Licenses et qualifications needed to become an airline pilot
You can access each section by clicking directly on links below:
2004 : PPL (Private Pilot Licence)
License needed to fly a light aircraft as a private pilot. Duration from 6 months to 2 years.
2005 : ATPL theoretical certificates
Before starting any airline pilot training, you will need to get 14 theoretical ATPL certificates. The content of these certificates is huge as it covers reglementation, electronics/electricity, mechanics, instrumentation, weight and balance, human factors, meteo, navigation, operationnal procedures, radio communications... It requested from me 18 months, about 1600h, 65 books to study and 3 exam sessions to get all 14 certificates.
2004-2006 : Experience PPL (180h)
Before starting the professional pilot training, you need to get 180 hours on any aircraft and 100 hours as Captain.
2006: CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence)
This license allows you to fly as commercial pilot (with salary).
2007: IR (Instrument Rating) and MEP (Multi Engine Propeller)
This training allows flying under any weather condition, ILS approaches (fog, clouds)...
2007: MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation)
Training about the task sharing between pilot flying (PF) and pilot not flying (PNF).
Maintain your skills
A good book for this is The Ace of Technical Pilot Interview.
TR (Type rating)
- TR 737NG : Type rating on Boeing 737 new generation (B737-800 for eg)
- TR A320 : Type rating on Airbus A320 (allows to fly all these types of Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321)
Base training
During this phase, you have to perform 6 takeoffs and 6 landings on Airbus A319/A320/A321, without any passenger on board.
LT (Line Training)
During the first month in any new airline, you will have a line training. You will fly with a Captain who has an instructor qualification. Then, as soon as you will be fully compliant with company procedures, you will be released and you will be able to fly with any Captain in the company.
Career
During your career, you will fly many aircrafts and you will need to get several type rating
Cost of this kind of training (Source in 2010)
| Qualification | Duration | Cost |
| PPL (Private Pilot Licence) | 6 months to 2 years | 7500€ to 10000€ |
| ATPL théorique (Airline Transport Pilot Licence) | 18 months to 36 months | 3500€ to 10000€ |
| 180 HDV (Experience as Captain) | 18 months to 36 months | 10000€ to 15000€ |
| CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) | 6 to 8 weeks | 9000€ to 11000€ |
| MEP (Multi Engine Prop) | 2 to 3 weeks | 3000€ to 4000€ |
| IR (Instrument Rating) | 12 to 14 weeks | 15000€ to 25000€ |
| MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation) | 2 to 3 weeks | 4000€ to 5000€ |
| QT (Type Rating) | 6 to 8 weeks | 28000€ to 45000€ |
The overall cost of this kind of training varies between 80000 euros and 125000 euros (Source in 2010).
My Airline Pilot Training
| Private Pilot | Place | Training | ||||||
| Training PPL Cannes Mandelieu Airport (Private Pilot Licence) | UACA Cannes | Completed in 2004 | ||||||
| Qualification vol de nuit Aéroport Cannes Mandelieu | UACA Cannes | Completed in 2005 | ||||||
| ATPL (14 certificates) | Organisme | Examen | ||||||
| ATPL Phase 1 | ||||||||
| 010 Air law and resoures | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| 021 Aircraft general knowledge | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| 022 Instrumentation | Mermoz Paris | Completed in sept 2005 | ||||||
| 040 Human performance and limitations | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| 080 Mecanical | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| 091 Communications VFR | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| 092 Communications IFR | Mermoz Paris | Completed in june 2005 | ||||||
| ATPL Phase 2 | Mermoz Paris | |||||||
| 031 Mass and balance | Mermoz Paris | Completed in sept 2005 | ||||||
| 032 Performances A et B | Mermoz Paris | Completed in sept 2005 | ||||||
| 033 Flight planning and monitoring | Mermoz Paris | Completed in sept 2005 | ||||||
| 050 Meteorology | Mermoz Paris | Completed in dec 2005 | ||||||
| 061 General navigation | Mermoz Paris | Completed in dec 2005 | ||||||
| 062 Radio navigation | Mermoz Paris | Completed in dec 2005 | ||||||
| 070 Operational procedures | Mermoz Paris | Completed in dec 2005 | ||||||
| Full ATPL completed in January 2006 | ||||||||
| English Training | Place | Training / Exam | ||||||
| Training FCL1.200 (English airline) | Self Training | July 2006 | ||||||
| Training FCL1.028 (English ICAO) | Self Training |
March 2008
| Training
TOEIC
(English Commercial)
| ETS
|
March 2008
| Training English general
(English Speaking)
| TV - Radio
| Permanent
| |
| Practice Airline Pilot | Organisme |
| Licence CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) | Completed in 2006 at Airways |
| Qualification MEP (Multi Engine Qualification) | Completed in 2007 at Airways |
| Qualification IR (Instrument Rating) | Completed in 2007 at Airways |
| Qualification MCC (Multi Crew Coordination) | Completed in 2007 at Airways |
| Type Rating A320 (Type Rating Airbus A320) | Completed in Toulouse |
For those who wish to get very good initial pilot training, you can apply at Airways Formation (pilot school in France).