Education and Training

• Individuals who wish to become commercial pilots must at least have two years of college experience. Military personnel have the option of enlisting in a flight training program. Individuals who enlist in a military flight program can gain extensive training and accrue their flight hours while on duty. Individuals who enroll into a civilian flight training program must complete a minimum of three to six weeks of ground school and flight simulator training. They must also gain 25 hours of initial flight operations experience.
  
  

Licensure

• Candidates seeking their Federal Aviation Administration license must be at least 18 and have a minimum of 250 hours of flight experience. Candidates must pass a rigorous physical examination and have 20/20 vision with or without corrective lenses. Pilots must also have good hearing and no physical handicaps. Other requirements include passing a written examination designed to evaluate a candidate's knowledge of flight safety, navigation techniques and Federal Aviation Administration's regulations. Candidates must also demonstrate their flight skills to a designated examiner.
  
  

Other Qualifications

• Pilots spend about 360 hours per year away from their home base. Therefore, individuals who are interested in becoming pilots should enjoy traveling and spending a significant amount of time away from home. Because pilots travel to various international destinations and experience jet-lag or have irregular sleeping hours, being physically fit and healthy is essential to the profession. In addition, pilots must be able to handle stress since they are responsible for ensuring flight safety regardless of weather or aircraft mechanical problems.
  
  

Considerations

• Pilots who complete their training must be up-to-date on the latest changes in their industry and continue to take professional development courses throughout the course of their career. In general, pilots must take flight simulator checks and recurrent training at least once or twice per year. Pilots must be rated by the Federal Aviation Administration to obtain a license for specific aircraft. Airline captains must have an air transport pilot's license; prospective applicants must be at least 23.