Choosing the Right Path: One of the Hardest Questions for Future Pilots
As many European carriers – especially low-cost airlines – continue to hire pilots with minimal flight hours, future candidates face an important decision: gain a few hundred hours quickly and then apply to airlines with better working conditions, or commit long-term to an entry-level carrier with lower benefits. But how can a pilot build hours efficiently without being tied to a multi-year contract or paying an exceptionally high cost for a type rating that might lead to only a short period of employment?
This is exactly where we come in.
Our company offers multiple line-training programs of varying lengths, allowing you to choose the path that best matches your goals and future plans. Let us help guide you through some key considerations.
First, requirements vary significantly by region. Your short-term career destination should be one of the primary factors when selecting the right program. In Europe, some airlines still require additional language skills or specific qualifications that not every candidate possesses. In those cases, building substantial airline experience can make you a highly competitive applicant. It has also become increasingly common for European airlines to require around 500 flight hours as a minimum. This raises a crucial question: should you join a low-cost airline that binds you to a five-year contract, or train with us, complete the required 300–500 hours, and be ready to apply where you truly want to work?
For pilots currently in Europe, choosing one of our 300–500 hour packages may be the most beneficial option — you stay closer to home and can maintain important personal connections while advancing your career.
But what about other regions?
In the United States, for example, airlines typically require 1,500 hours. While flight instructing remains a common path, converting an FAA license to an EASA license can take 7–8 months, and balancing ongoing instruction with intense theoretical study is no simple task, but definitely doable, and not a rare example.
Across Asia and the Middle East, the required hours often start at 500 but can reach up to 2,000 for major carriers. Financing such extensive flight time can be challenging — but with the right strategy, achievable. Completing our advanced programs enables you to build strong, verifiable airline experience, giving future employers full confidence in your skills from the very start of your career.
Whether your target is Europe, the U.S., Asia, or the Middle East, we are committed to helping you take the smartest step forward.
Contact us anytime to discuss your goals, and we will gladly help you determine the most suitable program for your career path.
