How To Become a Professional Pilot in Europe
The first step in your aviation career will be to earn your EASA Private Pilot License (PPL). During this initial flight training, students will learn all the fundamentals of aviation and acquire the essential skills to fly an aircraft. With the Private Pilot License, pilots will be able to fly a Single Engine Piston Land (SEP Land) for their pleasure. You will also be able to carry passengers anywhere in Europe. Students can now finish their entire theoretical training and examinations online before beginning the flight training.
Once you’ve earned your Private Pilot License, it’s time to expand your knowledge by studying the 14 theoretical subjects of the EASA Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL). The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) requires you to have superior and precise knowledge of aviation to be able to become an Airline Pilot. While you complete your theoretical training, you have the opportunity to simultaneously start your flight training as well.
During the ATPL training, pilots continue flying either alone or with friends and relatives. You will need a minimum of 100 hours of flight as Pilot In Command (PIC) to be eligible for the Commercial Pilot license skill test. Time Building allows pilots to gain experience and build hours which are requirements to further their aviation career.
Pilots need to earn Night Rating (NR) to be able to fly at night under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) anywhere in Europe.
Once you’re a holder of a PPL (A) license, you have good ATPL (A) theoretical knowledge and you feel confident onboard you can start your Instrument Rating. IR(A) is a qualification that allows pilots to fly under Instrument Flight Rules(IFR), which means under low visibility and cloudy conditions. It is a great extension to PPL for those who still like to fly as a Hobby or for Business trips no matter the weather conditions. Instrument rating was previously called “safety rating”.
It’s time to be able to earn money with all these ratings and to accomplish this you need to earn your Commercial Pilot License (CPL). This is a license and not a rating. You were previously a Private Pilot and you are now joining the team of Professional Pilots. You will be eligible to be hired for your piloting skills and make a career out of your passion. Your PPL license will be replaced by a CPL license with all the ratings gathered.
The next step of your flight training will be to earn the Multi-Engine Piston (MEP), which is required by most airlines before hiring. This rating will allow pilots to fly an airplane with more than two engines. Pilots will start to fly bigger, faster and further.
The last step of this training will be to earn a Multi-Crew Certificate (MCC) and proceed for a Jet Orientation Course (JOC) if you wish to fly any kind of Jet airplane. This training will allow you to fly under Multi-Crew operations, identify your respective tasks and responsibilities as a flight crew, and understand the general philosophy of Multi-Crew Operations. The Jet Orientation Course will provide you with the basic skills to fly a Jet airplane and highlight the differences between all previous airplanes that you flew and this new high-performance air.
Welcome to Commercial Aviation! You are now a fully qualified Airline Pilot ready to find your first pilot job.