Airline Pilot Training Overview
This article provides an overview of airline pilot training, which is necessary if you want to embark on a high-paying and challenging career in the sky. This kind of training is much more stringent than private pilot training because while this is a very exciting job with a high pay, safety is of the utmost importance. Hundreds of lives and a multi-million dollar airplane are dependent on the skills and competency of the airline pilot. Thus, commercial pilots and those who are aspiring to become one need to be willing to do a lot of hard work. Actually, the training of an airline pilot never ends because they have to remain updated on various developments in aviation. As a result, the captain of large commercial airplanes, such as 747s, need to undergo flight checks and exams a number of times each year. Thus, the initial airline pilot training is just the beginning in an airline pilot's struggle for excellence.
First of all, a person can start in this career path by getting a private pilot license. By enrolling at a flight training school and complying with several requirements, such as a third class FAA medical certificate, oral and written exams, actual flight test and a minimum number of flight hours, the candidate gets certified as a private pilot. Of course, this is just the start because the next step in airline pilot training is to get a commercial pilot certificate. This is the license that allows a pilot to be paid and to be hired for commercial flights by companies, such as United Airlines.
To obtain a commercial pilot certificate, the candidate must have completed at least 250 flight hours. A second class FAA medical certificate will be needed and the pilot must pass a check ride where the pilot will have to perform certain kinds of maneuvers. Another requirement for the commercial pilot is to have a multi-engine rating and an instrument rating. To get the instrument rating he or she has to pass instrument ground school, complete a certain number of flight hours using instruments only and pass a check ride that will focus on instrument rating.
Airline pilot training may also require the pilot to obtain an airline transport pilot certificate, which permits him or her to be the captain and be in command of a large commercial airplane, such as a 747. This kind of certificate requires at least 1,500 flight hours and he or she should have been the pilot in command for at least 250 hours. The candidate must have a first class FAA medical certificate and pass a written exam. As you can see, going through the process is a long and expensive process. That is why it requires a person to be dedicated and to be willing to do a lot of hard work. Moreover, it can be seen that it also needs a lot of funds. Fortunately, for some people, this could be remedied if they are sponsored by a certain airline.
