Dreaming of becoming a pilot? Flying high above the clouds sounds epic, right? Whether it’s the thrill, the adventure, or just chasing your passion, let’s break down how you can become a pilot in the UK—it’s easier than you think!
There’s a lot of time, effort, and money involved, so we’ve put together this detailed informative guide to help you understand how to become a pilot in the UK.

Decide your path

Once you’ve decided you want to be a pilot, you have to choose which type of pilot you want to be. There are 3 different types of pilots. The path you take to become any one of these differs from each other.

• Commercial Pilot: A commercial pilot flies for airlines or private companies. This is a paid job.
• Military Pilot: A military pilot flies for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
• Private Pilot: A private pilot flies for personal reasons. This is not a paid job. (not a paid job).

Each path taken to become a pilot in the UK has different requirements, so make sure you do your research to choose the right one for you.

What qualifications should you have?

To know how to become a pilot in the UK, first, you need to know about the qualifications you need.

Flight schools, also known as pilot training schools, usually offer three different kinds of professional flight training.

1. Integrated

Integrated courses combine both theory and practical training. They are very intense and help trainee pilots with no previous experience to gain their Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) within 18 months.

2. Modular

Modular courses are more flexible and more affordable than both the integrated and multi-crew pilot license courses. However, it does take a bit longer to complete.

3. Multi-crew pilot license (MPL)

The MPL should only be considered if you want to learn how to fly a specific aircraft or airline.

The above courses all have similar elements. These are.

1. Theoretical training (ATPL theory)
2. Flight training
3. Multi crew course
4. Airline preparation course.

Integrated and modular lead to the same license (a ‘frozen’ ATPL).

There are other paths you can take to become a pilot in the UK if the above don’t fit your requirements.

4. Royal Airforce (RAF )

As the name suggests, this is the military route. You can train to become a pilot through the RAF. The military will cover all costs of your training. However, you must serve in the military after completing your training.

5. University Degree with Flight Training

Some universities also offer aviation degrees that include pilot training along with coursework. This is a great way to get pilot training as well as an education.

Four basic requirements for training.

Hold on! Before you enroll yourself in a flight school, there are some basic requirements you need to meet. Without these, you won’t be able to start training.

1. You need to be at least 17 years old to start training. And you won’t be able to get your license until you are at least 18.
2. You need to meet the medical requirements to start training. You will also need a medical certificate to fly.
3. The minimum you should have is GCSEs in Math, English, and Science. Some courses also require A-levels.
4. Since aviation communication is mainly in English, you need to have good English language skills.

You’ll also need to pass a practical skills test.

Requirements – How to Become a Pilot

There are some more requirements if you want to become a pilot in the UK.

1. You must have passed the Civil Aviation Authority medical before you even take a course.
2. You must have a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
3. You must be 18 years old in order to get a CPL and at least 21 to get an ATPL

Medical License

Before you apply for your Airline Transport Pilot License, (ATPL) you are expected to already have your Class- 1 Medical license. This license is valid for  12 months. Unless you are above 40, in which case it is valid for 6 months.

There are two main types of medical certificates:

1. Class 1 Medical Certificate: This is required if you want to be a commercial pilot.
2. Class 2 Medical Certificate: This is required if you want to be a private pilot

Where can I undertake pilot training?

When you’re thinking about how to become a pilot and picking your flying school you need to keep some factors in mind.

The location of the school, the course offered, whether all of the training can be completed in the UK or not, the total cost of training, and the type of aircraft used are all important things to consider.

 If you’ve decided to train through a flying school or Approved Training Organisation (ATO), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) lists approved flying schools. You can pick the best option for yourself from this list.

Get a license

It goes without saying but to work as a professional commercial, you will need to apply for a license from the CAA.

There are different kinds of licenses, depending on your needs.

1. There’s the Private Pilot Licence (PPL). This one is only for personal flying that is not paid.
2. There’s also the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). This is for paid flying and commercial flights.
3. Lastly, there’s the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). Which you’ll need if you’re flying an aircraft with more than 9 passengers. It’s also needed if you want to be a captain of an airline.

To get any one of these licenses, you’ll need to pass theoretical as well as practical exams. After which you’ll have to build up your flight hours if you want to be hired by an airline.

Conclusion

The answer to how to become a pilot in the UK is truly a labour of love. It takes time, money, and effort like no other. But also it is one of the most exciting careers out there. You have many different pathways to choose from depending on your requirements. Just make sure to do your research before choosing your course and your flight school.

We hope this guide has been helpful in teaching you how to become a pilot in the UK. If this is what you really want, then strap in and contact Enrollmate, today!