How to Become a Pilot: Certificates and Hours

Becoming a professional pilot means earning a sequence of FAA certificates: a student pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, an instrument rating and a commercial pilot certificate, with an FAA medical certificate along the way. Airline pilots also need an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, which generally requires 1,500 flight hours. You can train at a flight school, in a college aviation program or in the military.

What the work is really like

The cockpit is the small part people picture. The real job is planning, checklists, weather, crew coordination and a career of ongoing tests.

Airline flying: trips that keep you away several days at a time, early report times, holidays at work, and schedules set largely by seniority, so new pilots often get the least choice.
Other flying jobs: flight instructing, cargo, charter, corporate flying, aerial survey, firefighting support, agricultural work, tours and medical transport. Many of these keep you closer to home.
Constant evaluation: pilots go through recurrent training, simulator checks and regular medical exams for their whole career. Losing your medical can pause or end flying.
Waiting: delays, weather holds and layovers are part of the job.

The certificate sequence

These are the main steps, with federal minimums under the FAA’s Part 61 rules. Most students need more than the minimum hours.

Medical certificate: issued by an aviation medical examiner. If you want an airline career, get a first-class medical exam early, before spending money on training.
Student pilot certificate: lets you fly solo with an instructor’s sign-off. The minimum age to solo an airplane is 16.
Private pilot certificate: at least 40 hours of flight time, a written knowledge test and a checkride with an examiner. Minimum age 17.
Instrument rating: training to fly by reference to instruments in clouds and low visibility. Airlines expect it.
Commercial pilot certificate: lets you be paid to fly. It generally requires 250 hours total under Part 61, and you must be at least 18.
Flight instructor certificate (optional): the most common way to build hours while getting paid.
Airline transport pilot certificate: generally 1,500 hours and age 23, plus a required ATP training course. Certain military pilots and graduates of approved aviation degree programs can qualify with fewer hours under a restricted ATP.

Training routes

Part 61 flight schools: flexible pacing, good if you are training around a job.
Part 141 flight schools: a structured, FAA-approved syllabus, sometimes with lower hour minimums for some certificates.
College aviation programs: a degree plus flight training, and an approved program can lower your ATP hour requirement.
Military: training is paid for in exchange for a multi-year service commitment, and selection is competitive.

Training costs vary widely and can be a serious amount of debt. Compare total costs in writing, ask how often students wait for aircraft or instructors, and read our financial aid basics if you are considering a degree route.

A path from high school

Take math and physics seriously. Weather, navigation and aircraft performance all use them.
Book a discovery flight, a short intro lesson most flight schools offer.
Get a medical exam early so a surprise does not derail you later.
Start ground school and the private pilot knowledge test; some students finish a private certificate before graduating high school.
Choose your route: flight school while working, a college aviation program or a military path.
Build hours, often by instructing, then move toward the ATP.

Test the fit

Take a discovery flight, then a second lesson. The second one is more telling.
Spend a Saturday at a local airport and talk to instructors and working pilots about schedules and time away.
Do informational interviews with pilots in two different kinds of flying, such as an airline and a charter operation.
Sit in on a ground school class to see whether the studying appeals to you.

Who thrives, and why some people leave

Pilots who last tend to be calm under pressure, comfortable with procedure and willing to keep studying for decades. People leave over time away from family, medical issues, training debt and the hiring swings the industry goes through. Flying skills carry into aviation safety, dispatch, training and management.

Career changers

Plenty of pilots start in their late twenties or thirties, often training part time while working. Cost and schedule are the main hurdles, so build a realistic plan before the first lesson. Our guides on career change and the mid-career pivot can help you think it through. For current pay and outlook, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Where a mentor helps

Flight training is long and expensive, and it stalls when life gets busy. A mentor helps you explore whether flying fits, plan the order of certificates and the budget, stay accountable to a weekly study and flying schedule, and prepare for job applications and the first flying job. Mentors are not flight instructors, career counselors with credentials, admissions counselors or FAA experts. See career and education mentoring and mentoring for young adults.

Common questions

Do you need a college degree to be an airline pilot?

The FAA does not require one. Some employers prefer a degree, and graduating from an approved aviation degree program can lower the ATP hour requirement.

Can I become a pilot if I wear glasses?

Often yes, since vision standards generally allow correction. An aviation medical examiner can tell you whether you meet the standard for the class of medical you need.

How long does it take to become a pilot?

A private certificate can take a few months of steady training. Reaching airline minimums usually takes a few years, because building flight hours is the slow part.

What is a discovery flight?

A short introductory lesson where you take the controls with an instructor. It is the cheapest way to find out whether you like flying.

Get started

Want help building a realistic plan toward a flying career? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.

How to Become a Pilot: Certificates, Flight Hours and Paths