How To Become A Commercial Pilot and Earn a Huge Salary
How To Become A Commercial Pilot and Earn a Huge Salary. A commercial pilot is someone with a commercial pilot’s license. This means they can legally fly aircraft for domestic and international airlines, charter flights and rescue and firefighting operations.
Commercial pilots typically work on rotating rosters that include overnight layovers and weekends away. Salaries typically range between $63,000 and $139,000 a year. The average hourly rate for commercial pilots is $45.39 per hour.
Contents
What are the primary duties of a commercial pilot?
- Determine routes: pilots decide which specific route to take to their destination based on weather, traffic and other factors.
- Perform inspections: pilots must perform a series of pre and post-flight inspections to ensure the aircraft is mechanically sound and doesn’t require any maintenance or repairs.
- Assess risk: pilots regularly assess the risk of certain actions while flying to ensure every flight is safe and comfortable for their crew and passengers.
- Maintain records: pilots must maintain detailed records about their inspections and flights.
- Pilot aircraft: pilots are in control of their aircraft and operate the controls while flying.
- Communicate with stakeholders: pilots are in regular communication with other aviation stakeholders, like fellow pilots and air traffic controllers, to ensure they’re flying safely and to confirm the flight route.
How Much Do Commercial Pilots Make?
What is the average salary of a Commercial Pilot? The average salary for a commercial pilot in the United States is $94,406. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a Commercial Pilot is $77,200 per year.
Step-by-Step Guide on how to become a commercial pilot In Australia
Step 1. Complete your flight school training
You can choose from one of the 280 Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)-licensed organisations to complete your initial flight school training hours. It’s beneficial to choose an organisation that delivers commercial flight training, so you can complete all training with one organisation.
Step 2. Get your CASA medical certificate
You must get a CASA Class 1 or 2 medical certificate before you fly solo. Commercial pilots need a Class 1 medical certificate, which is valid for one year. Meanwhile, a CASA Class 2 medical certificate is valid for up to four years if you are under 40 years old, and two years if you’re older than 40.
Step 3. Get your commercial pilot or air transport pilot licence
- Pass the commercial pilot licence (CPL) theory exams.
- Complete flight training
- Meet the minimum aeronautical experience requirements. This includes 200 hours of non-integrated courses for aeroplanes and 150 hours of integrated courses for aeroplanes.
- Pass the CPL flight test. This flight test includes basic flying, as well as cross-country and instrument flying.
- Pass the air transport pilot licence (ATPL) exams.
- Complete the flight training and a CASA-approved course on multi-crew training.
- Meet the minimum aeronautical experience requirements. This is 1500 hours for aeroplanes.
- Pass the ATPL flight test.
Step 4. Apply for a job
Ensure to apply with a well-crafted resume and cover letter that highlights why you’re the best candidate for the role.
How to become a commercial pilot In USA
1. Earn Private Pilot Certificate
The first step in becoming a commercial pilot is to earn a Private Pilot certificate, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Starting in a single-engine airplane, this stage of training focuses on the fundamentals and sets the foundation for more advanced certificates and ratings.
2. Earn an Instrument Rating
After becoming a private pilot, the next step is to earn an instrument rating which allows a pilot to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and in all kinds of weather.
3. Earn Commercial Pilot Certificate
Next is earning a Commercial Pilot certificate. Pilots must meet specific experience requirements and fly to a higher standard in order to become commercial pilots, which ultimately allows them to legally be paid to fly.
4. Earn Flight Instructor Certificate
Once the commercial pilot requirements are satisfied, obtain a Flight Instructor certificate. Becoming a certificated flight instructor (CFI) allows pilots to earn a living flying, while they earn the flight experience required by the airlines.
5. Add Multi-Engine Rating
To fly large passenger airliners, pilots must add multi-engine privileges to their pilot commercial certificate. Adding a multi-engine rating to the Commercial Pilot certificate is the final step before building experience to meet hiring minimums.
6. Gain Experience & Interview
Flight instruct to gain the type of quality and relevant flight experience necessary to meet the requirements of the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which commercial pilots are required to hold and includes a minimum of 1,500 hours total flight time.
7. Commercial Pilot Job.
Upon meeting the requirements of the Airline Transport Pilot certificate, you are eligible to fly as an airline pilot and will meet the hiring minimums of most regional commercial airline pilot jobs.
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