Becoming a Professional Pilot
Commercial and airline pilots who have just been hired by major airlines or mostly on-demand commercial airlines need to undergo thorough training before being deployed to fly. Commercial pilots usually start their careers as commercial airliners. They may then decide to become military pilots, flying transport helicopters as well. There is no specific course work for commercial pilots, but they usually have to undergo some type of pilot training to get their commercial pilot license.
Most aspiring commercial pilots will first need to get a commercial pilot license from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). Once this is obtained, applicants must then complete a specified number of hours of supervised flight experience. This experience can be done in a flight simulator, or through the use of actual jet fuel. A lot of effort goes into preparing aspiring pilots for their flight test, which includes a significant amount of pre-flight training. Most of the time, applicants must pass a practical flight test before being given the OK to proceed to the second stage.
The next stage of pilot training programs involves an examination that will determine whether or not the student pilot meets all of the qualifications needed to become a licensed airline pilot. This examination will go through a detailed review of the applicant’s physical and mental makeup. It will also look at their personality and communication skills. The next stage of application includes a written evaluation, which will compare the candidate’s personality with the guidelines of the FAA and regional airline pilot certification standards. If both candidates pass this evaluation, then they will be granted a national senior pilot certificate.
Becoming an airline pilot is not easy. Although it requires only a small number of hours of pilot training, it still involves a significant amount of hard work. A large majority of applicants who successfully get their commercial pilot certificate do so by completing the entire required course work within one year. For those who are unable to complete the full one-year course requirement, some companies will provide training on the job.
Some airlines use a ranking system for determining airline pilot seniority. This ranking system is not publicly known, although it is commonly referred to as a point system or a weight system. No weight system is actually used in United States, although some smaller airlines follow a system that awards points based on experience, flying hours, and type of aircraft flown. Other airlines use a point system where each flight is awarded a certain weight. The actual amount of time that a particular pilot flies is not considered, only the total number of hours that the pilot flies.
Becoming a licensed professional pilot involves fulfilling several steps. After becoming a licensed pilot, the aspiring pilot must first complete a course designed to train him or her for airline pilot flight. Next, the aspiring pilot must successfully complete an exam given by a state board of education. The aspiring pilot must successfully pass this exam before he or she can legally obtain a professional pilot’s license. Once the aspiring pilot becomes a licensed pilot, he or she can apply for federal air travel regulations and begin flying airplanes.