Professional Pilot Training
Any pilot who gets paid to fly in the United States must have a license from the federal government. Training and other license requirements vary depending on the type of flying you plan to do, with the strictest requirements set for commercial airline pilots. Training opportunities include joining the Air Force or enrolling in a private flight school. In addition, most airlines require their pilots to have completed at least two years of college education.
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Military Training
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Enlisted officers can learn to fly on the thousands of airplanes and helicopters operated by the U.S. military. Military pilot training consists of multiple hours performing specific exercises on flight simulators. Military flight school also includes courses in flying techniques and emergency procedures, weather and navigation, combat skills and tactics, operation of aircraft systems, inspection of aircraft engines and radar procedures.
Private Flight School
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An increasing number of professional pilots complete their training at private flight schools or by taking lessons from one of the 600 FAA-certified instructors in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The FAA requires 250 total hours of flight experience to get a commercial license. Commercial pilot training includes instruction in the principles of safe flight, navigation techniques and using technology to fly in low-visibility, called flying by instruments.
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Professional Flight Instructors
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Most professional pilots start out as flight instructors so they can earn money from teaching while they collect enough flight hours to qualify for jobs piloting charter planes, working with air-taxi companies or flying for commercial airlines, according to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Services. Professional instructors must have completed all the training requirements for a commercial license. In addition, instructors can also get certification through the National Association of Flight Instructors. Flight instructor certification requires pilots to complete training specific to teaching and evaluating future pilots.
Airline Training
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Licensed commercial pilots who want to work for an airline will usually find that their employer requires its pilots to complete its own training course and log more miles of flight experience than what is required for an FAA commercial license. Commercial airlines could require applicants to have as much as 2,000 hours of flight experience, according to the FAA. Their training courses generally consist of a week of introduction to the company, three to six weeks of ground school and simulator training and 25 hours of additional operating experience, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Companies then require their pilots to complete additional, yearly training throughout their career.
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References
- US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: Pilot
- US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
- Federal Aviation Administration: How do I get a Commercial Pilot's License
- National Association of Flight Instructors: Who we Are
- Today's Military: Aviation
- Photo Credit pilot image by Tijara Images from Fotolia.com
