How To Become A Commercial Airline Pilot

Do you like to travel? Do you enjoy meeting new people? Do you have a high spatial intelligence? A commercial airline pilot might be the best career for you, and the process for how to become one is surprisingly straightforward. Paragon Flight offers a series of programs designed to help anyone in any stage of life meet this goal.

How To Become A Commercial Airline PilotOur personalized programs are meant to work for the individual student; we don’t provide cookie cutter courses. We do consider where you are, where you want to go, and create a route intended to get you there quickly.

Paragon Flight operates out of Page Field in Fort Myers. We’re certified by the FAA under FAR Parts 61 and 141, and we encourage you to schedule a meeting with the Chief Flight Instructor. By establishing your starting point, your payment strategy, your budget, and your goals, we can establish a course just for your situation and goals.

If you come from a position with a family and a job, you’ll likely need to take advantage of Part 61 permitted flexibility. However, if you are an international student, a GI using military benefits, or a full-time student using grants or student loans, you are required to attend a Part 141 flight school.

Commercial Pilot Licensing

With a Commercial Pilot License, you will be able to collect payment for your services as a pilot. Whether you carry passengers, cargo, banners, tourists, or pesticide, this license permits a variety of applications. It’s also the first step toward becoming the captain of an airliner.

The plan of action we suggest will include the rigidity of Part 141, the flexibility of Part 61, or a combination of the two. Our goal is to save you time and money while supplying an effective flight education.

At Paragon Flight, we supply the best curriculum in the world, created by the Jeppesen company, a subsidiary of Boeing.

Checklist for Becoming a Commercial Pilot

  • Be 18 years old
  • Be fluent and literate in English
  • Have a current Private Pilot Certificate
  • Have a valid 1st or 2nd Class Medical Certificate
  • Log 250 flight hours in total
  • Log 100 flight hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC)
  • Log 50 hours flying cross-country
  • Log 20 hours of training (10 – instrument/10 – complex or TAA/some combination of cross-country and practical prep)
  • Log 10 hours of solo flight time (some cross country and some night)
  • Score a passing grade on an aeronautical knowledge-based written exam
  • Complete and clear an oral exam and checkride with an FAA evaluator

When chasing your dreams to become a pilot, start by earning a commercial pilot license. Once you have this certificate, continue by earning your Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and logging 1,500 flight hours.

The weather here in Fort Myers makes it possible to accumulate these hours faster. Over 250 days of the year are ideal for flight, with clear and sunny skies. We’re also near several practice fields, so you won’t have to wait in line for your turn to fly.

The path for those wondering how to become an airline pilot is somewhat clear while the details may differ from person to person. All training can be obtained at Paragon Flight, and student-pilots can be confident in the quality of that education. Learn more by calling (239) 274-3170.