How long does it take to become a pilot?

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Become an Airline Pilot in 2022 Guide

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How long does it take to become a pilot?

It is possible to become a commercial pilot in as little as 16-18 months if you follow an intensive Modular or Integrated course and experience no delays due to weather or other operational issues. However most students will take between 18 and 24 months to complete their training and be ready to join an airline.

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It is important you plan your training to ensure you are mainly completing classroom based ground school training during the winter and periods of bad weather, and the practical flying is planned for during the summer better flying weather. Some flight schools have 'fair weather' bases which allow students to complete parts of their training in another region where the weather is more suitable.

It is also possible to train part-time through modular courses which obviously increases the time it takes but may allow you balance your life around your training, including continuing to work to afford the training.

Flight training is not a race, there is no award for being the fastest student to go from zero to fully qualified, especially if this comes at the cost of first time passes in both practical and theoretical exams. While additional training will delay you and potentially cost you in the finance department, the benefit of receiving high scoring exam results and first time passes in your CPL and MEIR tests are enormous - especially in the very competitive recruitment market being experienced in 2022.

There is also benefit in looking at the estimated end time for your training. Many airlines recruitment is very seasonal with new pilots being trained at the start of the year in preparation for the busy summer months. If you finish training after this new intake you could potentially have a long wait before you can expect to move into a paid airline flying role.