Pilot licensing and certification facts for kids

A pilot certificate or license is like a special permit that lets someone fly an aircraft. These permits are given out by the aviation authority in each country, like the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). To get one, a person needs to show they have learned enough and have enough flying experience. This usually includes taking a flying test! Once certified, a pilot can fly in that country's airspace. Even though countries try to have similar rules, there are still differences, so a license from one country might not be fully valid everywhere else. In the United States, pilots are "certified" rather than "licensed," but people often use the word "license" anyway.

Who Regulates Pilots?

Different countries have their own organizations that set the rules for pilots.

United States

In the United States, pilot certificates are managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is a part of the United States Department of Transportation. Pilots get their certificates under specific rules found in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs).

Canada

In Canada, pilot licenses are issued by Transport Canada.

Europe

Most European countries, like France, Switzerland, and Greece, follow common rules set by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This helps make sure pilots across these countries meet similar standards.

United Kingdom

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates aviation in the United Kingdom. The UK used to be part of the EASA system but left it at the end of 2020.

A Brief History of Pilot Licenses

Balloon pilot's licence issued by the Aéro-Club de France in 1904.

People started needing special permits to fly soon after the first powered aircraft took to the sky in 1903.

Early flying clubs, like the Aéro-Club de France (started in 1898) and the Royal Aero Club in the UK (started in 1901), were formed to support flying. These clubs, along with others from different countries, created the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in 1905. The FAI became an international group for all things aviation.

The Aéro-Club de France began giving out pilot certificates in 1910, even giving them to famous early flyers like Louis Bleriot and the Wright brothers for their flights from 1909. The Royal Aero Club in the UK also started issuing certificates in 1910 to pioneers like J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon and Charles Stewart Rolls. These early British and French certificates were recognized by the FAI around the world.

In the US, the Aero Club of America started issuing licenses in 1911. At first, these weren't required by law; they were more for showing off a pilot's skill. Pilots had to fly a figure-eight course at a certain height to get one. It wasn't until 1917 that the US government made licenses a federal requirement.

How Pilot Certificates Work

Pilots get certified to fly different types of aircraft and at different levels of skill. In the US, here are the main levels of pilot certificates, from beginner to advanced:

• Student: This is for beginners learning to fly. They can't fly alone without a special sign-off from their instructor, and they can't carry passengers.
• Sport: This allows pilots to fly smaller, simpler aircraft called light-sport aircraft. They can only carry one passenger and usually fly during the daytime.
• Recreational: This certificate lets pilots fly aircraft with up to 180 horsepower and 4 seats, but only for fun and during the day.
• Private: This is a common certificate. Private pilots can fly for fun or personal trips. They cannot be paid to fly or work for an airline.
• Commercial: These pilots can be paid to fly. They have more advanced training than private or sport pilots.
• Flight instructor: These are commercial pilots who are trained to teach others how to fly safely.
• Airline transport pilot (ATP): These are the most experienced pilots. They are qualified to fly large airliners for major airlines. They need a lot of experience and training.
• Remote Pilot Certificate (Drone): This certificate is for flying unmanned aircraft, often called drones, especially for commercial purposes.

Pilot privileges are also divided by the category, class, and type of aircraft.

A category is a general type of aircraft, like:

• Airplanes
• Rotorcraft (like helicopters)
• Gliders
• Lighter-than-air (like balloons or airships)
• Powered parachute
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) (drones)

A class describes aircraft within a category that have similar features, such as:

• Single-engine (one engine)
• Multiengine (more than one engine)
• Land (can land on land)
• Water (can land on water)
• Helicopter
• Airship
• Free balloon

A type rating is needed for specific large aircraft (over 12,500 pounds) or those powered by turbojet engines. Also, pilots need special training for high-performance planes (more than 200 horsepower), complex planes (with retractable landing gear, flaps, and special propellers), or planes with a tailwheel instead of a nose wheel.

Most private pilot certificates are for "airplane single-engine land." This means the pilot can fly any single-engine airplane that lands on land, as long as they are trained for it.

Pilots usually get their ratings in this order:

• Private pilot: Requires about 35–45 hours of flight time.
• Instrument rating: Allows flying in bad weather. Requires about 40–50 hours of special "instrument" flying time.
• Commercial pilot: Requires about 200–250 hours of total flight time.
• Airline transport pilot (ATP): Requires about 1200–1500 hours of total flight time.

It's important to know that these hours can be earned at the same time and add up. For example, hours spent practicing "instrument" flying for a private certificate can count towards an instrument rating later.

Private Pilot Certificate

Most pilots have a private pilot license. To get one, you usually need to be at least 17 years old and have flown for at least 35–45 hours. This includes time flying with an instructor and time flying alone. (For gliders and balloons, the age requirement is a bit lower.)

In Europe and the UK, a private pilot license needs at least 45 hours of flight training. This includes at least 25 hours with an instructor, 10 hours flying alone, and 5 hours of solo cross-country flying (flying between different airports). Pilots also need to complete a solo flight of at least 150 nautical miles, landing at two different airports.

Private pilots cannot get paid for flying. However, they can carry passengers if they have the right training and ratings. Private pilots also need a medical certificate, which must be renewed regularly. They must also complete a "flight review" with an instructor every 24 months to keep their certificate valid.

Instrument Rating

An instrument rating is an extra qualification that lets an airplane or helicopter pilot fly when visibility is poor, like in rain, fog, or low clouds. When flying in these conditions, pilots follow special "instrument flight rules" (IFR). This training teaches them how to fly using only the aircraft's instruments. In the US, all pilots flying above 18,000 feet (where the air traffic rules are different) must have an instrument rating and follow IFR.

This rating requires special training from an instructor who is also rated for instrument instruction. Pilots must pass a written test, an oral test, and a flight test. To apply, pilots need a private pilot certificate, a medical certificate, at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as the pilot in charge, and at least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flying.

Commercial Pilot Certificate

Commercial pilots can be paid to fly an aircraft. In the United States, to get a commercial pilot license, you must be at least 18 years old and have flown for at least 250 hours in total. This includes specific amounts of time in powered aircraft, airplanes, and as the pilot in charge on cross-country flights. Commercial pilots also need an instrument rating. Without it, they can only fly for hire during the day, in good weather, and within 50 miles of their starting airport.

In Europe and the UK, pilots doing modular training need 200 total hours, with 100 hours as pilot in command. Pilots doing an integrated course need at least 150 hours. They also need to complete a cross-country flight of at least 300 nautical miles.

Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate

Airline transport pilots (ATPs) are the most highly qualified pilots. They must be at least 23 years old and have a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time. This includes many hours of cross-country flying, night flying, and instrument flying. ATPs must also have a commercial certificate and an instrument rating. They can even instruct other pilots who are flying for airlines.

ATPs need a special Class I medical exam, which is stricter than other medical exams and must be renewed more often. Like all pilots, they need a flight review every 24 months. However, US airlines usually require their pilots to have training and a test at least once a year, which covers this review. After a plane crash in 2009, rules became stricter, requiring new airline co-pilots to have at least an ATP certificate.

Multi-Pilot License (MPL)

The Multi-pilot Licence (MPL) allows a person to be a co-pilot in a commercial airline operation. This license is available in the United Kingdom and European countries but not in the United States or Canada.

MPL pilots must be at least 18 years old. They need at least 240 hours of flight training, much of which can be done in advanced flight simulators. They also need 750 hours of classroom learning. This license is usually completed in about 16–18 months, taking someone from no flight experience to flying for an airline. It was developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and focuses on teaching pilots specific skills needed for airline flying.

A unique thing about the MPL is that it's often linked to a specific airline where the training was done. If that airline goes out of business or cancels its job offer, the pilot might need more training to use their license elsewhere.

Other Certificates and Ratings

Drone license within the European Union (issued by Germany).

There are other types of certificates and ratings pilots can get:

• Sport Pilot Certificate: (United States only) This is for flying light-sport aircraft, which are bigger and faster than very light "ultralight" aircraft. Unlike other pilot certificates, a special medical certificate is not required for a sport pilot.
• Night Rating: This allows private pilots to fly at night. It requires specific hours of night flying training. In the US, night flying instruction is part of the private pilot training itself.
• Unmanned Aircraft System (Drone) Pilots: In the US, if you want to fly drones for commercial purposes (like for a business), you need a remote pilot airman certificate.