Learn Before Flight - All the rules to become a pilot E-Book

Luca Nabacino

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

We aimed to condense everything you need to know to enter the world of European civil aviation. We've outlined the courses, prerequisites, privileges associated with each license and rating, and both the theoretical and practical pathways, including their requirements and challenges. We have provided helpful advice to assist you in making personal decisions freely and independently. There is no single "best" path; rather, each person must make informed choices, and we've tried to highlight the parameters to consider when doing so. Aware that flight schools invest significant time in providing the essential information to lower entry barriers into the aviation world, we compiled this information to offer a tool that saves time, standardizes details, and serves as a guideline for communication. We've also included a section addressing the roles and responsibilities of students towards schools and vice versa, which can serve as a foundation for internal regulations and contractual agreements.

Leseprobe

Contents

Quick answers to FAQs

Titolo

Diritto d'autore

Introduction

Glossary

Phonetic Alphabet

Section 1: The basics of becoming a pilot

Chapter 0 - Introduction to Civil Aviation

Chapter 1.1 - Key Players in Civil Aviation

Chapter 1.2 - Classification of Aircraft

Chapter 2 - Pilot Licenses for Aircraft Operation

Chapter 3 - Private Pilot License - PPL(A) and PPL(H)

Chapter 4a - Difference Between Modular and Integrated Courses

Chapter 4b - KSA 100

Chapter 5a - Commercial Pilot License for Airplanes - CPL(A)

Chapter 5h - Commercial Pilot License for Helicopters - CPL(H)

Chapter 6h - Helicopter Instrument Rating - IR(H)

Chapter 7 - Frozen ATPL

Chapter 8h - Summary for Helicopter Pilots

Chapter 9 - Ratings, Currency, recency and renewal

Chapter 10 – Other ratings

Chapter 11 - Medical Examinations

Chapter 12 - Bridge Instruction

Chapter 13 - Conversion of Non-European Licenses

Chapter 14 - Language Proficiency Check

Chapter 15 - Evaluation Parameters

Chapter 16a - Airplane Pilot Career Path

Chapter 16h - Helicopter Pilot Career Path

Chapter 17 - Motivation

Chapter 18 - Recreational Sport Flying

Chapter 19 - Other Aviation Careers

Section 2: How a flight school operates

Organization Chart

Safety Policy

School Rules

Rental Rules

Internal Procedures

Section 3: Tips about easa-fcl regulation

Section 4: Course summary tables

Easa regulations

Bibliography

Index

Acknowledgements

List of Publications

About the Authors

Punti di riferimento

Copertina

Indice

Start

How to become an airline pilot in Europe.

How to become a helicopter rescue pilot.

At what age can I start?

How long does a pilot training course last?

Are the licenses valid throughout Europe?

Let's imagine that this is the cloud of questions in your mind, questions we will seek to answer throughout the journey we've laid out.

In the first part of this book, we've gathered many other questions to help you start understanding the topics that will guide you in becoming an aviator.

Welcome to European civil aviation.

Title | Learn before flight

Authors | Eleonora Libera, Luca Nabacino

First Edition 2025

ISBN | 9791222782034

© 2025 - All rights reserved by the Author

This work is published directly by the Author through the self-publishing platform Youcanprint, and the Author retains all rights to it exclusively. No part of this book may therefore be reproduced without the prior consent of the Author.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any way for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.

Youcanprint

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Made by Human

Introduction

Good morning, future aviator. We wrote this book to put down on paper what we have been sharing digitally for some years through our website, www.checkbeforeflight.com to explain the paths to become a civil pilot in Europe.

Many people prefer to have information in written form to consult, take notes, review, and compare, so we decided that alongside our multimedia journey, we also needed to offer a manual to help you understand how to enter the world of aviation.

Section 1 outlines a path similar to what you can find on our website, adding a few more tables, diagrams, and insights. The chapter titles are the same as the tutorials we’ve recorded and published online and on our social media channels. The book is written as if the reader is listening to a friend, a trusted person, a mentor. We don’t promote specific schools or recommend one course over another; instead, we provide information to help you decide for yourself the path that best suits your needs and expectations of the aviation world. Sometimes topics are revisited more than once, but this is only to ensure that no information is missing for those who choose to read only the helicopter pilot sections or only the airplane pilot sections.

Section 2 explains what awaits you once you enter a flight school—an organization with various roles: managers, flight crew, and ground staff. We wrote this section to help you understand who to talk to, how to navigate this environment, and, most importantly, how to relate to this world. We’ve also included an excerpt from a typical flight school internal regulation to help you get into the right mindset.

If you are part of an academy team, we recommend “Gain Before Flight”, our latest manual offering information on managing a flight school.

Section 3 is a collection of tips insights on European regulations, where we share our perspective on certain topics that we believe could be reviewed by legislators.

Section 4 reflects what we discussed in Section 1 in the form of tables that are easier to consult if you’re only looking for specific data to find quickly. These tables provide a concise summary of regulations regarding aviation licenses, updated as of the book’s publication date. We do not assume responsibility for any regulatory changes following this edition.

To better understand the world of civil aviation in terms of aircraft management, operational organization, and business models, we finally recommend our book “Manage Before Flight”.

Happy landings

Eleonora e Luca

FAQs about European civil aviation

We have decided, rather extravagantly, to begin this book by providing a brief answer to the questions you may have been asking for years about the aviation world—those fundamental questions that will be then deeply explained in the subsequent chapters of this manual. If, since childhood, you’ve walked around with your head tilted up, fascinated by everything that defies the law of gravity, in this book you will find all the information you need. In the meantime, take a look at these answers, and then you can start exploring even the most remote corners of the aviation world.

1. At what age can I start courses to become a pilot?

Actually, there is no minimum age to start, but during the course for the private pilot license, there is a part of the training activity that must be conducted without an instructor on board (the so-called “single pilot” activity), and you must be at least 16 years old to perform this. For the final exam, you need to be 17. Therefore, since the course typically lasts between 8 and 18 months, you can ideally start the course just before turning 16. To access professional courses, however, you must be at least 18 years old.

2. Can I become a pilot if I wear glasses?

Civil pilots in Europe can use corrective lenses. There are limits on dioptres for each eye, but the regulations called EASA Part MED can be found online, detailing all the parameters that must be met.

3. Do I need to know English well?

English is essential in this job. Courses are conducted in English, as are exams, flight manuals, and regulations. Naturally, this job involves crossing national borders, so it's important to know the language that is now common worldwide. Both airplane pilots and those flying other categories of aircraft must pass a specific exam called the Language Proficiency Check, which is necessary to become professional pilots and to fly abroad.

4. How to become an airline pilot.

An airline pilot starts their career in Europe by obtaining a commercial pilot license for airplanes, an instrument rating, multi-engine rating, and MCC training. They then need to obtain the specific type rating for the aircraft used by the airline they wish to join. Many recruitment programs exist. Some companies select potential pilots to hire even before, during, or after obtaining their official pilot qualifications. You start as a co-pilot and can then aspire to become a captain.

5. How to become a helicopter rescue pilot.

A helicopter rescue pilot begins their career by obtaining a European commercial helicopter pilot license. Logging job experience with aerial work companies or passenger transport will be a fundamental step to apply for a co-pilot position in HEMS. To become a captain, you need extensive experience as a rescue pilot (if you joined as a co-pilot) or in firefighting or external load operations (if you come from other experiences as a captain).

6. Do I need a degree to obtain a license?

No educational qualification is required to obtain a flight license, whether for private purposes (LAPL and PPL) or professional purposes (CPL and ATPL). This is because the EASA regulations are European, and it would have been difficult to define a title uniformly for each country. After all, if you pass your flight courses, your training is validated by obtaining your flight license.

7. How to become a mechanic?

To become a certified technician, you need to attend theoretical courses at specialized schools and pass the corresponding exams with the authority. Then, you must secure an apprenticeship to carry out the necessary practical on-the-job training (OJT) required to take the final practical exam for obtaining the license. We have also included a chapter dedicated to this profession.

8. Can I fly a helicopter with an airplane pilot license?

Each category of aircraft (airplanes, helicopters, gliders, airships, hot air balloons) has its own specific license. However, to access another category, you may receive credits toward a reduced training pathway.

9. How long does the course to obtain a private pilot license last?

The course under European regulation lasts between 8 and 18 months, considering the time needed to complete all 100 hours of classroom instruction, take the theoretical exam, complete 45 hours of flight, and finish with the practical exam. Anyone who tells you that the course can be completed in 4 months is giving you false information. There are no maximum time limits. However, it’s advisable not to spread it out too much.

10. How long does it take to become a professional pilot?

If you attend an EASA integrated course, the limit to complete it is 24 or 36 months (depending on the course you choose). With a modular pathway, however, there is no time limit imposed by regulations, so it could take you 10 years, depending on how you organize yourself. Nonetheless, if you complete all the steps continuously, this pathway can also take under 3 years.

11. How much do professional airplane pilot courses cost?

It depends greatly on what type of aircraft is used for the training program you choose and what ratings you want to obtain. If you want to earn your European license with a Cirrus and obtain the Boeing 737 type rating, it will cost you over 100,000 Euros. If you want to complete the entire training on a Tecnam P2006 and then get the instrument rating on a multi-engine piston aircraft, it will cost between 60,000 and 80,000 Euros.

12. How much do professional helicopter pilot courses cost?

This greatly depends on the ratings you want to obtain. If you want to attend a course for instrument rating on a turbine-powered twin-engine helicopter, like those used in air rescue, it will cost over 100,000 Euros. If you take the course to fly VFR only with a rating on a Robinson or Guimbal, it will cost between 70,000 and 90,000 Euros.

13. How much does a pilot earn?

This question is indeed the most difficult because it involves a series of parameters that are impossible to know before starting your career. First and foremost, it depends on whether you are a pilot of airplanes or helicopters (airplane pilots earn more at the start, but their salary increases are more gradual, whereas helicopter pilots have a long apprenticeship but then find rewards). You also need to consider what type of aircraft you fly, what ratings you have, what operations you perform, and in which country you work…

14. Can I fly abroad?

To cross the borders of the state where you obtained your license, you must first pass the radio communication exam in English, accompanied by the Language Proficiency Check exam.

15.

16. I would like to pilot those planes that fight fires.

Firefighting is a very specific activity. It requires a piloting skill level well above average. To join the crews of these aircraft, you must have obtained a commercial pilot license and accumulated the minimum flight experience required by each company.

17. Can I work with a private pilot license?

With a private pilot license, you can only conduct flights for non-profit purposes; therefore, to be hired as a pilot by a company, you need a professional license.

18. What is the difference between integrated and modular courses?

If you are asking this question, it means you already know something about aviation. EASA modular courses are those that lead you to obtain a commercial pilot license for airplanes, helicopters, or airships through a step-by-step process. You must first obtain a private pilot license, complete a minimum flying activity, pass the professional theoretical exams, and then access the final module to complete the practical course. All of this involves intermediate certifications that are always valid and recognized throughout Europe. An EASA integrated course, on the other hand, begins in a school and seamlessly leads you to the final exam within a time limits set by regulations, without intermediate certifications. Each pathway has its pros and cons, which are explained in detail in this manual.

19. What type of airplane or helicopter can I fly once I obtain my license?

You will be able to fly the aircraft for which you have obtained the rating during the course. Unfortunately, it’s not like cars. Each aircraft requires a specific rating, either by class or type.

20. How do I compare quotes from flight schools?

This is another very difficult question because the educational paths are all very similar (being certified); however, each school conducts courses using different aircraft, with different hourly costs, utilizes simulators, or partners with aeroclubs. We recommend gathering some information after reading this book, which will open your eyes to many issues, and then contact us for any further doubt.

21. With a CPL, can I fly for a commercial airline?

This question is not for beginners either. If you know what a CPL is, that’s already a good starting point. To be a co-pilot in an airline, you need to have obtained a CPL with an instrument rating on a multi-engine aircraft and complete an MCC course (obviously with ATPL theory). Then you will do the type rating on the selected model and can be hired. Then to become a captain you will need ATPL.

22. If I get my license in Italy, can I fly anywhere in Europe?

Flight licenses obtained according to EASA regulations (i.e., from schools in any EU country plus some neighbouring countries that have standardized to these regulations) allow you to fly aircraft registered in any EASA member state (both within and outside the borders of Europe). To fly outside Italy, you just need to add to you qualification the English radiotelephony rating and the Language Proficiency Check as per ICAO regulation.

23. If I get my license in the United States, is it valid in Europe?

The United States is not an EASA member country and uses regulations issued by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration); therefore, to fly aircraft registered in Europe, you will need to convert your license obtained overseas.

24. How do I evaluate one flight school against another?

There are many parameters for evaluating schools. Objective factors include their certifications, types of courses offered, and the aircraft they use; but there are also subjective factors: their location, how they organize courses, and the quality of their hospitality. Remember that comparing prices requires careful consideration. At the end of the explanations in this book, we provide a matrix of parameters for detailed evaluation.

25. With a EASA flight license, can I fly ultralight aircraft for recreational and sport flying?

If you obtain a flight license to pilot EASA type-certified aircraft, such as the LAPL (Light Aircraft Pilot License), PPL (Private Pilot License), CPL (Commercial Pilot License), or ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License), you can apply for a license to fly ultralight aircraft (obviously of the same category as your EASA license) by requesting it from the national authority that manages recreational flying in your country.

26. What categories do airships and balloons belong to?

Airships and balloons are two distinct categories. These aircraft are certified aeronautical vehicles that require a flight license, and like airplanes, helicopters, and gliders, there are specific training pathways for them.

27. With a license to fly airplanes, can I also fly gliders?

Aircraft categories are divided into: airplanes, helicopters, gliders, airships, and balloons. Each category has a specific license, but there are credits available to transition from one to another, the so-called bridge instruction.

28. How is the job market for airplane pilots?

Even before COVID, the hiring trend was on the rise due to increasing global mobility needs. COVID temporarily halted this trend, but it also pushed many pilots into early retirement. Therefore, once flights resumed and the trend began to rise again, the demand from airlines for new pilots increased, leading to recruitment programs by airlines at flight schools.

29. How is the job market for helicopter pilots?

This question is also very difficult. Helicopters are used for aerial work, VIP transport, and air rescue (simplifying greatly), so this sector does not depend on the needs of a big market of passengers’ transport. However, the opening of many night rescue bases, along with the use of night vision technology in the civilian sector, is significantly increasing the demand for new personnel in the companies. The pilot doing hook work moves to air rescue, the pilot who was doing power lines inspections goes to hook work, the flight instructor goes to inspect power lines, and the flight school hires a new instructor... this is more or less how it works... much more complicated than the scenario for airplane pilots.

30. Is it harder to fly an airplane or a helicopter?

From a manual skills perspective, flying a helicopter is certainly more challenging, but from the operational side of flying (considering for example an intercontinental flight), fixed-wing aircraft are certainly more complex. It’s similar to the difference between driving a car and riding a motorcycle (some people are better suited to driving a car, others to riding a motorcycle, while some are good at both).

31. How often do I need to fly to maintain my flying skills?

Performing the minimum activity for the annual (or biennial) renewal of your ratings does not mean you are always practiced and confident in flying. Generally, you don’t need to fly a lot; just half an hour a month is enough to refresh procedures, regain manual skills, and chat with other pilots about the latest aviation news. Breathing in the airport air is always beneficial.

32. If I obtain a civil license, can I then become a military pilot?

Civil and military licenses are not equivalent; however, having a civil flight license grants additional points when entering the military aviation field.

33. If I join the Air Force, can I later become a civilian pilot?

To become a civilian pilot, if you are a military pilot, you need to check with the training departments of your armed forces to see if there are bilateral agreements to recognize part of the training. There is no longer any automatic recognition as there was when national regulations were in effect.

If you want to deepen your knowledge of the aviation world, useWWW.CHECKBEFOREFLIGHT.COMthe platform where you can find whatever you need.