How To Become an Airline Pilot
Here at Axiom Aviation, we know everything there is to know about becoming an airline pilot. Becoming an airline pilot is a great goal that is very achievable, but it takes work and lots of it. Every student is responsible for their own success. Students can expect to spend a couple of hours per day flying and at least twice that studying.
Pilots need to be motivated to learn both in the air and on the ground because pilots seldom get to learn from their mistakes. But this should not discourage aspiring aviators from pursuing their dreams; instead, it should be used to help them remain focused and determined.
The road to becoming an airline pilot is a long one. Many flight schools will try to sell their program as being the fastest path to the airlines. If a student is looking to study full-time, whatever program they choose should give them the tools and ability to complete the course in under a year. Once a student has acquired their ratings, earning their remaining 1200 flight hours needed to go to an airline is entirely up to them.
Many flight schools, such as Axiom, hire their students as instructors upon completing their training. But even then, no flight school can guarantee their instructors a set amount of flight hours. It can take anywhere from one year to several years for a pilot to build these hours.
But for anyone who loves aviation and is dedicated, becoming an airline pilot is a fantastic option. Below is a list of every step required to reach the airlines. There are no semesters in flight training. Pilots must obtain every license and rating required one at a time.
Private Pilot License: Before a person can become an airline pilot, they must first earn a private pilot's license. This allows a person to act as Pilot in Command of any aircraft they are rated to fly. The catch is that they must operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and cannot fly for compensation or hire. Students will learn the basic building blocks needed to become a great pilot at this stage.
Instrument Rating: Once a pilot has obtained their PPL, they may add an instrument rating. This rating certifies them to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions and gives them the skills to fly based solely on navigation instruments. This allows pilots to fly in reduced visibility.
Commercial Pilot License: This license allows pilots to fly for compensation or hire. It is, in simple terms, a more advanced Private Pilot License. Having obtained a Commercial License, pilots will have earned 250 flight hours.
Multi-Engine: This add-on gives pilots licensed to operate single-engine aircraft the ability to fly a plane with two engines. Here at Axiom, we do the training in a Piper Twin Comanche.
Certified Flight Instructor: The (CFI) rating allows a pilot to instruct others. Because many pilots earn this rating in flight school, a CFI job is the first pilot job they will ever have. There are also CFII and MEI instructor ratings that allow the holder to instruct instrument students along with multi-engine students. Students who attend Axiom will be able to earn all three of these instructor ratings.
Experience: Once Students have acquired all their ratings and finished flight school, they continue gaining experience and working towards the 1500-hour requirement to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATP). Most pilots do this by working as a CFI. There are also other job opportunities, including becoming a survey pilot, towing banners, and more.
Airline interview: Once a pilot has all their ratings and 1500 flight hours, they may begin applying to Airlines. At Axiom Aviation, all students are guaranteed an interview with SkyWest Airlines. Once an airline is hired, pilots must undergo a rigorous training course to obtain an ATP license. Luckily for pilots, this training is paid for by the airline.
For questions concerning becoming an airline pilot or to learn more about one of the best flight training programs in the world, give us a call at (262) AX-PILOT, or email us at info@flyaxiom.com.