HOW to become a professional pilot
Private Pilot Licence
This is the very first step in becoming a Professional pilot. First you will start the ground school / theoretical knowledge training and study the below mentioned 6 subjects for around 2-3 months.
* ADVICE *
- after completing ground school and getting your SPL, some students start the flying training while doing CAA exams.
Personally i would advice anyone NOT TO DO that unless they're in a really hurry to finish. It will be easier for your to finish the CAA exams first and then start your flight training afterwards.
This is the very first step in becoming a Professional pilot. First you will start the ground school / theoretical knowledge training and study the below mentioned 6 subjects for around 2-3 months.
- Air Law, ATC Procedures & Operational Procedures
- Aircraft General Knowledge & Principles of Flight
- Flight Performance and Planning
- Human Performance and Limitations
- Meteorology
- Navigation & Communication Theory
* ADVICE *
- after completing ground school and getting your SPL, some students start the flying training while doing CAA exams.
Personally i would advice anyone NOT TO DO that unless they're in a really hurry to finish. It will be easier for your to finish the CAA exams first and then start your flight training afterwards.
Next you have two more exams to be done at Civil Aviation.
1. ELPC exam - English Language Proficiency Check
This exam is done in order to test your English knowledge and fluency in English language to be a pilot.
Depending on the grade / level you get , you will have to renew/redo this exam as follow
2. RT exam - Flight Radio Telephony exam
This is a practical exam along with one paper done to check your knowledge on radio operations.
* advice to apply for this exam after you do your first solo flight or usually after 15-20 hrs of flying.
Total minimum hour requirement to obtain a PPL is mentioned below.
Total of 40 hrs that includes
You can check the requirements issued by CAASL by clicking here.
Upon meeting the minimum requirements , you will have to do a flight test of 1hr conducted by a certified examiner of CAA in order to earn your Private Pilot Licence.
1. ELPC exam - English Language Proficiency Check
This exam is done in order to test your English knowledge and fluency in English language to be a pilot.
Depending on the grade / level you get , you will have to renew/redo this exam as follow
- Level 01, 02, 03 : Denial of Licence
- Level 04 : licence issued valid only for 03 years
- Level 05 : licence issued valid only for 06 years
- Level 06 : no further evaluation
2. RT exam - Flight Radio Telephony exam
This is a practical exam along with one paper done to check your knowledge on radio operations.
* advice to apply for this exam after you do your first solo flight or usually after 15-20 hrs of flying.
Total minimum hour requirement to obtain a PPL is mentioned below.
Total of 40 hrs that includes
- 10hrs of solo flying including 5hrs of cross country flight time with at least one cross flight totaling not less than 270km (150 NM) with two full stop landings at two different aerodromes.
- 05hrs of instrument flying.
You can check the requirements issued by CAASL by clicking here.
Upon meeting the minimum requirements , you will have to do a flight test of 1hr conducted by a certified examiner of CAA in order to earn your Private Pilot Licence.
Airline Transport Pilot Licence - Frozen
After completing PPL you can jump straight into ATPL theory stage without having to do the CPL exams.
Frozen ATPL / ATPL Theory consists of 13 CAASL exams and the RT exam. After finishing your PPL you can start ATPL theory classes.
After completing the CAASL exams , you will receive the results sheet and once you get 1500hrs of flying, you will receive the complete ATPL / Unfrozen ATPL.
click HERE and visit 1.Flight Crew Ground Examinations and you can find all the subjects.
After completing PPL you can jump straight into ATPL theory stage without having to do the CPL exams.
Frozen ATPL / ATPL Theory consists of 13 CAASL exams and the RT exam. After finishing your PPL you can start ATPL theory classes.
After completing the CAASL exams , you will receive the results sheet and once you get 1500hrs of flying, you will receive the complete ATPL / Unfrozen ATPL.
click HERE and visit 1.Flight Crew Ground Examinations and you can find all the subjects.
** As you are doing the ATPL ground school , you can start your CPL flying when possible / in between or weekends**
Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument Rating
Since you are already doing frozen ATPL , you dont have to do the CPL theory / ground school. You can straight away start yor CPL flying and time building along with the Instrument Rating.
You will need 200 flying hours to complete your CPL.
Your PPL flying hours will also be included into this 200hrs.
You can check the requirements issued by CAASL by clicking here.
YOU CAN FIND THE LICENCE PHOTOS BELOW
Since you are already doing frozen ATPL , you dont have to do the CPL theory / ground school. You can straight away start yor CPL flying and time building along with the Instrument Rating.
You will need 200 flying hours to complete your CPL.
Your PPL flying hours will also be included into this 200hrs.
You can check the requirements issued by CAASL by clicking here.
YOU CAN FIND THE LICENCE PHOTOS BELOW
Multi Engine Rating
After obtaining your PPL , CPL/IR and frozen ATPL , you need to obtain the Multi Engine Rating / MER where you will learn to fly an aircraft with two engines.
This is NOT another licence. It is a separate type rating that will be endorsed onto your CPL.
There around 3 flying schools that offer this rating and most of them use the PIPER SENECA multi engine aircraft.
After obtaining your PPL , CPL/IR and frozen ATPL , you need to obtain the Multi Engine Rating / MER where you will learn to fly an aircraft with two engines.
This is NOT another licence. It is a separate type rating that will be endorsed onto your CPL.
There around 3 flying schools that offer this rating and most of them use the PIPER SENECA multi engine aircraft.
Upon completing PPL , CPL/IR, Frozen ATPL and multi engine rating , you are now qualified to apply for Srilankan Airlines as a cadet pilot