How to Become an Airline Pilot in Canada
Flying an airplane of any size can be a thrilling and immensely rewarding experience. If you have the ability to understand and operate complex machinery and are able to react effectively in a crisis, a career as an airline pilot may be a great fit. To become a commercial airline pilot in Canada, a medical exam, formal training and the necessary licensing by the federal government is required.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Medical exam
- Flight training
- Private pilot license
- Commercial pilot license
Instructions
-
-
1
Complete a medical exam. This is to ensure that there are no underlying health disorders or conditions, such as high blood pressure, epilepsy or diabetes, that may hinder your ability to stay active and alert while operating a plane. While you can technically begin flight training before passing a medical exam, it is a good idea to ensure that you are physically fit to fly prior to investing both your time and money.
-
2
Receive professional flight training from an accredited institution. This can be completed through a public post-secondary institution, such as Seneca College's Bachelor of Applied Technology Flight Program or a privately run school, such as Aero Academy's Commercial Pilot Training Program. While a post-secondary degree is not formally required to become a pilot, most airlines look favorably upon such credentials when selecting potential employees. Consider completing a degree program in aviation or a related field, such as engineering.
-
-
3
Apply for a private pilot license. There are four types of licenses in Canada: the recreational pilot permit, the private pilot's license, the commercial pilot's license and the airline transport pilot's license. To work for a major airline, one needs to obtain one of the last two licenses. Since it is a graduated licensing system, one must begin with a recreational or private license before moving on to the commercial and airline transport pilot licenses. All aspiring commercial pilots must first acquire a private pilot license, typically following several months of formal training that include a total of 35 hours of flight time. A candidate must submit a letter of recommendation from a qualified flight instructor attesting to the candidate's readiness to be tested, followed by a written examination and a flight test.
-
4
Apply for a commercial pilot license. This will qualify you to fly for a major airline. Both a flight test and written examination are required. In order to qualify for the flight test, candidates must present a letter of recommendation from a qualified flight instructor verifying that he or she is adequately prepared.
-
5
Gain professional experience. While a commercial pilot license will grant you consideration for entry-level jobs, competition can be very high. Consider taking a job as an air taxi pilot, flight instructor or as a pilot with a smaller airline so you can increase your flight hours while waiting for an appropriate entry-level position to open up.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pilot image by Tijara Images from Fotolia.com
