This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Airways Aviation (Home AA (airwaysaviation.com) European operations. Europe has consolidated the aviation regulation in 2003 with the inception of EASA Pro | EASA (europa.eu), the European Aviation Safety Agency, replacing the pre-existing JAA (Joint Aviation Authorities). This movement has created the world’s most strict and reputed aviation authority worldwide followed by other authorities around the world as a leader in aviation regulation which includes the most demanding training.

This is one of the reasons Europe has become a destination for pilot training wanted by people from all origins, from Africa to Asia passing through Middle East and South America.

To possess an EASA pilot license is a guarantee of a quality training and allows as a principle, to the holder of that license to apply to airlines of countries that are members of EASA (currently 31 countries) but also to easily convert to a wide number of local licenses throughout all the regions.

So, what is the process that a candidate must go through if he wants to become a pilot in Europe?

First, they need to choose the right flight academy and we can say that at Airways Aviation we are for sure one of the most searched and renowned pilot schools in Europe. We bring over 35 years of experience operating in the European market, the largest fleet of state-of-the-art Glass Cockpit Diamond Aircraft Industries in Europe, a large number of simulators, our own campus, highly experienced instructors, over 43 nationalities amongst our students and much more.

After selecting the flight academy/school they want, candidates must go through a selection process. They need to comply with the standard legal requirements: be at least 17 years old, have completed mandatory high school in the country of origin, be eligible to obtain a Class 1 medical certificate and to have decent fundamentals of maths, physics and English. After that they will need to go through a pilot skill test which also includes an assessment of English, Maths and Physics knowledge but also the candidate’s inner ability to become a pilot and a psychological test.

Once approved on the selection they will need to choose the path they wants to take. They can become a professional airline pilot by enrolling on an Integrated ATPL course or by following the Modular ATPL pathway. If the candidate really wants to commit, we suggest they choose the Integrated ATPL which is a full-time immersive course with a planning to be completed in 18 months where they will be taught and achieve proficiency in theory (over 760h of training and 14 exams) and in flight training (over 200h of aircraft and simulator training). The Modular option is more flexible as the then pilot cadets can pass from module to module at their own rhythm, but it takes much longer, usually over 30 months. This is more frequently chosen by those cadets who are studying in the university or working at the same time and cannot commit full-time to the pilot course. In the end both paths will lead to the same qualifications and chance of becoming Airline pilots, just the way and time to get there are different.

At Airways Aviation we offer several ATPL Integrated Course intakes per year so candidates can have flexible options on when to start training. Likewise, Modular ATPL has a wide number of intakes per year as our academy calendar adjusts to students’ availability to commence training. There is also the chance of getting a Dual Qualification with a combined program with university, getting in 3 years not only the ATPL license but also a BSc in Management from the prestigious Montpellier Business School - MBS - Home page (montpellier-bs.com)

If you would like to learn more about the requirements, selection process and the ATPL course and its options, don’t hesitate to contact us at europe@airwaysaviation.com

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