Aller au contenu principal

Ce parcours n’est pas encore traduit en français : son contenu s’affiche en anglais.

✈ Votre carte d’embarquement

US Commercial Airline Pilot (ATP & FAA Licensure)

From student pilot to commercial pilot, the 1,500-hour Airline Transport Pilot certificate, and the First Officer and Captain seats

Votre première étape aujourd’huiWrite a one-page decision note: your entry path, whether a degree route makes sense for you, your backup plan, and the questions you still need answered.

Pas sûr(e) que ce soit pour vous ? Trouver ma voie →

Portes13
Étapes4
AutoritéFAA

Où cela mène

  1. Student Pilot
  2. Commercial Pilot
  3. Certified Flight Instructor (CFI / CFII / MEI)
  4. Regional Airline First Officer (Part 121)
  5. Airline Captain
$107k - $464kpar an · estimation pour Inde

0 portes sur 13 franchies

Avant de dépenser de l’argent ou des années

Vérifiez d’abord ces points : ils peuvent arrêter le voyage avant qu’il ne vous coûte

Vérification : on y va ou pas

Feu rouge : vérifiez ces points avant de payer quoi que ce soit.

⚠ La dure réalité

Training is expensive (one large school publishes $123,995 tuition from zero time plus $12,000 in examiner and test fees, before gear and living costs), the 1,500-hour ATP requirement means a long hour-building period, and a certificate does not guarantee an airline job.

C’est vous ?

Cochez celles qui sont vraies pour vous.

13 portes jusqu’au cockpit

13 portes en 4 étapes. Touchez une porte pour la lire ; notez la date quand vous la franchissez.

ÉTAPE 1

Is Aviation Right for You? Eligibility, Medical and Training Route → FAA Medical, Private Pilot License (PPL) & Instrument Rating (IFR)

Phases 1–2

0/6
Is Aviation Right for You? Eligibility, Medical and Training Route

Compare the two entry paths, confirm the medical early, and choose a training route and budget before committing.

Pas commencé
FAA Medical, Private Pilot License (PPL) & Instrument Rating (IFR)

Keep your medical current, learn foundational flying, earn the private pilot certificate and then the instrument rating.

Pas commencé
Compétences de cette phase

  3. 🛑 Étape payante : continuez quand votre vérification ci-dessus est au vert.

ÉTAPE 2

Commercial Pilot License (CPL) & Multi-Engine Rating → CFI / CFII Certification & Building 1,500 Flight Hours

Phases 3–4

0/4
Commercial Pilot License (CPL) & Multi-Engine Rating

Build to the commercial pilot minimums, pass the commercial checkride, and add a multi-engine rating.

Pas commencé
Compétences de cette phase
CFI / CFII Certification & Building 1,500 Flight Hours

Many pilots earn instructor certificates (CFI/CFII/MEI) and are paid to instruct while building the experience the ATP certificate requires.

Pas commencé
Compétences de cette phase
ÉTAPE 3

ATP Certificate, Type Rating & Regional Airline First Officer

Phase 5

0/2
ATP Certificate, Type Rating & Regional Airline First Officer

Complete the ATP Certification Training Program, apply to airlines, earn a type rating and begin Part 121 line flying.

Pas commencé
Compétences de cette phase
ÉTAPE 4

First Officer Experience, Unrestricted ATP and Captain Upgrade

Phase 6

0/1
First Officer Experience, Unrestricted ATP and Captain Upgrade

Build airline experience, meet the requirements for an unrestricted ATP if you started with a restricted one, keep a first-class medical for pilot-in-command privileges, and prepare for the airline's command upgrade.

Pas commencé
Compétences de cette phase

En savoir plus sur ce métier

Le métier, le salaire là où vous vivez, les questions fréquentes, et où ce métier peut vous mener ensuite.

Le métier

Ce que vous feriez

  • Check the aircraft’s overall condition before and after every flight
  • Make sure the aircraft is balanced, under its weight limit and has enough fuel
  • Prepare flight plans and talk to air traffic control over the radio
  • Fly the aircraft along planned routes and during take-offs and landings
  • Monitor engines, fuel use and other systems, and navigate with cockpit instruments
  • Respond to changing weather and emergencies such as a mechanical fault

Où vous travailleriez

  • Scheduled airlines (about 88% of US airline pilot jobs)
  • Courier and express delivery companies (about 5%)
  • The federal government (about 3%)

Autorisation d’exercer

L’inscription se fait auprès de Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

  1. Hold a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating
  2. Be at least 23, or 21 under the restricted-privileges ATP rules (14 CFR 61.160)
  3. Log at least 1,500 hours total time as a pilot, unless a 61.160 reduction applies
  4. For a multiengine ATP, complete the ATP Certification Training Program before the knowledge test
  5. Pass the ATP knowledge test and practical test

Orientations possibles

  • Captain (pilot in command)
  • First officer (co-pilot)
Sources : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Airline and Commercial Pilots; eCFR (Office of the Federal Register), 14 CFR 61.153 Eligibility requirements: General (ATP); eCFR (Office of the Federal Register), 14 CFR 61.159 Aeronautical experience: Airplane category rating. Consulté le 23 oct. 2026.

Informations sourcées pour cette région

Conditions de licence, rémunérations et coûts de formation tirés des sources ci-dessous. Il s'agit des dernières informations consultées, pas de données en direct ; vérifiez auprès de l'autorité avant d'agir.

Les détails des sources sont affichés en anglais, tels que publiés.

Autorité de délivrance des licences

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United StatesDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026

Conditions de licence

Dernières informations salariales disponibles

Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026

PosteFourchetteType de donnéeSource
Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers (all roles combined)All U.S. employers · All levels (10th–90th percentile)$106,710 – $463,830par anStatistique officielleU.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025 wages: lowest 10% earned less than $106,710; highest 10% more than $463,830; median $232,140. BLS notes airline pilots also receive per diem and may earn extra for international flights; these are not separated.
First OfficerPiedmont Airlines (regional) · Year 1 to Years 3–5$102 – $120.75par heureGrille salariale publiée par la compagniePiedmont AirlinesHourly rates effective 29 Jun 2026. The page does not state a monthly hours guarantee, so no annual figure is derived. Excludes per diem and bonuses.
CaptainPiedmont Airlines (regional) · Step 1 to Step 20$161.25 – $228.75par heureGrille salariale publiée par la compagniePiedmont AirlinesHourly rates effective 29 Jun 2026; no monthly guarantee stated, so no annual figure is derived.
Student / trainee, Cadet / trainee pilot, Senior First Officer, Wide-body Captain (major airlines): Aucune donnée salariale actuelle fiable n'était disponible dans les sources consultées.

La rémunération dépend de l'employeur, du poste, de l'appareil, de l'ancienneté et des heures. Ces chiffres ne sont pas une promesse de revenus, et les chiffres de types différents ne sont pas combinés.

Coût de formation (exemples publiés)

Zero-time airline career programme at one large U.S. flight school

$135,995 – $140,995

Inclut

  • Published fixed-cost tuition from zero time ($123,995)
  • FAA examiner fees and knowledge tests ($12,000)
  • Up to $5,000 training-center premium at select locations (upper figure)

Non inclus

  • iPad, headset, flight bag and other gear
  • Third-party apps and subscriptions
  • Housing and living costs
  • Medical examinations
  • Flight time needed after the programme to reach ATP experience
  • Airline training costs

One school’s published price, not a market range. Part 61 training and other schools cost different amounts; confirm totals directly with the school. ATP Flight School

Limites de ces informations

  • Regulation requirements were checked against the official eCFR text (title 14, current as of 6 Oct 2026). Cornell LII’s copy was used as a fallback reference during research because the eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access.
  • BLS pay combines all airline pilot roles. Role-level figures are one regional airline’s published hourly rates; no reliable figures were found for trainees, cadets, Senior First Officers or wide-body Captains at major airlines.
  • The training cost is one school’s published price, not a range across the market.
  • No source reviewed gives a reliable overall timeline; it depends on training pace, weather, aircraft and instructor availability, checkride scheduling, medicals, finances and airline hiring.
Sources (13)
  1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.83 Eligibility requirements: student pilotsDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.123 Eligibility requirements (commercial pilot)Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.129 Aeronautical experience (commercial pilot)Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  4. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.65 Instrument rating requirementsDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  5. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.153 Eligibility requirements (airline transport pilot)Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  6. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.159 Aeronautical experience: airplane category rating (ATP)Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  7. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.160 Aeronautical experience — ATP with restricted privilegesDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  8. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §61.23 Medical certificates: requirement and durationDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  9. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Office of the Federal Register — 14 CFR §121.436 Pilot qualification: certificates and experience requirementsDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · Authoritative current text (title 14 up to date as of 6 Oct 2026), checked through the official eCFR API. The eCFR and FAA websites refused automated page access during initial research, so the Cornell LII copy was read first; the requirements stated here match the official text.Copie de référence utilisée pendant la recherche : Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
  10. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook — Airline and Commercial Pilots: Pay (May 2025 wage data; page modified 27 Aug 2026)Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026
  11. Piedmont Airlines — First Officer careers — hourly pay rates effective 29 Jun 2026Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026
  12. Piedmont Airlines — Direct Entry Captain — hourly pay rates effective 29 Jun 2026Dernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026
  13. ATP Flight School — Airline Career Pilot Program — CostDernière vérification : 8 oct. 2026 · One school’s published fixed-cost tuition; other schools and Part 61 training differ.

Toutes les étapes en détail

Le texte complet de chaque étape, à lire ou à imprimer. Avancez étape par étape dans le parcours ci-dessus.

Is Aviation Right for You? Eligibility, Medical and Training Route 3 étapes

  1. Compare Path A (after high school) with Path B (after a degree)

    FAA certification rules set ages, not school subjects: student pilot from 16, commercial pilot from 18, ATP from 23 (21 with restricted privileges). A degree is not required by these rules, but a qualifying aviation bachelor's or associate's degree can lower the flight time for a restricted-privileges ATP (1,000 or 1,250 hours instead of 1,500). Airlines set their own hiring requirements.

    Tâche concrète: Write a one-page decision note: your entry path, whether a degree route makes sense for you, your backup plan, and the questions you still need answered.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Both paths lead to the same FAA certificates; the degree route mainly changes cost, time and the restricted-ATP hour minimum.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Write down which path applies to you (high-school graduate, current student, graduate, career changer)
    • Check whether an aviation degree programme you are considering is authorized for reduced ATP minimums under 14 CFR 61.160
    • Confirm you can read, speak, write and understand English, as required for commercial and ATP certificates
    • List the airlines you are interested in and their posted requirements
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  2. Get your FAA medical before major spending

    A first-class medical certificate is required to exercise ATP pilot-in-command privileges, and at least a second-class for commercial privileges and Part 121 second-in-command privileges. An early exam by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner reveals issues before you commit large sums. This roadmap does not give medical advice.

    Tâche concrète: Complete your FAA medical examination and record the class and date of your medical certificate.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Without the right medical class you cannot use airline-level privileges, so finding out early protects your money.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Locate an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)
    • Read the FAA medical requirements for the class you are applying for
    • Complete the medical examination and keep the certificate safely
    • Note when the certificate's privileges expire under 14 CFR 61.23
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  3. Choose a training route and build a budget

    Options include an accelerated airline-career programme, a local Part 61 or Part 141 school, or a collegiate aviation programme. As one published example, a large U.S. flight school lists $123,995 tuition from zero time plus $12,000 in FAA examiner and knowledge-test fees, with gear, housing and living costs extra. Other schools cost different amounts.

    Tâche concrète: Create a training budget with a low and a high case for your chosen school, listing every excluded cost and how it will be paid.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Most of the risk in this career is financial; a complete budget shows whether you can survive delays and hiring slowdowns.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Compare three schools: aircraft availability, instructor availability and the written total cost
    • Ask each school what is excluded (examiner fees, gear, housing, medical, extra training)
    • Compare integrated programmes with paying per lesson (modular)
    • Plan how you will build hours after training (for example by instructing) and how you will pay living costs meanwhile
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑
FAA Medical, Private Pilot License (PPL) & Instrument Rating (IFR) 3 étapes

  1. Pass FAA 1st Class Medical & Solo Flight (PPL Foundations)

    Hold a valid medical certificate, complete ground school (aerodynamics, navigation, regulations), and fly your first supervised solo. Student pilots for airplanes must be at least 16.

    Tâche concrète: Execute a safe engine failure simulation at 3,000 feet AGL, establishing best glide speed (Vg), selecting an emergency field, and running restart checklists.

    Pourquoi c’est important: The Private Pilot License forms the fundamental safety baseline for all future advanced commercial certificates.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Keep your FAA medical certificate current (see the previous phase)
    • Master preflight inspection, taxiing, stalls, slow flight, and emergency engine-out procedures
    • Complete your first supervised solo flight
    • Pass the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  2. Earn Private Pilot Certificate (PPL) & Cross-Country Flying

    Meet the private pilot aeronautical experience requirements, learn to read aviation weather reports and forecasts for flight planning, fly solo cross-country and at night, and pass the practical test.

    Tâche concrète: Plan and execute a 150 NM triangular cross-country flight calculating weight & balance, fuel burn, wind correction angles, and airspace transitions.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Earning your PPL gives you the legal privilege to command aircraft carrying passengers in visual meteorological conditions.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Meet the private pilot aeronautical experience requirements in 14 CFR 61.109
    • Fly solo cross-country navigating with VOR, GPS, and pilotage checkpoints
    • Perform short-field and soft-field takeoffs and landings to FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS)
    • Pass the oral exam and flight checkride with an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE)
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  3. Earn the FAA Instrument Rating (IFR)

    Learn to fly by reference to instruments in clouds and low visibility.

    Tâche concrète: Fly a partial-panel precision ILS approach in simulated zero-visibility down to a 200-foot decision height (DH) and execute a missed approach.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Airline operations are flown under instrument flight rules, so instrument skills are central to the job.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Log 50 hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot-in-Command (PIC), 10 of them in airplanes
    • Log 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time, 15 with an authorized instrument instructor
    • Master ILS, RNAV/GPS, and VOR precision and non-precision instrument approach procedures
    • Pass the FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) knowledge test and DPE checkride
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑
Commercial Pilot License (CPL) & Multi-Engine Rating 2 étapes

  1. Earn Single-Engine Commercial Pilot Certificate (CPL)

    Commercial pilots must be at least 18. Master commercial maneuvers and meet the aeronautical experience minimums of 14 CFR 61.129.

    Tâche concrète: Execute an 8-on-Pylon maneuver maintaining precise pivot altitude over ground reference points despite varying gusty crosswinds.

    Pourquoi c’est important: The Commercial Pilot Certificate is the legal milestone that allows you to be hired and paid to fly aircraft.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Build flight time to reach FAA minimum 250 total flight hours
    • Log 100 hours of PIC time (50 in airplanes) and 50 hours of cross-country PIC
    • Master advanced commercial maneuvers (Lazy Eights, Chandelles, Steep Spirals, Eights-on-Pylons)
    • Pass the FAA Commercial Pilot knowledge test and practical checkride
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  2. Obtain Commercial Multi-Engine Rating (MEL)

    Learn asymmetric aerodynamics, critical engine identification, single-engine performance, and Vmc emergencies.

    Tâche concrète: Simulate complete engine failure on takeoff climb in a twin-engine aircraft: identify dead foot, verify with throttle, feather propeller, and maintain blue line (Vyse).

    Pourquoi c’est important: Airline aircraft are multi-engine, and multi-engine experience is part of airline readiness.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Learn multi-engine systems: constant-speed feathering propellers, dual alternators, and hydraulic systems
    • Master single-engine emergency procedures: Engine Failure After Takeoff (EFATO) and single-engine go-arounds
    • Demonstrate Vmc (Minimum Controllable Airspeed) rollover recognition and recovery
    • Pass the Multi-Engine Add-on Practical Checkride with a DPE
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑
CFI / CFII Certification & Building 1,500 Flight Hours 2 étapes

  1. Earn CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) & CFII Ratings

    Master the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI), teaching from the right seat, and the spin-awareness training instructors need.

    Tâche concrète: Deliver a 45-minute whiteboard ground lesson teaching aerodynamic lift, center of pressure migration, and stall/spin aerodynamics to a student.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Flight instructing is one common way to be paid while building toward ATP experience.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Pass the FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) and Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) knowledge tests
    • Complete spin training and the required endorsement
    • Master teaching stick-and-rudder maneuvers from the right seat while talking continuously
    • Pass the CFI initial practical test
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  2. Work as Flight Instructor & Log 1,250 Additional Hours

    Build total time and the specific experience the ATP requires, across day, night, cross-country and instrument conditions.

    Tâche concrète: Manage an in-flight emergency where a primary flight student experiences sudden spatial disorientation inside unexpected cloud layers.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Teaching others sharpens your own Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) and builds safety habits airlines look for.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Log 500 hours of cross-country flight time and 100 hours of night flying
    • Log 75 hours of instrument time and 250 hours as pilot in command
    • Log 50 hours in the class of airplane for the rating sought
    • Cross the 1,500-hour total flight time milestone (or the reduced total that applies to a restricted ATP)
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑
ATP Certificate, Type Rating & Regional Airline First Officer 2 étapes

  1. Complete ATP-CTP Course & Regional Airline Indoctrination

    Applicants for a multiengine ATP must complete the Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP-CTP) at an authorized provider before the ATP knowledge test.

    Tâche concrète: Complete an upset-recovery scenario during ATP-CTP simulator training and record the completion of the course.

    Pourquoi c’est important: The ATP-CTP is required before the ATP multiengine knowledge test (14 CFR 61.153).

    Liste de contrôle

    • Complete the ATP-CTP academic and simulator training at an authorized training provider
    • Receive the ATP-CTP graduation certificate
    • Pass the FAA ATP Multiengine (ATM) knowledge test
    • Apply to airlines and receive a conditional job offer if selected
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

  2. Earn Regional Jet Type Rating (CRJ / ERJ) & Line Operations (Part 121)

    Complete airline initial training, earn your type rating (for example CRJ-900 or Embraer E175), complete Initial Operating Experience (IOE), and begin line flying.

    Tâche concrète: Complete Initial Operating Experience and record the date you were released to line flying as a First Officer.

    Pourquoi c’est important: Part 121 experience is what airlines consider for upgrades and for moves between airlines.

    Liste de contrôle

    • Complete airline ground school, FMS systems, and systems integration training
    • Pass the FAA type rating oral and simulator checkride
    • Complete Initial Operating Experience (IOE) with a check airman
    • Track the experience your airline requires for a command upgrade
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑
First Officer Experience, Unrestricted ATP and Captain Upgrade 1 étapes

  1. Prepare for the Captain seat

    In Part 121 operations a pilot-in-command must hold an ATP certificate not subject to §61.167 limitations, and ATP pilot-in-command privileges need a first-class medical. Upgrade timing depends on your airline's seniority and vacancies. Later roles can include Check Airman or Training Captain, depending on the airline.

    Tâche concrète: Record the date you met the unrestricted ATP requirements and, later, the date you completed your command upgrade.

    Pourquoi c’est important: The Captain seat requires both the unrestricted certificate and the airline's own upgrade process.

    Liste de contrôle

    • If you hold a restricted ATP, track the requirements for an unrestricted ATP (including age 23 and 1,500 hours)
    • Keep a first-class medical current for pilot-in-command privileges
    • Practise leadership and crew resource management as the senior pilot on each flight
    • Prepare for your airline's upgrade training and checkride
    Ouvrir cette étape ↑

Questions fréquentes : US Commercial Airline Pilot (ATP & FAA Licensure)

Des réponses claires sur la durée, les prérequis, les salaires et les méthodes d’étude.

Can I become an airline pilot after high school?

Yes. FAA rules set ages rather than school subjects: student pilot from 16, commercial pilot from 18 and ATP from 23 (21 with restricted privileges). Individual airlines set their own education requirements, so check their postings.

Can I become an airline pilot after graduation?

Yes. Graduates follow the same certificates. A qualifying aviation bachelor's degree can reduce the total time for a restricted-privileges ATP to 1,000 hours (1,250 with a qualifying associate's degree), under the conditions in 14 CFR 61.160. A non-aviation degree does not reduce the requirements.

What subjects should I study?

The FAA certification rules reviewed here do not require specific school subjects, but training covers aerodynamics, navigation, weather, aircraft systems and regulations, and you must be able to read, speak, write and understand English.

Do I need a degree to become an airline pilot in the US?

Not under the FAA certification rules reviewed here. A qualifying aviation degree can lower the restricted ATP hour requirement; airlines decide their own hiring preferences.

How much does flight school cost to become an airline pilot in the US?

It varies by school and route. As one published example, ATP Flight School lists $123,995 fixed tuition from zero time plus $12,000 in FAA examiner and knowledge-test fees, with gear, apps, housing and living costs extra. Confirm the full cost with any school you consider.

What is the FAA 1,500-Hour Rule for commercial airline pilots?

An ATP certificate (airplane) requires at least 1,500 hours of total time, including 500 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument and 250 as pilot in command (14 CFR 61.159). A restricted ATP is available with fewer hours for qualifying military pilots (750) and qualifying aviation degree graduates (1,000 or 1,250) under 61.160.

How long does it take?

There is no fixed timeline. It depends on training pace, weather, aircraft and instructor availability, checkride scheduling, medicals, finances and airline hiring. Plan for delays instead of a promised number of months.

How much do commercial airline pilots make in the United States?

BLS reports a median of $232,140 in May 2025 for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers (lowest 10% under $106,710, highest 10% over $463,830), all roles combined. As a published example, Piedmont Airlines lists First Officer pay from $102 to $120.75 per hour and Captain pay from $161.25 to $228.75 per hour (effective 29 June 2026). Pay depends on airline, aircraft and seniority.

What are the FAA medical requirements for airline pilots?

A first-class medical certificate is required for ATP pilot-in-command privileges; at least a second-class is required for commercial privileges and Part 121 second-in-command privileges (14 CFR 61.23). The medical standards are assessed by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner.

How does a First Officer become a Captain?

By building airline experience, holding an ATP certificate without §61.167 limitations (required for Part 121 pilots-in-command), keeping a first-class medical, and passing the airline's upgrade training when seniority and vacancies allow.