The sky beckons many people. After all, what romance is hidden in the vocation of a pilot - this profession is prestigious, well paid and rarely boring. But it is associated with huge risks, so the selection of candidates is quite tough. It’s not enough to just take a course or read literature. If you want to know how to become a civil aviation pilot, you must understand that there are many requirements that need to be met, including those related to physical fitness. It is impossible to become a pilot without practice. This is a difficult path, so you need to be aware that the childhood dream of conquering the sky is not suitable for everyone, and the responsibility here is very big.
The situation in the country is difficult. On the one hand, there is a noticeable shortage of pilots in the labor market. On the other hand, it is not enough to graduate from a specialized university to be hired. So how to become a pilot? It's worth looking into it in more detail.
Basically, most places at universities are provided on a budgetary basis, but getting there is not so easy. The reasons for this are the strict medical commission. It is important to take into account that the following systems should be in order:
- Heart.
- Lungs.
- Vessels.
- Normal blood pressure.
- The vestibular apparatus is normal.
- Excellent vision.
The commission should be held constantly, at every course. At the slightest deviation you may be expelled. If you decide to become a passenger aircraft pilot, then you need to understand that commissions will be held even after graduation, before almost every flight. The pilot is responsible not only for his own health, but also for the lives of passengers, so it is important that a person prepares for the flight with full responsibility.
How is the training going?
Of course, future students are interested in how their education will proceed. Civil aviation pilot training begins with studying the structure and configuration of aircraft. The following courses also take place:
- studying the methods and possibilities of operating aircraft;
- theory and practice of aircraft control;
- routing and understanding maps;
- aerodynamics;
- meteorology;
- engine design;
- Skydiving;
- first aid and medical skills;
- foreign language for working on foreign flights.
The practice also includes training on special simulators that simulate real flights and the cockpit.
What awaits graduates?
Not every company will hire graduates who have just received their diploma. It's all about high responsibility and lack of experience. However, in this way you can become an Aeroflot pilot from scratch. But this option is not always realistic. Graduates must begin to accumulate flight hours, as well as obtain special pilot licenses. It is believed that the more hours a cadet spends in the air, the better for him. Many companies are willing to hire people who have been practicing this way for at least two years.
Of course, this is a problem for young professionals. Not every one of them has their own plane and runway so they can just practice. Therefore, there are special training organizations that provide private small training grounds and aircraft for a fee. All this requires quite a significant capital, because fuel for aircraft alone will not be cheap. But this also includes equipment care and repairs if something happens.
What does it take to become a pilot without education?
Of course, not every person will go to study at a university, because after studying for 6 years, you will then have to build up your experience for a long time. This question is also interesting for people who already have higher education and want to fly, even if they are well over 30 years old. There are special flying clubs that provide a license on a commercial basis after training. There are stages of training here:
- At the first stage, an amateur pilot certificate is issued; you can fly with it, but it is prohibited to work. You can fly, for example, on your own small plane with friends or family;
- After the first stage, the rank of commercial pilot is available. This license allows you to operate light aircraft, participate in commercial flights on a ship with one engine, and fly short distances;
- at the last level, the rank of line pilot is available with all the ensuing consequences in the form of permission to fly any aircraft.
It is noteworthy that, compared to university graduates, such specialists have three times or even more flight hours, so they are much more often hired by large airlines.
Any pilot knows perfectly well what each button does.
Such training to become a Russian civil aviation pilot is quite expensive, but it is justified if you definitely want to get a job immediately after receiving your license. There is a real struggle on the part of large companies for such specialists, because so far in the country every year twice as many pilots retire as are employed. This causes a severe shortage of personnel. Therefore, having completed all three stages, you can quickly recoup the cost of training.
Courses abroad are also available for young people. The education system there is somewhat different from the domestic one. After receiving a commercial pilot's license, a specialist may not spend money on paying for the next level, but rather earn it by receiving additional flight hours. In the USA, the practice of working as an instructor is widespread, because here airplanes are very popular and you can buy them freely. It is fair to say that such a situation is gradually being established in Russia, but so far not every person can afford such a means of transportation.
How to get a job as a pilot at Aeroflot
This company is a leading Russian air carrier. Getting a job there is not only prestigious, but also profitable, since the management pays excellent salaries to its employees. However, at the same time, extremely stringent criteria for selecting specialists apply, and not every pilot has a chance of getting on Aeroflot’s staff.
The airline itself has its own flight schools, where training is carried out according to a specially developed specialist training program. In order to become a full-time pilot, you must have a commercial license. The initial stage of requalification takes place at the Ulyanovsk School, then the candidate is prepared for the issuance of an international certificate.
The training lasts one and a half years, and it is paid. It costs 27 thousand dollars to undergo training at Aeroflot. The company can provide a loan for training, but in this case it is necessary to work off the debt to Aeroflot within five years after hiring. To do this, an amount of $450 will be debited every month. There is also an accelerated retraining course, but its cost is even higher - $100 thousand. The cadet must pay the initial contribution of 55 thousand on his own, and the company provides a loan for the remainder. Light aircraft with two engines are used for training. Aeroflot currently provides Austrian Diamond Aircraft models for training its future pilots. In addition, modern simulators are used to practice all possible techniques and develop the necessary skills.
In contact with
The profession of a pilot attracts and interests many. After all, there is a certain romance in these takeoffs and landings, in command of an aircraft, in the sky and clouds. And besides, pilots earn very well. According to statistics, their profession is in first place in the TOP of the highest paid jobs. Naturally, many people have a question: how to become a civil aviation pilot.
As experts note, in any case, you can become a pilot only if you have a flight certificate in hand. Without it, no one will be allowed to take the helm. Today, there are three types of such access rights to the sky:
- Private pilot
- Commercial pilot
- Linear
Assignment to each of the categories occurs gradually and necessarily one after another. You cannot jump over several steps at once. In addition, pilots are also divided into categories 1, 2 and 3. The first here is the highest. To obtain it, you must first obtain the second and third. Accordingly, you will need to take advanced training courses, etc.
Pilot training today is carried out in:
- Flight schools
- Civil Aviation Academy
- Commercial flying clubs
The first two options imply more serious training, which is why they produce more reliable professionals who later become civil aviation pilots. Commercial clubs mainly train amateur pilots who can fly on small craft only for their own pleasure. Such courses cannot be classified as serious educational programs.
What is required when applying to an educational institution?
Many universities that teach to become pilots have budget places. This means that those who really want it have a chance to enroll. The rest will study on a paid basis, and the price tag for such studies is quite high. But it is important to remember that there is a strict selection process for such educational institutions. For example, even before all entrance examinations, the applicant will have to undergo a rigorous medical examination and pass the necessary standards. Among the main examinations, the functioning of the following body systems is checked:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Vestibular apparatus
- Vision
In addition, a student, and in the future a pilot, should not suffer from changes in blood pressure. The same commission will be held in each year of study. And then, when the student gets a job, similar checks will be carried out before each flight. After all, he is responsible for the lives of hundreds of people, so he cannot afford any deviations.
What programs are studied?
Pilot training, for example, in Russia, is carried out in the following specialties:
- Aircraft capabilities during its operation
- Theoretical and practical lessons on aircraft control
- Working with maps and routing
- Aerodynamics
- Meteorology
- Engine Design Basics
- Conducting parachute jumps
- Providing first aid and acquiring the necessary medical skills
- Increased language level
A prerequisite is a certain number of hours of practicing the acquired knowledge on special simulators and simulators, which fully reflect the real cockpit. The situations for them are very diverse.
What types of aircraft can you train for?
Today in Russia they train to become pilots of various types of civil aircraft - both Russian and foreign. This is due to the fact that the Russian aviation industry has many different foreign aircraft in its arsenal. Special simulators and trainers are used for them. Teachers pay special attention to technical characteristics and features.
Later, pilots have to regularly retrain and increase their professional experience in order to be able to develop with the industry and choose modern aircraft.
How to get a job
The question: how to become a pilot is quite difficult. After all, a graduate, even if he is a holder of honors and a gold medalist in one person, is unlikely to be immediately hired as a full-fledged pilot on a flight. He definitely needs to get some practice. After training, such a graduate will have the title of commercial pilot. In a crew of more than one person, he can only fly as an assistant or co-pilot.
A pilot is hired by an airline according to the following scheme:
- He must have completed his education and have a flight certificate in hand. This document also has its own category - for civil aviation pilots the categories of commercial pilot or lineman are required
- Results of the passed medical examination
- Successful delivery of material, both oral and written
- The number of flights required - the pilot receives them while flying an aircraft in different conditions (after completing training, the student has only 150 hours; to obtain the category of line pilot, 4,000 hours of practical flight time are required)
You can only become a line pilot if you have extensive flying experience, both as a commercial pilot and as a commander. In this case, he has a chance to get a job at a large airline without any problems.
Choosing to become a pilot is a worthy choice. After all, pilots help people quickly get to their desired destination. At the same time, the work is so nervous and difficult - after all, the pilot has a huge number of human lives behind him, and he has no right to make a mistake. If he does them, there may be a result. And this is all constant nervous tension. Plus, pilots are affected by pressure changes, which also negatively affects their health. And all these factors should be taken into account before deciding to become a civil aviation pilot.
Pilot is a specialist who has all the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to control aircraft. The latter can be airplanes and helicopters. The words “pilot” and “pilot” are almost synonymous, but are used in slightly different contexts: pilots usually refer to those who fly civil aircraft, and pilots refer to those who work in the military industry. There is also a specialization as a test pilot who tests new air vehicles. In any case, the profession falls into the “human-technical” category. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in physics (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).
Brief description: who is a pilot?
The safety, health and life of passengers and crew of the aircraft (or the safety of cargo) depends on the pilot. This is a very big responsibility, and it is rarely assigned to just one person. As a rule, there are two pilots on a ship; a commander, a navigator, and a flight engineer may also be present. In emergency situations, pilots can seek help from air traffic controllers on the ground. This is a profession that requires excellent physical and psychological health.
Features of the profession
It is not unreasonable to believe that a pilot is not so much a profession as a vocation. Successful performance of the duties of a pilot requires constant concentration, regular study (as more and more new models of aircraft, helicopters and related equipment appear on the market), as well as attention to one’s health and condition even during non-working hours. The main scope of work that applicants for a pilot vacancy must complete is as follows:
- Operation of aviation complexes that meets safety requirements (in peacetime and wartime).
- The use of automated systems and computer technologies when controlling aircraft.
- Interaction with services providing aircraft flights.
- Making and implementing management decisions under time pressure and in critical situations.
- Assessing the level of flight safety, making a decision on the possibility/impossibility of carrying it out.
- Performing adjustment and testing of aviation complexes.
- Configuring and adjusting on-board equipment.
- Filling out accompanying documents.
- Organization of work of aviation personnel.
It may seem that the answer to the question of who a pilot is can be answered in one simple phrase: the one who is responsible for the flight of an aircraft from point A to point B. However, in practice, the preparation for this flight, its implementation, and its successful completion dependent on a huge number of factors. In order to correctly recognize and take them into account, and make optimal decisions in every second of working time, you need to have deep knowledge and impressive experience.
Pros and cons of being a pilot
pros
- A prestigious profession (and the height of its status is equally great anywhere in the world).
- High level of income.
- Demand in the labor market.
- Full social package.
- As a rule, early retirement age.
Minuses
- Great responsibility.
- Strict requirements (both for admission to educational institutions and for employment).
- The need to constantly maintain your health.
- Frequent absence, difficulties in maintaining relationships with family and friends.
Important personal qualities
As has already been noted several times, physical and psychological condition is of great importance for the pilot. Representatives of this profession should not have any chronic diseases, problems with vision, hearing, vestibular apparatus or other sensory systems. Pilots regularly undergo medical examinations, and if any illnesses appear, they may simply not be allowed to fly.
In addition, responsibility, emotional stability, the ability to concentrate, high reaction speed, the ability to quickly switch attention, lack of fear of heights and confined spaces, certain communication and leadership abilities, and analytical thinking are important for such specialists.
Pilot training
There are two main options for where to become a pilot: these can be either colleges or universities. So, in colleges you can pay attention to the specialty “Testing of aircraft” (code 02.24.03). In higher educational institutions that provide the opportunity to train as a pilot, the most suitable specialties are “Flight operation and use of aircraft complexes” (code 25.05.05), “Aircraft control systems” (code 24.05.06) and “Operation of aircraft and organization of aircraft movement" (code 25.05.05).
To enter a secondary school, a certificate is enough (the competition is held based on the average score), and to study at a university to become a pilot, you must pass the Unified State Examination in the Russian language, mathematics and physics or computer science. Training in this responsible and difficult profession, in any case, will last at least 5 years (even when entering a college). Moreover, when studying at a university in correspondence or evening form, you will need to spend 6 years to master the profession of a pilot, and when entering a secondary school after the 9th grade, it will take 4 months more.
Universities
Courses
This specialization is quite complex and responsible, so there are no easy and quick courses where you would only need a few months to study to become a pilot. There are courses, for example, at the Aeroflot flight school: they last two years and are suitable only for candidates with a higher technical education, and it is highly desirable - in aviation.
The best universities for pilots
- SPbGUGA
- SPbGUAP
- MSTU im. N.E. Bauman
Place of work
Pilots work in public and private airlines, can be personal pilots of private aircraft, and engage in test flights at enterprises involved in the development and production of helicopters and airplanes.
Pilot salary
As a rule, pilots receive high salaries even when working for state-owned aviation companies. For even greater income, they can exceed the norms for departure per month, but there are restrictions on such excesses, and it is not recommended to do this all the time due to the need for proper rest.
Salary as of 01/30/2020
Russia 30000—42300 ₽
Moscow 20000—55000 ₽
Career
A pilot's career begins with work on commercial routes, in small companies, and in light aviation. Once he has gained at least a couple of years of experience and enough flight hours, he can get a job at a more serious company. Over time, the pilot can become the chief pilot, crew commander, or take one of the leadership positions in the airline itself.
Civil aviation pilots are specialists who are completely dedicated to life in the skies. These are fearless people who have challenged fate and passed many tests. Therefore, anyone who dreams of such a profession must realize that his life path will become just as difficult and thorny.
And if such a fate does not frighten you, then let's talk about civil aviation in Russia. Where should you go to study? How long will it take, and how can I look for a job then?
The beginning of a long journey
First of all, you should be aware of the fact that it will take quite a long time to study to become a civil aviation pilot. Indeed, unlike a car, flying an airplane requires extensive knowledge: from its structure to the peculiarities of flying in bad weather.
Therefore, you should prepare for the fact that you will have to study “tons” of educational material. At the same time, it is not easy to memorize all the information, but to be able to use it competently during flights. Especially if in the future you have plans to get a job in a commercial structure.
Flight licenses
Today, all civil aviation pilots are divided into three large categories. This happens due to a strict licensing system that absolutely all pilots are required to pass. It is she who subsequently determines what type of winged machines a person will be able to control.
- PPL or private pilot. Possession of this document grants the right to fly small aircraft not intended for cargo transportation. Simply put, a person can fly as much as he wants for his own pleasure, but no one will hire him.
- CPL or commercial pilot. This type of license allows a person to deliver small cargo, make tourist flights and take paratroopers into the sky.
- ATPL or Air Line Pilot. What can I say, this is the highest category of pilots, allowing them to fly multi-ton passenger airliners.
civil aviation
Once a person decides to take this path, he is immediately faced with a choice: apply to a flight school or confine himself to a flying school? Oddly enough, both options have their pros and cons, so let's look at them separately.
Let's start with flight schools. higher here, since much more time is allocated for pilot training. In addition, students are taught not only piloting, but also other disciplines - physics, advanced mathematics and law. This makes it possible to train well-rounded pilots capable of performing their duties efficiently.
As for the downsides, flight schools and academies recruit based on government orders. This results in 10 to 12 applicants vying for one place. In addition, many accomplished civil aviation pilots complain that the technical base of our educational institutions is noticeably outdated. Because of this, their graduates have to take additional courses in order to understand the features of piloting new aircraft.
But anyone can enroll in flight school. What is more important here is whether a person has money for training. The quality of education here is slightly lower, although it largely depends on the school itself and what kind of teachers work there. It is worth noting that at a flying school it is much easier to obtain a PPL category certificate, since here you can take extracurricular classes.
Moving from one category to another
Both male and female civil aviation pilots in Russia pass the same standards to obtain a license. They are different for each document type, so let's look at them:
- A PPL type certificate can be obtained by candidates who have reached 16 years of age. To do this, they need to master 155 hours of theoretical material and also fly 47 hours on a Cessna 172 aircraft. On average, training in this category takes from several months to one year, depending on the intensity of the classes and the type of educational institution.
- A CPL type certificate can be obtained by candidates who have reached 18 years of age. To do this, they need to have a PPL license or complete this training course from scratch. In addition, they will have to study more than 600 hours of theory, as well as fly 152 hours in a single-engine aircraft. And at the end of the training, complete another 30 hours of flights on a navigation simulator and 12 hours on a multi-engine airplane.
- An ATPL type certificate is a more complicated version of the CPL license. That is, you will need to learn everything as in the previous categories, only with greater depth in practice. In addition, you will have to work out flight simulations on passenger and cargo airliners.
Passing a medical examination
All civil aviation pilots undergo strict medical testing. Moreover, it is carried out both before the start of training and after its completion. Also, a medical examination will have to be completed annually even after being hired, otherwise the pilot will simply not be allowed to fly.
The difficulty is that any flaw or disease can become a reason for a negative conclusion. If we talk about commercial flights, doctors can prohibit flights even because a person does not have a couple of teeth. This is due to the fact that such a defect distorts speech, and this, in turn, makes it difficult to communicate with the air tower controller.
Finding a suitable job
When looking for work, naturally, all civil aviation pilots in Russia are guided by what license they have. So, if you have a CPL, you should try to get a job with a small airline providing travel services. Alternatively, you can consider vacancies for instructors in flight schools, but then you will have to complete additional courses.
Much more prospects open up for those who hold an ATPL license. In this case, there is a high probability that a large airline will offer you a job. There is just one thing - most likely you will have to enroll in special courses that will allow you to master the control of an airliner.
The trouble is that their cost is quite high. Consequently, a special agreement will have to be concluded, according to which the pilot will deduct part of his salary in order to pay off the debt to the airline. In addition, initially a newcomer is allowed only to the position of 2nd pilot, since the captain’s position requires experience in flying large aircraft (over 1.5 thousand hours).
Responsibilities of a civil aviation pilot
Airlines often disagree on the finer points of internal policies. However, there is something that unites them all - the rigidity of the requirements for their pilots. After all, not only the safety of the aircraft, but also the lives of its passengers depend on this.
Therefore, all pilots are required to comply with the following five points:
- Fly an airplane professionally.
- Always follow safety regulations.
- Receive weather reports in advance.
- Check the condition of the vessel before starting the flight.
- Obediently use the air traffic controller's commands and prompts.
Women civil aviation pilots in Russia
Most people are accustomed to the fact that a pilot is a man. Therefore, for them, a female civil aviation pilot is something out of the ordinary. However, the reality is that both men and women can fly an airplane. But for some reason, even today they are cautiously allowed near large airliners. And yet in Russia there are examples of women managing such giants.
Thus, Olga Kirsanova has been piloting a passenger plane weighing more than one hundred tons for several years. She is sure that anyone can get a seat in the cockpit of a winged car - the main thing is to want it with all your heart. It is true that Olga herself had to work hard to achieve her position, since the management of her airline took a very long time to decide on this appointment.
