The amount of time you’ll need to invest to become a pilot depends on the type of piloting job you’re looking for.
Normally, getting your CPL takes just under a year. At TVSA, our Diploma of Aviation spans a total of 47 weeks, with 10 weeks, 8 weeks and 29 weeks dedicated to entry-level flying, navigation, and commercial flying respectively. The course concludes with your CPL flight test and theoretical exams. If you pass, you’ll receive your diploma.
Once you’ve obtained your CPL, you may need to upskill if you’re looking to gain work in a specialised field like airline piloting. That can entail getting various ratings, which can take anywhere between a few months and a year.
Unfortunately, even when you’ve upskilled, getting your dream job isn’t as simple as handing in your resume. You’ll probably need practical experience, which you can obtain by working in non-specialised piloting roles. Another way to gain more experience is to get qualified as a flight instructor.
Finally, some roles may have minimum flight hours requirements – many international airlines, for example, require pilots to have at least 700 hours of flight time.
