The journey to becoming an airline co-pilot, formally known as a First Officer, is a multi-phased process that transforms a beginner into a professional aviator qualified to operate large commercial aircraft. The total time required depends heavily on the chosen training path, ranging from accelerated flight academies to university-based aviation degree programs. Achieving the necessary certifications and flight experience involves distinct, sequential steps. This article outlines the progression from initial flight instruction to securing a position in an airline cockpit, detailing the timelines associated with each major phase.
The Foundation: Earning Initial Pilot Licenses
The first major stage involves acquiring the foundational licenses that permit a pilot to fly for compensation. This begins with the Private Pilot License (PPL), which typically requires 40 to 60 hours of flight instruction. Full-time students can earn the PPL in about three to six months, while part-time students often require nine months to a year.
Next, the pilot must earn an Instrument Rating (IR), which allows flight relying solely on cockpit instruments. The IR usually takes an additional two to six months, requiring a minimum of 40 hours of instrument time.
The culmination of this initial training is the Commercial Pilot License (CPL), the permit required to be paid for flying services. A pilot can typically complete the CPL in two to three months following the Instrument Rating, bringing the total flight time to a minimum of 250 hours. This entire foundation phase, from zero hours to a CPL, ranges from nine to twelve months in an accelerated, full-time environment, or 18 to 24 months for part-time students.
Meeting the ATP Certification Requirements
Before a pilot can serve as a First Officer for a commercial airline, they must obtain the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. This certificate represents the highest level of pilot certification and is a mandatory regulatory requirement. The standard requirement for the unrestricted ATP certificate is 1,500 hours of flight time.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offers a path to a Restricted ATP (R-ATP) certificate, allowing pilots to begin flying for an airline with fewer hours. Graduates of a four-year aviation degree program from an FAA-authorized institution qualify for the R-ATP with 1,000 total flight hours. Those who complete an approved two-year associate’s aviation degree program qualify with 1,250 hours.
The R-ATP allows the pilot to function as a co-pilot, but they must reach the 1,500-hour benchmark before upgrading to Captain. After earning the CPL (around 250 hours), the pilot’s next objective is accumulating the remaining 750 to 1,250 hours required for airline eligibility. The final administrative step before hiring is completing the Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP), a prerequisite course focusing on transport category aircraft operations.
Building Necessary Flight Hours
The transition from a Commercial Pilot to an ATP-eligible pilot is often the most variable and time-consuming segment. Pilots must accumulate between 750 and 1,250 additional flight hours after receiving their CPL. The most common method to accomplish this is by becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
Working as a full-time CFI allows pilots to log 60 to 100 flight hours per month, depending on demand and weather. This work provides income while building required experience, including multi-engine and instrument hours. Pilots maintaining a rigorous instructing schedule can meet the R-ATP or full ATP hour requirements in 18 to 30 months.
Alternative methods for hour building include flying for regional cargo operations, conducting aerial photography, or performing banner towing. While these jobs can offer high block hours, they may be less consistent than flight instruction and are often more competitive. Depending on the job efficiency and the required hour total (1,000, 1,250, or 1,500), this accumulation phase typically takes between one and a half and three years.
The Final Steps: Airline Hiring and Training
Once a pilot meets the minimum flight hour requirements, they begin the airline hiring process, including the application, technical interviews, and a simulator evaluation. After receiving a job offer, the new hire enters a structured training pipeline to operate a transport category jet.
Indoctrination and Ground School
The process begins with Indoctrination, a phase lasting about two weeks focused on learning the airline’s specific policies and procedures. Following this, the pilot moves into aircraft-specific Systems Training, a rigorous ground school lasting one to two weeks that covers the jet’s complex systems (hydraulics, electrical, and avionics).
Type Rating and Operating Experience
The next phase is the Type Rating, largely conducted in a full-motion simulator over several weeks. This culminates in a practical test qualifying the pilot to fly that specific aircraft type. The total ground and simulator training typically spans two to three months.
The final stage is Initial Operating Experience (IOE), where the pilot flies actual revenue flights under the supervision of a Check Airman. The IOE phase requires a minimum of 25 hours of flying and is completed over three to five multi-day trips. The entire process, from the first day of Indoctrination to being released as a qualified First Officer, usually takes between three and five months.
Calculating the Total Timeline
Synthesizing the timelines provides a clear range for the total time required to become a co-pilot.
Accelerated Path (R-ATP Eligible)
For an individual pursuing an accelerated, full-time path eligible for the Restricted ATP (1,000 hours), the total time can be as short as three to four years. This includes approximately one year for initial licenses, 18 to 24 months for hour building (often as a flight instructor), and about four months for the final airline training.
Traditional Path (Unrestricted ATP)
The more traditional path, which often involves part-time training and requires the full 1,500 hours, takes longer. This route typically involves two years for the initial licenses, two to three years for hour building, and four to six months for the hiring and training pipeline. Pilots following this conventional progression should anticipate a total timeline of five to seven years to reach the First Officer seat. The final number is influenced by the pilot’s consistency, the type of hour-building job secured, and industry hiring demand.