So you want to be a Pilot?

The opportunities in the world of commercial aviation to fly are boundless. On this site we focus on a large number of career paths for pilots. Our case studies provide real life examples of young people who took the plunge and are now flying as commercial pilots.

Civil pilots work for airlines or commercial helicopter firms. Traditionally, pilot training was sponsored by the airlines, leading to employment after graduation from a Flight Training School. However, airlines have made big changes to the way they train pilots, with currently little airline sponsorship available, and most pilots are self-sponsored.  There is also increasing requirement from some airlines for new pilots to also pay for their own 'type-rating' training (additional qualification for different aircraft types), adding to the costs.

Flight Training schools generally offer either the ‘integrated’ route to obtaining a ‘frozen’ Airline Pilots’ Licence (ATPL) - where cadets start their training from scratch and complete the full training in a specified period of time within the same school – or the ‘modular’ route, which is more flexible, as the different training modules can be done in different schools over a longer period of time. 

Whichever route you choose, you must obtain a CAA Class 1 Medical certificate to be able to fly passengers in addition to your ATPL. It is advisable to obtain this before even starting training to ensure you meet the medical criteria. Commercial Pilot training is expensive, so you should do lots of research into the various options available before committing to any course and seek advice from an impartial source such as the Royal Aeronautical Society or the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.

Finally, don't forget there is also the option to train as a military pilot, flying for the RAF, Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) or Army Air Corps. Find out more in this section.

COMING SOON: Business jet pilot and more training advice