大象传媒

CONTENTS

1. Routes to becoming a pilot

2. Skills you鈥檒l need

3. Finding work experience

4. How to get a job as a pilot

5. What it's like to be a pilot

Routes to becoming a pilot

To become a pilot, you鈥檒l need to pass academic, practical and medical assessments to ensure you are capable of taking on the responsibilities that come with the job. There are various routes you can take to qualify but they all come with a similar cost.

Undergraduate degrees

If you鈥檙e thinking of becoming a pilot, you could do an undergraduate degree in air transport or aviation that involves commercial pilot training with an approved flight training organisation. The flight training is an additional cost to the usual university fees and is around £80,000.

Some degrees take three years while others include a sandwich year and take four. You鈥檒l usually need three A Levels (or equivalent) and a minimum Class 2 medical certificate to apply. You鈥檒l need to pass a Class 1 medical during your course to get your commercial license. With the training costs being so high, many people elect to get the Class 1 certificate before their course starts.

Alternative routes

A more direct route could be through an apprenticeship-style scheme. Individual passenger airlines offer pilot training schemes, or you could train with a private flying school and obtain your commercial license that way. Unlike a degree apprenticeship, you will need to pay for this training. The Civil Aviation Authority holds details of flight training schools. Alternatively, you might be able to secure an apprenticeship with the armed forces if you want to work in the military.

Postgraduate degrees

Various air transport management and operations postgraduate courses are available to study if you have a related undergraduate degree. These sorts of courses are often suited to individuals looking to make a career move within the industry rather than progress as a pilot.

Skills you鈥檒l need

To become a successful pilot, you鈥檒l need the following skills:

• Attention to detail
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of maths and computer software packages
• Observation and recording skills
• Thinking and reasoning skills
• Ability to operate and control complex control equipment
• Ability to stay calm under stressful situations

Finding work experience

Training to be a pilot can be extremely expensive so it鈥檚 a good idea to be sure this is the career for you. run an aptitude test for people with little or no flying experience. This will help you establish whether you have the potential to succeed in this industry.

You could also join your local gliding and flying club and explore getting a Private Pilot鈥檚 License.

How to get a job as a pilot

The industry is very competitive, and it can take time to find your first role. Newly qualified pilots might need to look abroad for work. Alternatively, if you opted for an apprentice-style scheme, you might be offered a job on successful completion.

General aviation is the largest sector and includes flying schools, companies operating their own aircraft and air taxi operators. You could also look at scheduled airlines like British Airways, chartered airlines like TUI group or freight airlines like TNT.

What it's like to be a pilot

Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include:

• taking turns to fly the plane or communicate with air traffic control
• working out the best routes using weather reports and air traffic control data
• creating a flight plan including details of fuel required and the height you'll need to fly
• carrying out pre-flight checks of instruments, engines, fuel and safety systems
• briefing cabin crew
• taking instructions from air traffic control
• following procedures during take-off and landing to cut down noise pollution
• checking data during the flight and adjust the route where necessary
• keeping passengers and crew informed about journey progress
• writing reports about in-flight issues

You鈥檒l be based on an aircraft often in quite cramped conditions and work long hours away from home. You鈥檒l start as a co-pilot and will need to complete at least 1,500 flying hours to progress. It usually takes between three and five years to qualify as an airline captain. With experience and further study, you could become a flight training instructor or an operations manager on the ground.

Starting salaries vary depend on the airline and the type of aircraft you're flying but typically range between £24,000 and £28,000. A pilot's salary is often incremental, rising with each year of service with the company. Benefits usually include a discounted travel and a pension scheme.

Is a role as a pilot right for you?

A role as a pilot is a highly skilled and rewarding career but it can be stressful. The Covid-19 pandemic has also had a huge impact on the aviation industry so it鈥檚 worth doing lots of research to establish it is right for you before committing time and money.