Airline pilot : Training

Once employment has been secured, you will complete a type-rating course on a company aircraft which then allows you to fly that particular type of plane. If you needed to move to a different aircraft in the future another type-rating would have to be completed.

As a newly qualified first officer you would work alongside a captain, usually on short-haul flights to provide you with experience of a lot of take-offs and landings. Once you had achieved 1,500 hours of flying time (500 of which must be in a plane which requires more than one crew to operate it) your ATLP will become ‘unfrozen’ and you will be issued with a full ATPL. This is what is required to go on to become a captain.

All pilots have to pass certain examinations every six months in order to keep their licence and so it is important that the pilot takes control of their studies and ensures they are up to speed with the necessary information. It is also good to keep up to date with any developments in new instruments or technology relating to aviation.