Abbreviations
ATPL – Airline Transport Pilot Licence
PPL – Private Pilot Licence
CPL – Commercial Pilot Licence
MEP – Multi-Engine Piston
IR – Instrument Rating
UPRT – Upset Prevention and Recovery Training
APS MCC – Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Co-operation
SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures
Becoming a pilot is a big goal. It is exciting, but it is also hard. A student pilot must study, fly many hours and pass exams.
First, you choose your training route. In the UK and Europe, there are two main routes: modular training and integrated training.
In modular training, you do each part separately. You can start with a PPL. Then you build flying hours. You can also do night flying, ATPL theory, CPL, MEP and IR. This route can take two to five years.
Modular training is usually more flexible. You can study and fly around work or family life. You can also pay step by step. But long breaks in training can make learning harder.
In integrated training, you study full-time. The course is organised from the start to the end. It includes ground school, flight training, instrument flying, multi-engine training and ATPL theory. It usually takes about 18 to 24 months.
Integrated training is faster. It can also help students meet airlines. But it is usually more expensive and less flexible.
Pilot training costs a lot of money. Modular training often costs about £50,000 to £80,000. Integrated training often costs about £80,000 to £130,000. Some students use savings, loans or help from family.
After training, a student may get a frozen ATPL. But this does not mean the student can fly for an airline yet.
The next steps are UPRT and APS MCC. UPRT teaches pilots to avoid and recover from dangerous aircraft situations. APS MCC teaches pilots to work in a multi-crew cockpit. It includes communication, teamwork, SOPs and simulator practice.
After this, pilots can apply for jobs. A pilot job can be with a passenger airline. It can also be in cargo, charter flying, survey flying or flight instruction.
Airline selection is difficult. Candidates may have interviews, tests, medical checks and simulator assessments.
After a job offer, the pilot does a type rating. This course teaches the pilot to fly one aircraft type, for example an Airbus A320 or another aircraft family.
Then comes base training. The pilot flies the real aircraft and practises take-offs and landings with an instructor.
The last major step is line training. The pilot flies real passenger flights with a training captain. The captain helps and checks the pilot.
After the final check, the pilot can fly normal line flights as a First Officer or another junior pilot role.
The author also wanted to be a pilot from childhood. He liked aircraft and wanted to understand how they fly. But pilot training was expensive, so he first worked in another job. Later, in 2025, he started pilot training. He began his PPL training in Malta and then started ATPL ground school in the UK.
The theory exams were not easy for him. He had to take some exams again. But this helped him understand that ground knowledge is very important for safe flying. His story shows that it is never too late to follow a dream.
Becoming a pilot takes time, money and hard work. But for many people, it is a very important dream. There is not one perfect route. Each person must choose the route that fits their life, money and goals.