How Pilots Are Trained
2 min read
The short answer
Airline pilots train for years and need around 1,500 flight hours before joining an airline. They go back to the simulator regularly throughout their careers to practise rare situations. There are always two qualified pilots, and either one can fly and land the plane alone.
The Path to the Flight Deck
Airline pilots spend years training before they ever fly passengers. The standards are among the highest of any job.
To fly for an airline in the US, a pilot typically needs:
- At least 1,500 flight hours for an Airline Transport Pilot certificate
- Several licences and ratings, including flying by instruments and flying planes with more than one engine
- A first-class medical certificate, renewed every 6 or 12 months depending on age
- Months of airline training on the exact aircraft type they'll fly
Many captains have 10,000 to 20,000 hours in the air.
Training Never Stops
Pilots go back to the simulator throughout their careers. In Europe, they're checked every six months. In the US, captains are checked at least once a year, with extra simulator training in between.
Modern simulators are so realistic that pilots can qualify on a new aircraft type in them. In these sessions, pilots practise situations most will never meet in real life:
- An engine stopping during takeoff
- Bad weather and sudden wind changes
- Warning lights and system faults
- Stopping a takeoff on the runway
They repeat these until the right response becomes second nature.
Always Two Pilots
Every airline flight has at least two fully qualified pilots. They share the work and check each other's decisions. Either one can fly and land the plane alone.
Pilots are also trained to work as a team and to speak up. This is called Crew Resource Management. It means a concern is always heard, whoever raises it.
Checked All the Time
Passing the first test is only the beginning. Pilots also face:
- Line checks, where an examiner watches them on a normal flight
- Regular medicals
- Random drug and alcohol tests
What This Means for You
The pilots on your flight have trained for years and are tested again and again. Their calm voice on the announcements isn't an act. It comes from deep practice.
Sources
- FAA, 14 CFR 121.441 — Proficiency checks: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/section-121.441
- EASA, Easy Access Rules for Air Operations (ORO.FC.230 — recurrent training and checking): https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/easy-access-rules/easy-access-rules-air-operations
- FAA, 14 CFR 61.159 — Aeronautical experience: Airplane category rating (the 1,500-hour rule): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-61/subpart-G/section-61.159
- FAA, Pilot Training — Airline Transport Pilot: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/atp