stage. Since most of the aircraft-specific training is at the end, you can choose another career path along the way without losing out on time or training opportunities.)
Once you find an aviation college or flight school and begin training, the fun begins! As you work your way through your certificates and ratings, you can begin to plan for that dream job! Use all available career resources, and don’t slack on the job interview process! Finally, explore higher career aspirations and set long-term goals for your aviation career.
Before you know it, you’ll be flying high!
Ready to soar in your aviation career?