( Source - Hubpages: How to become a Commercial Pilot?Quick Article)
A quick reference guide for the upcoming CPL holders
Commercial Pilots (herein after referred as CP's) are the people whose profession is packed with responsibilities and their pockets packed with Money.They are the special people who enjoy the unique thrilling experience which comes in piloting the huge aircraft at 10000 feet above the sea level.
No doubt CP is a very adventurous, high rated high class and a glamorous job present in the world, It's an eye catching moment when you see a pilot walking with his luggage in the airport. But High rated High class means the job is filled with many responsibilities/duties with no room for errors. To accomplish this the person should be armed with qualities like Leadership, interpersonal skills, good communication skill and most important is he/she should be a quick decision maker. All these qualities comes with a positive attitude. So have that first and then the rest.
Hurdles:
1. Financially strong family background. Need huge money to cover the training cost.
2. Medically fit. No compromise in this matter. One should have a clear vision (preferably 6/6) with good hearing capability. Drug addicts or too much alcoholic guys are not preferred.
3. Should be Fluent in the international aviation language English. One of the most important step which helps in communicating with the fellow pilot in the cock pit and with the Air traffic Control officers.
4. Passion for flying at any given time (even at 3am).
5. Capable to manage the home sickness, less frequent chances to be with family all the time.
Steps to start and finish CPL:
1. To start with you should be 17 years and an educational qualification of 10+2 in science( Physics and Maths).
2. Second step is geting associated with the right training school. Always choose a school which is Government approved like FAA in USA, DGCA in INDIA etc.
3. Before investing any amount get a first class medical certificate from the respective Aviation approved hospital ( not the normal city hospitals). If found fit then start accumulating the required fees for the training.
4. Then the school starts your Private pilot license (PPL) course. PPL includes minimum 40hours of Flying time which intern includes 3 hours each of
- cross country flight.
- night flying, including one cross-country flight of at least 100 nautical miles.
- instrument training.
- practical test preparation with your instructor and at least 10 hours flying cross-country by yourself (solo flight).
Total PPL cost may be around $12K (40 to 60 hours).
5. Commercial pilot license (CPL) course can be taken after PPL course completes successfully. CPL includes minimum of 190 hours of flying time which includes
- 150 hours solo.
- 25 hours cross-country.
- 10 hours instrument flying.
- 5 hours of night flying.
The CPL is more expensive, which may cost around $35 an hour for basic single engined aircraft. Total CPL cost may go up to $55K (more than 200hours)
6. Look for a Flying/Gliding Club nearby and become a member to accumulate your flying hours which will help in getting hired soon.
7. At least 10 hours of multi-engine rating is required to become a professional airline pilot. The total expenses for this would be around $35K. Training may be done on the Boeing 737 or equivalent. Even without completing this test one can follow the step 1 to 5 to attend the CPL exam.
8. Final step is to attend the airline authority's exam, pass it and then you will be awarded with the much awaited CPL and henceforth you will be called as a Pilot, a CPL Holder.
Through Air force:
You can skip all the above steps if you get selected in the Air force service or coast guard flying team. For that you need to apply for the air force exams( for applications check your airforce websites or the newspapers).The age eligibility ranges from 19 to 23 years.
The air force conducts rigorous exams various medical test to get qualified. They always follow a simple rule during selecting the candidate i.e, "No compromise", Candidate must and should be fit in all their requirements. If candidate crosses their threshold level score then he/she is selected and crossing the threshold is very difficult but not impossible.
The Commercial Airlines company always prefer retd Air force pilots over the privately trained pilots because of the extra ordinary training given to them and other valuable qualities (like quick decision making, commanding etc) and hence leading them to earn more income compared with others.
Serving in any country's Air force gives an Above all kind of a feeling to the pilot. But in any case if you couldn't make the Air force exams then you can go for the above formulated steps.
After the training:
Keep looking for the airline pilot's job and apply it, as soon as you get hired its time to walk with your luggage in the airport and people staring at you lovingly.
There are two levels in airline pilot hierarchy, initially you will start as a first officer (co pilot) and then proceed to become the captain of the Plane. Salary Package of a Co pilot starts from $3k/month (apprx) and for Captain $20000/month (apprx).
As a CPL holders you have to undergo medical inspection every 12 months and for PPL holders every 24 months.
A CPL is valid for five years and PPL for 10 years (may vary). Thereafter, the licences have to be renewed consistently.
The duty is so demanding that you will have a long absences from home and family. No matter what is situation at home, you will be going back into the sky. In this profession Medical fitness is directly proportional to the Job validity period. So your career will always depend on maintaining your medical certificate.
Eventually a lot required is a high determination to be a pilot. Believe that you will become a pilot and one fine day surely you will. Good Luck!
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