Introduction
Once you have completed your hour building and ATPL theory exams, you are nearing the end of your training. The most time consuming parts have passed and you are now through to what you set out to achieve, your CPL. To become an airline pilot, you will also need an instrument rating (IR) valid for multi engine or MEIR. This means you will need to gain a multi engine piston rating as a requirement for the issue of the MEIR (assuming you are not training on a jet aircraft!). We will cover each of these and finally the skills test and a taste of what is to come after.
Please note, the information in this blog is directed for European EASA and UK CAA licences. The process for FAA and other licences around the world are different.
School and Structure
If you are an integrated student, then you will already know where you will be doing this part of the training (the requirments in this post are for modular). If you are modular, you have a choice and can look around. Most training organisations have packages that include the MEP/IR/CPL course. Many modular students do this part of the training full time and it can take around 8 to 12 weeks depending on the weather and other factors.
The first thing you will be covering is a short ground school course of around one to two weeks. These will include internal exams at the end of the theory lessons. After this, you will move on to the MEP training.
After the MEP, you can do the IR or CPL. Your flight school will have their preferred structure, but this might change depending on the weather. For example, you might do some IR flying if the weather is not suitable for VFR for the CPL portion.
After all the training, depending on your EASA state's regulation, you may complete the skills test of the MEP/IR/CPL in a single combined skills test which can be around three hours long. Some EASA states do not allow this and require separate skills test, but your school should be able to advise you on this.
Multi engine Piston Rating
During the MEP training, you will learn to fly a multi engine aircraft for the first time and as a basis to gain the MEIR. This requires at least 6 hours of flight time. And ironically, more than half of this time will be asymmetric flight (single engine flight) training. This is not a lot of time to learn a new and more complex aircraft than you would be used to coming from a single engine aircraft.
The training will focus on engine failure procedures at all stages of flight and can be very intense. At this stage it would be very useful to "backseat" a class mate if possible, meaning you sit in the back during their lessons so that you can have some extra time in the aircraft and observe the training.
You need to complete this training before moving on to the IR or CPL training, although the skills test may be combined for all three for most EASA aviation authorities. Once the skills test is passed, the MEP rating is valid for one year. To begin this training, you require at least 70 hours as PIC.
Instrument Rating
The IR allows you to fly in instrument meteorological conditions. This training is a departure from what you will be used to. So far you will have been flying VFR, primarily with reference to looking outside the aircraft. In the IFR training you will be, as the name suggests, focusing on the instruments.
This training involves a theory course, at least 55 hours instrument training with up to 40 hours in a simulator and 15 hours actual flying. This training includes learning how to fly instrument procedures and manoeuvres and will also include how to deal with instrument and engine failures.
The flying portion will be similar, however now you need to account for real world affects that can't be accurately replicated by the simulator, for example the inertial feelings that might miss lead you. imulator training will have you go over procedures over and over to get you used to reading the instrument plates. Depending on the school you choose and the programme you sign up for, this simulator training can be very intense with hours long sessions, as you are not constrained by weather.
The flying portion will be similar however now you need to account for real world affects that can't be accurately replicated by the simulator, for example the inertial feelings that might mislead you.
Commercial Pilot Licence
You might find much of the CPL training course familiar as it shares similarities with the PPL course. However, the CPL course requires much more precise flying and more in depth flight planning, keeping a commercial goal in mind. The training includes the basic instrument flying module that was mentioned previously as well as a lot of cross country flying. You also need to complete a portion in a complex aircraft, usually the same multi engine aircraft you did your MEP and MEIR in. The breakdown is 10 hours BIFM (maximum 5 in simulator), 15 hours VFR flying, including 5 hours in a complex aircraft.
You need to do extensive pre-flight planning and keep in mind commercial minima and alternates, although you are just doing training flights at the moment, these will certainly be asked about on your skills test. As well as safety minima, you should also plan for what is most 'commercially viable', meaning factoring in the least time and fuel possible for a route. For example, instead of going around controlled airspace, you should plan to transit and arrange ahead of the flight if possible.
For the skills test you need to have 200 hours total time including 100 hours as PIC (which you should have gained during your hour building) as well as the night rating training.
Conclusion
Once you have passed the skills test(s) and all the paperwork is done, you will have become a commercial pilot at last! However, this is not the end of the road to becoming an airline pilot, there are more qualifications you will need as a requirement for airline recruitment including a multi crew cooperation course, jet orientation course and advanced upset prevention and recovery training.
About The Author
Humzah Sharif - "I am a qualified commercial pilot that finished my training just as the Covid-19 Pandemic hit Europe. I started my training at 18 alongside my university studies and have done my training around Europe, mostly in the UK and Poland, while navigating the issue of Brexit. Since then, I have been working on maintaining my ratings and skills while I try to find an opportunity to achieve my goal of finding employment as a pilot.
Currently, I am working at Flightpath Training as a Marketing and Communications Assistant, which has given me a chance to stay connected to the industry while it recovers."
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