Commercial Pilot

1

Earn a Private Pilot Certificate (PPL)

Begin by obtaining a Private Pilot Certificate from the FAA. Requirements include passing a medical exam, completing ground school, logging at least 40 hours of flight time, and passing written and practical tests.
Official FAA path: Become a Pilot
Estimated training cost: $7,000–$15,000.

2

Add an Instrument Rating

Pursue an instrument rating to fly in a wider range of weather conditions. This requires additional flight training (at least 40 hours of instrument flight) and passing another written and practical test.
Flight hours required: minimum 50 hours cross-country as pilot-in-command; many candidates need 30-40 additional instrument hours.
Estimated cost: $8,000-$12,000.
FAA testing info: Training & Testing.

3

Earn a Commercial Pilot Certificate

Complete the requirements for a Commercial Pilot Certificate: minimum age 18, second-class medical certificate, ground and flight training, at least 250 total flight hours, and passing the FAA written and practical exams. Many airline-track roles ultimately require about 1,500 total flight hours (ATP pathway).

4

Obtain a Flight Instructor Certificate (Optional, but recommended)

Become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) to gain experience and build flight hours while earning income. This certificate allows you to teach others to fly and is a common step toward meeting ATP requirements.

5

Add a Multi-Engine Rating

Train for and obtain a multi-engine rating to operate aircraft with more than one engine. This is often required for many commercial flying jobs.

6

Gain Experience and Meet Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Requirements

Accumulate the required flight hours (typically 1,500 total hours) and experience to qualify for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate. The ATP is required to serve as captain or first officer for commercial airlines.