CAREER PATH
From recreational PPL to the right-hand seat of a commercial aircraft. We map your route throughout the training journey with schools that align to your target career.
LICENSE PATH
The standard pathway from zero hours to the airline cockpit, in four stages. Each license builds on the previous. You don't skip stages.
Your first solo and the foundation of every aviation career. Around 45 hours of flight training plus theory. Lets you fly single-engine aircraft for recreation, not for hire.
First solo. Recreational flying.
The license that lets you get paid to fly. Adds 150 to 200 hours of flight time and deeper theory across navigation, meteorology, and operational procedures.
Get paid to fly. Single-engine commercial work.
The bridge to airline operations. Multi-engine handling, IFR procedures, and approach plates. Most modular airline-track pilots stack this on top of CPL.
Multi-engine aircraft, IFR operations.
The highest licence, required to act as captain on commercial airliners. Theory exams cover 14 ATPL subjects; full unfrozen ATPL requires 1500 hours of total experience.
Captain on commercial airliners. The end goal.
Schools sell these stages as packages, which is what you will see in the search above: PPL on its own, and the commercial licence with its multi-engine instrument rating, which schools in the United States, Australia and New Zealand call CPL MEIR and European schools train as Zero to ATPL, with the airline theory included. The search shows both under one option. Either can come with a flight instructor rating added.
Each license also requires medical certification, language proficiency, and varies by country regulator. Common questions about pilot training
SELF-ASSESSMENT
Commercial flying filters on multitasking, spatial reasoning, working memory under pressure, and how you respond to ambiguity. We've built two assessments to help you find out where you stand.
Sixteen quick questions covering the core cognitive dimensions that matter for pilot work. No sign-up. Get a directional read on whether to pursue training.
The deep assessment: cognitive plus personality dimensions, with a written report covering your strengths, blind spots, and which pilot career path fits how you think.
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COST PLANNING
Pilot training costs vary wildly: country, modular vs integrated, single-engine vs multi-engine hours. Pick your target license and country and get a realistic total in under a minute. No sign-up, no email required.
PPL
$33k
CPL MEIR / Zero to ATPL
$54k to $119k
CPL MEIR & FI / Zero to ATPL & FI
$79k to $121k
Course fees from the 25 partner programs that publish a price today, converted to USD. Living costs, exams and visas are on top.
No sign-up · ~30 seconds · Real market data
PROGRAMS
Wayman College of Aeronautics
Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States
The Wayman Classic! Associate Degree of Applied Science combined with CPL MEIR, CFI & CFII
Spartan College of Aeronautics
Tulsa, United States
Phoenix East Aviation (PEA)
Daytona Beach, United States
Sydney Flight College (SFC)
Sydney (Bankstown) and Tamworth, NSW, Australia
Full time 21 month residential pilot training program based in Tamworth, NSW. CASA Commercial Pilot Licence plus a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating and UPRT. 222 flying hours including simulator, priced at AUD 169,900.
Australian National Airline College (ANAC)
Melbourne (Moorabbin), Australia
FlyBy Aviation Academy
Burgos, Spain
A 14 month EASA integrated course from no flying experience to a commercial licence with a multi engine instrument rating. FlyBy publishes 238 flight hours and a price of EUR 69,500 for the basic flying program or EUR 79,500 all inclusive.
FlyBy Aviation Academy
Burgos, Spain
One enrolment covering FlyBy's 14 month integrated ATPL, a 3 month flight instructor course and a 12 month paid instructor contract at the academy. 29 months in total, from 91,400 euros.
Hillsboro Aero Academy
Hillsboro, Oregon, United States
EPIC Flight Academy
New Smyrna Beach, Florida (HQ), 10 campuses nationwide, United States
New Zealand Airline Academy Limited (NZAAL)
Oamaru (Whanganui base coming), New Zealand
Perkasa Flight School
Jakarta (HQ); Cilacap, Pangandaran, Semarang (training bases), Indonesia
Phoenix East Aviation (PEA)
Daytona Beach, United States
EPIC Flight Academy
New Smyrna Beach, Florida (HQ), 10 campuses nationwide, United States
You have an FAA or Intl. PPL then this is the training route for you! Instrument rating, commercial licence with a multi engine option, followed by optional time building.
Airways Aviation Australia
Gold Coast (HQ), Brisbane, Lismore, Australia
BASAIR Aviation College
Sydney (Bankstown) and Brisbane (Archerfield), Australia
Airways Aviation Australia
Gold Coast (HQ), Brisbane, Lismore, Australia
Airways Aviation Australia
Gold Coast (HQ), Brisbane, Lismore, Australia
Aviation Career Center (ACC)
Maribor, Slovenia
Slovenian Aeronautical Academy (SAA)
Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
Regional Air School (RAS Tuzla)
Tuzla, Romania
Austrian Aviation Training
Graz, Austria
From Zero to ATPL & FI Rating. Your pathway to a bright future in Aviation
Austrian Aviation Training
Graz, Austria
EASA Zero to ATPL modular Pilot Training Program
Regional Air School (RAS Tuzla)
Tuzla, Romania
Perkasa Flight School
Jakarta (HQ); Cilacap, Pangandaran, Semarang (training bases), Indonesia
Slovenian Aeronautical Academy (SAA)
Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia
International Aviation Academy of New Zealand (IAANZ)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Ardmore Flying School
Papakura (Ardmore Airport), Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland International Pilot Academy (AIPA)
Auckland (Silverdale / North Shore Airport), New Zealand
Australian National Airline College (ANAC)
Melbourne (Moorabbin), Australia
More programs being added
Check back regularly
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Application support, school selection, visa guidance: our aviation counsellors walk you through every step. Free for students.
