The Hungry Pilot

What you will find in this article

• An introduction to flight training in Europe
• Training in the USA for a European license

Acronyms and abbreviations used here

• ATPL: Airline Transport Pilot License – The highest level pilot license one can hold. It is needed to act as a commander of aircraft engaged in commercial air transport
• fATPL: frozen ATPL or frozen Airline Transport Pilot License – A CPL license stating that the holder has passed all ATPL theory exams. Will be “unfrozen” by satisfying the EASA flight hour requirements for ATPL licenses

Flight training in Europe

Basic education requirements

As you might have read here, there are significant differences between continents. In Europe, the biggest one is the heavier focus on theory when it comes to training. Some say the reason for this is to ensure European pilots are capable of studying in a way similar it is done in colleges and universities, but without attending one. In the USA, major airlines will hire pilots only if they already hold an ATPL and at least a 4-year college degree.

In Europe that is not the case. Airlines frequently hire rookies with a fATPL and less than 200 hours of total flight time. Usually a college or university degree is not required even by legacy carriers. However, everyone wants to see some sort of secondary school exit exam which entitles the holder to attend university. Without such a paper it is still possible to land a pilot job in commercial aviation, but the options become very, very limited.

The exam or degree is called differently from country to country, like „A-level“ in the UK, „Baccalauréat“ in France or „Abitur“ in Germany. They have in common that you will have to focus on certain subjects. Technology is the only thing that keeps humans flying, so you as a pilot need a certain amount of technical knowledge and understanding. Graduating in subjects like maths and physics and maybe some aspect of engineering will definitely help you during your flight training, and some companies ask for some these subjects even as a hard requirement.

Integrated vs. modular flight training

In Europe we distinguish between two different routes towards the fATPL, integrated and modular.

Let‘s have a look at the main differences between these two:

Course duration

Integrated means that the course must not be interrupted, while a modular course can be done over a longer period of time. It is not uncommon for modular students to take several years to complete their training, for a lot of different reasons. It will suit those who need more freedom, for example because they have a job and do their training during their spare time. An integrated course will typically be completed between 18 to 24 months, if no unforeseen delays come up. Some schools advertise a duration of just 14 months, but this is mainly a marketing figure. Only very few students will be able to take such little time, so better don’t plan with this figure.

As mentioned, modular courses may take several years to complete and remember, this is not necessarily a bad thing. For some it is the better choice

Licensing considerations

A big advantage of the modular route is the fact that you will actually receive a pilot license way before completion of the whole training. As you proceed further down the road you add more ratings to the license, and at some point you will also upgrade that PPL to a CPL. Once the ATPL theory is completed and all the ratings are done you will be ready for hitting the job market.

When going integrated, the first license you get will be that coveted CPL, but only at the very end of your training. Before that you will always be a student pilot with the limitations it comes with. The idea is to get you through your training more quickly and efficiently. That usually works, at the cost of less freedom (and fun) for you as a student.

In case you drop out you might end up with nothing. If you still seek a license, your progress and experience should be credited at least to a certain degree. Changing programs or changing flight schools will always be an expensive hassle, keep that in mind and try to avoid it.

Cost

There are too many providers with different packages out there to give guidance on what is a good price and what is not. As mentioned in the article about money, prices depend heavily on where you train and what is included in your course.

The best advice is, once again, to carefully evaluate what you’re going to sign up for.

Training in the USA

For decades this used to be the most efficient way into a cockpit for people from across the globe, both in terms of time and money. With recent geopolitical developments in mind and their consequences for the USA, this is another thing that must be carefully considered.

The least of your worries might be a fuel surcharge on your invoice, which may come to you as a surprise if you have not read the fine print well enough. The biggest problem, however, might be having a student visa issued in the first place and then entering the USA. And that student visa is what you need in case your objective is to train for a pilot license.

In certain cases you may not have a choice whether you go to the USA for training or not. Your flight school might operate a fair weather base in Florida or the Southwest and spending time there for example for time building can be a mandatory part of your training.

Prepare early and thoroughly

The point here is: Once again do your research carefully, and start it well in advance of the planned travel time. We are not talking about 2 or 4 weeks, allow several months at least. The American authorities are vetting everyone these days, and for example making negative statements on social media about the current administration will disqualify you from obtaining a visa.

Not obtaining such a visa has the potential to create a subsequent dispute with your training provider. In the best cases this only might cause some delay in your training, as there are probably not any resources available at your main base. In worse situations you might have to pay additional fees to compensate the higher cost of your school. Whatever it is, it will most likely not be very pleasant for anyone involved.

Do or don’t?

Flying in the US is great. Why?

It is the country where it all began and somehow there’s still a different spirit towards aviation. Everything is a little less complicated, friendlier and it still can be cheaper. For example, the wet hourly rate I used to pay was around 90 $ in Southern California, for a Cessna 172. Nowadays you can expect to pay double. Landing fees are negligible, so your savings regarding aircraft rental or training courses can still be significant. However, keep in mind that also travel, housing and food costs are now a lot higher than 20 years ago. Depending on your lifestyle these factors can easily offset the lower costs for the flying.

So if you can deal with the political side of things and the administrative obstacles which come with it, learning to fly in America can still be a highly rewarding experience.