What Is Pilot School?
Pilot schools offer flight training programs for those who want to become a pilot for professional aviation goals or those who want to fly for recreation. For those interested in a career as a pilot, FAA-approved courses and nationally accredited training programs feature curricula that can lead to a lucrative and exciting future as a commercial pilot, a flight instructor, or a cargo pilot.
With airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers earning a median annual salary of $202,180 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the demand for pilots expected to grow by 6% over the next several years, now is an excellent time to explore whether pilot school is right for you.
What to Expect in Pilot School?
Education For Pilot School
Though most people - and particularly passengers - assume that you need a college degree to become a commercial airline pilot, at this point there are no major airlines that require pilots to have a four-year degree in order to qualify for a position in the cockpit. A college degree is considered “preferred,” yet there is no specific degree that is viewed as preparatory for flight. The one benefit that having a college degree gives a pilot applicant is a reduction in the number of hours of flight time required for eligibility.
Types of Pilot Classes
If you’re wondering how to become a pilot, you should complete a series of steps that build upon one another. Students start with these 3 steps:
- Earning a Private Pilot Certificate
- Adding an instrument rating that allows you to fly under Instrument Flight Rules
- Earning a commercial pilot’s certificate, a flight instructor certificate, and finally a multi-engine rating
The courses you can expect to take in pilot school will vary depending upon your specific goals. Some programs provide the training necessary to become a commercial pilot while others prepare for roles as Flight Instructor or First Officer.
Pilot School includes both ground training and flight training. In ground school you can expect to study and learn the following:
- Aerodynamics
- Flight systems
- Navigation
- Airplane instruments
- Weather principles
- Airport policies, operations, and runways
The flight training aspect of pilot school begins with earning a single-engine private pilot certificate, which is also known as the “license to learn.” Other courses will include
- Instrument rating
- Federal aviation regulations
- Getting to know the aircraft
- Principles of Flight
- Aeromedical knowledge
- Flight maneuvers and pilot duties
Skills Learned in a Pilot School
Pilot school begins with addressing what pilots need to know to control and fly a private plane. As students continue their journey, additional knowledge and experience gets added on. Among the important skills learned are:
- Using aeronautical charges for navigation
- Dead reckoning
- Understanding navigation systems
- Safe and efficient operation of aircraft, including collision avoidance and recognition and avoidance of wake turbulence
- Obtaining information on runway lengths, data on takeoff and landing distances, weather reports and forecasts, and fuel requirements
- Accident and incident reporting
- Radio communication
- Spin entry and recovery techniques
- Planning for alternatives to planned flights
- Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds
- Ground reference maneuvers
- Basic instrument maneuvers
- Postflight procedures
- Slow flights and stalls
- Recognition of critical weather situations from the ground and in flight
- Wind shear avoidance
- Weight and balance computations
- Emergency operations
- Night operations
How Long Does it Take to Become a Pilot?
The amount of time that it takes to become a pilot depends on your specific goals, as the different professional opportunities for pilots require different certifications and numbers of flight hours. Generally speaking, if you start with no experience and your goal is to become a Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor, you can complete pilot school in one year or less.
And with every major airline having eliminated its college degree requirement, you can dedicate your time to putting in the hours in the cockpit to reach the 1,500 hour total to reach this high level. If, however, you choose to pursue a college degree (which cuts 500 hours from your required flight time), the timeline provided below can be completed during that four year period. You can also begin flying before you have completed your degree.
- 8-12 weeks to obtain your single-engine Private Pilot Certificate
- 6-12 weeks to earn Instrument Rating
- 6-12 weeks to build the amount of time (110 hours) required to qualify to train to become a commercial pilot
- 5 weeks to build to 190-250 total flight hours and learn the additional skills required to become a commercial pilot
Following completion of Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor training, those who are interested in adding on multiple-engine training can do so in another 5 weeks.
If you are interested in becoming an airline pilot and flying regularly scheduled passenger flights, you will need an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. This is the highest pilot license that the FAA issues and requires 1,500 flight hours. This can generally be accomplished within another two years.
Note: Aspiring pilots who flew in the military, or through a collegiate flight program, could be required to have a reduced number of required hours in order to achieve certification. Military pilots are able to qualify for a restricted ATP with just 750 hours of experience, while graduates of four-year aviation colleges can obtain a restricted ATP certification with 1,000 hours. Graduates of two-year aviation colleges must log at least 1,250 hours of flight.
Pilot Specializations and Certifications
Pilot school offers a world of opportunities and choices for those interested in flying. As you gain more experience, you may choose to continue pursuing additional pilot licenses to expand upon your career options. Though every aspiring pilot begins with a Private Pilot’s License (PPL), there are other levels and licenses that can be earned. They are:
What Can You Do with Pilot Training?
While many people attend pilot school for the ability to fly recreationally, the real value of the programs offered is the ability to be paid for the ability to fly safely. From flying charter planes, corporate jets, tour planes, or freight planes to a career piloting passengers on commercial airlines around the world, it all starts with attending pilot school.
How to Become a Commercial Pilot
Becoming a commercial pilot requires both flight training and meeting FAA requirements. Here are the steps:
- Earn a Private Pilot’s License
- Undergo a second-class medical exam from a licensed aviation medical examiner
- Accrue between 190 and 250 total flight hours
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual pay for commercial pilots is $99,640, with a significant range of salaries offered by different industries. Commercial piloting describes almost every type of work in which a person is paid to fly an aircraft on an unscheduled basis, including charter flights and aerial tours, flying corporate jets, and cargo or mail carriers. Commercial pilots can also use their training and knowledge for work on the ground. Typical positions include avionics technicians and air traffic controllers.
The need for commercial pilots is expected to grow by approximately 5% over the next several years as demand grows and professionals retire from the field or seek other employment opportunities.
How to Become an Airline Pilot
Airline pilots are responsible for the safety of hundreds of passengers at a time, and therefore the requirements for an Airline Pilot’s License are more stringent and demanding than those of commercial pilots. Here are the steps to become an airline pilot:
- After earning both a Private Pilot’s License and Commercial Pilot’s License, candidates must also earn an Instrument Rating on their Commercial Pilot License
- Complete an FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program
- Pass a first class medical examination conducted by an aviation medical examiner
Commercial airline pilots are paid generous salaries in exchange for their expertise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average median pay for an airline pilot is $202,180, and the demand for these professionals is expected to grow by 6% over the next ten years.
Other Careers with Pilot School, and How Much Do Pilots Make?
- Median Salary: $129,750
- Career Outlook: +1% (2020-2030)
Air traffic controllers are in charge of how aircrafts fly in and out of airports and how they travel within the grounds of the airport. Their job is to ensure safety and efficiency.
- Median Salary: $109,421
- Career Outlook: +6% (2020-2030)
Flight instructors teach pilot candidates to fly aircrafts, as well as all aspects of ground flight training.
- Median Salary: $81,500
- Career Outlook: +6% (2020-2030)
Fixed-wing air ambulance pilots fly small plains to assist with emergency rescue and medical transport.
Source: BLS
Outstanding Pilot Schools in the U.S.
Purdue University School of Aviation and Transportation Technology – West Lafayette, Indiana
Purdue University's School of Aviation and Transportation Technology offers both undergraduate degrees and graduate programs for aspiring pilots and aviation professionals. Undergraduate majors include:
- Aeronautical Engineering Technology
- Aerospace Financial Analysis
- Airline Management and Operations
- Airport Management and Operations
- Aviation Management
- Professional Flight
- Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Five-year Combined BS-MS degree program
The school also offers certificates, online and in-person Master’s programs in Aviation and Aerospace Management, and PhD programs in Aviation Technology and Management.
Purdue’s programs focus on safety, quality, and sustainability with the goal of creating leaders who can meet the needs of the transportation industry as it evolves. The school also offers students the opportunity to partner with aviation industry leaders.
Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Aviation through its College of Technology, Architecture, and Applied Engineering. The Aviation Studies major will prepare graduates for a variety of positions in general and commercial aviation by educating in three specialization areas: aviation management and operations, aviation engineering technology, and flight technology and operations.
The school operates in accordance with FAA flight certification regulations. The curriculum includes science and mathematics requirements as well as business classes. Students who have already accrued flight and ground training hours will be limited in the amount of credit they receive for this experience: all subsequent flight and ground training must be completed in residence at Bowling Green.
Graduates receive a bachelor’s degree that reflects their ability to solve aviation-related problems. Those who choose the flight technology specialization are also expected to plan, organize, conduct, and complete a safe and efficient flight in a single-engine aircraft. This specialization prepares the student for a career as a commercial pilot.
Oklahoma State University – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University offers an undergraduate degree program that prepares graduates for a range or careers within the aerospace industry. Degree options include Aerospace Security, Aviation Management, Professional Pilot, and Technical Service Management. The Professional Pilot program endows students with both flight skills and classroom knowledge and is authorized by the FAA as a Part 141 institution capable of preparing graduates to fly in the private sector, work as certified flight instructors, or to succeed in non-commercial flight jobs.
OSU also offers a Master’s degree in Aviation and Space and a Doctor of Education degree in Aviation and Space Education.
Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technology – Fort Pierce, Florida
Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technology is certified under FAA Part 141 regulations and offers an associate degree program, a bachelor’s degree program, a commercial pilot program, and an aviation maintenance program.
The Associate of Science degree program centers on Commercial Pilot training and prepares students for FAA certification and ratings. It is well suited to students looking to maximize flight time while earning a college degree and takes two years to complete. The Bachelor of Science degree program offers the same core foundation courses as the associate degree program and is also centered on the commercial pilot certification. This program also permits students to attain greater subject matter expertise through upper-level courses.
The school also offers a 12-month Commercial Pilot program that prepares students for flight certification. It includes a minimum of 200 hours of flight training, 31 of which will be accumulated in multi-engine airplanes and 33 of which are in a flight simulator. The Aviation Maintenance program is a 15-month program that combines classroom activities with hands-on experience to prepare students to perform engine maintenance and inspections, repairs, and more.
Blue Skies Flying Services – Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Blue Skies Flying Services has repeatedly been recognized as one of the country’s best aviation educational training facilities. It offers full-service flight school programs and instruction leading to the Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License, and Certified Flight Instructor I and II certifications.
Next Steps to Get Started in a Pilot School Program
Your next steps in attending a pilot school program depend upon your long-term goals. If you are seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree, you will need to identify, apply to, and be accepted to the university or college of your choice. Though the Federal Aeronautics Administration does not require an accredited degree to become a pilot, many commercial airlines require their pilots to have a four-year undergraduate degree or two-year associate degree. Although they do not require a specific course of study, airlines prefer that students earn degrees in aviation, aeronautical science, or air traffic management and have a strong background in mathematics and science.
If you wish to become a recreational, commercial, or airline transport pilot, you will need to meet the age and health requirements for each level of certification and accumulate the number of ground training and flying training hours associated with each.
Admissions Requirements for Pilot Training Programs
Though pilot schools do not require a high school degree to pursue a private pilot’s license, they do require that students are at least 16 years old in order to take flying lessons. The admissions requirements for those seeking a career as an airline pilot include having an undergraduate or associate degree, and thus are significantly different from those required for pursuing a career as a commercial pilot.
- Submit application for student pilot certificate. No matter which career path you choose, to become a pilot you will begin by obtaining a student pilot certificate, which requires completion of an application through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application website
- Submit certificate to a Part 141 flight school, certified flight instructor, or FAA-designated pilot examiner
- Obtain medical clearance from an FAA-approved aviation medical examiner, who will check your vision and hearing and conduct a neurological and cardiovascular test
- Attend pilot school geared towards the type of training and outcome you seek