- 1). Meet the minimum requirements. To get a commercial pilot's license the Federal Aviation Administration requires that you be 18 years old; pass a medical examination given by an FAA-rated physician; and be able to speak, understand and write English.
- 2). Find an FAA-approved flight school that can train you for a private pilot's license (see Resources). You must have a private pilot's license before seeking a commercial license. Finding a college with an aviation program is a good choice because there are many grants to cover college education and many airlines will only hire applicants who have college degrees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook. Best Aviation has a list of college aviation programs (see Resources).
- 3). Begin training. A private pilot's license requires several hours of ground school and at least 35 hours of flight time. Most pilots require around 70 hours in order to pass the test. There is a multiple-choice test and a flight test. Commercial pilot certification requires at least 250 hours of flight time. This is the minimum, but, according to the FAA, many airlines prefer an applicant with 1,000 to 2,000 hours or more.
- 4). Proceed to training for instrument rating. Instrument rated pilots have been trained in how to fly with little or no visibility. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says instrument rating requires at least 40 hours of flight time flying with instruments only.
- 5). Check the requirements of the airline for which you prefer to fly. Each airline has its own requirements for pilots. During periods of high pilot availability, airline requirements generally become more stringent, according to the BLS.
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