Commercial Pilot Training at Phoenix Advanced Flight Training
Privileges
To work as a commercial pilot you need a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL), which allows you to fly an aircraft by day for payment and an Instrument Rating (IR) which allows you to fly, in bad weather and by night, using only instruments.
It takes a minimum of 200 hours flying training and experience, before a pilot can apply for a Commercial Pilot’s Licence.
If done from scratch, it will take about a year. If you have already logged flying, it can count towards the total needed.
You must have a CPL/IR to be employed as a pilot by an airline - known in the industry as a 'frozen' ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot Licence),
To 'unfreeze' an ATPL a pilot needs to accumulate 1500 total flight hours, including specific requirements for multi-pilot experience, PIC (Pilot in Command) hours, cross-country flights, instrument time, and night flying, and pass a skills test.
This then allows you to become a commander of an aircraft, the pinnacle of a pilot's journey.
The PAFT route to acquire the training and experience for a CPL/IR...
Trial Lesson
This allows you to experience handling the controls, of the type of light aircraft that you will fly for most of your commercial pilot training.
Total Hours Flown 1
Private Pilot License (PPL)
A minimum of 45 hours flying is needed to earn a PPL. At the end of this training, you will probably have a clear idea of your feelings about flying for a living!
Total Hours Flown 45
If you’ve decided flying commercially is not for you, a PPL will look great on your personal statement.
Aptitude Assessment
An unbiased, independent, assessment of your aptitude is offered by the Guild of Air Pilot
Class 1 Medical
Commercial pilots have specific medical standards that must be met. It is important to have your initial aviation medical early, to prevent disappointment later. When you are sure you want a career in flying, get your Class 1 medical.
Build Flying Hours and Experience
This is a great part of your training, when you fly in command, building experience and acquiring hours towards your 200 total. You can fly family and friends, sharing the costs. You can visit different airfields, including those in Europe and further afield. At some convenient point, you will train for two endorsements to your licence...
Night Rating
This allows you to fly at night in clear weather. 5 hours training is required. No test at the end!
Instrument Rating Restricted - IR(R)
This rating allows you to fly just on instruments, in cloud or conditions of bad visibility, both inside and outside controlled airspace, with some restrictions on airfield and en-route weather. It will greatly improve your skills and counts towards the hours needed for the important Instrument Rating that follows. 16.5 hours for the training and test.
Total Hours Flown 160 (Approx.)
Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) Theory Examinations
In addition to flying, you need to be preparing for your ATPL theory examinations. We recommend this is done online, around work and other commitments. You will find it a demanding but enjoyable experience.
Competency Based Instrument Rating (CBIR)
Aim of the course: to be able to fly an aeroplane under instrument flight rules, with a minimum decision height of 200 feet (60 metres). In plain language, you can fly in bad weather or at night, making approaches and landings with a cloud height of 200’.
At this point you need to have chosen the way you want to train for your instrument rating. To get a job as an airline pilot, you will need a multi-engined piston aircraft instrument rating - an MEIR.
Two ways of getting your Instrument Rating...
Train for 25 hours on single-engined aircraft gaining a Single Engine IR (SEIR) and convert to a twin-engined (MEP) aircraft, when you feel it is a favourable time to apply for a job. Advantages: cheaper than a MEP IR initially and cheaper to keep your rating current, if you need to do revalidation flights, whilst looking for a job. It only takes a about month to convert to a twin-engined instrument rating. (MEIR). We recommend this route at the moment.
Train for 30 hours on a twin-engined aircraft (MEP) and take your IR test in one so that you are awarded an MEIR from the start. Advantages: you will have the MEIR which is a necessity to get a job as a commercial pilot without needing further training. This does mean higher costs for twin training and higher costs to keep your licence current.
Total Hours Flown 185 (Approx.)
Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
Because you now have an instrument rating, the hours you need on this course are reduced by 10 to 15.
A Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) is the qualification that allows you to act as the pilot of an aircraft for remuneration. This, together with your Instrument Rating, allows you to act as pilot in command of small, single pilot aircraft, or as co-pilot in multi-crew aircraft.
The training course lasts 15 hours and you fly the single engine piston aircraft you started your training on.