BECOME A PILOT COURSE UPDATES

What happens when passengers move around an aircraft? Why does it matter where baggage is loaded? How do pilots know whether an aircraft is safely balanced and what does any of this have to do with getting through a flight school interview? Quite a lot, as our Autumn BECOME A PILOT cohort discovered this week. Our latest two-hour live session combined another major area of professional pilot theory, Mass & Balance. With something equally important for an aspiring pilot: begin

How much runway does an aircraft need to take off? What happens if the runway is wet or covered in grass? What difference does adding extra weight make? And what happens when four aspiring pilots are given an airline problem, limited information and have to agree on a solution? That was the challenge facing students during the latest live session of our BECOME A PILOT Programme. This week we moved from the atmosphere into aircraft performance, before finishing the evening wit

Young people considering a future career on the flight deck will have the opportunity to experience the BECOME A PILOT programme for themselves tonight, as The Aviation Guy hosts its first free live online Parent & Student Taster Session. Taking place Wednesday 30 September from 7pm–8pm, the free 60-minute online session has been designed for aspiring pilots and their parents who want to find out more about pilot training, the knowledge involved and the different routes into

What actually makes an aircraft climb? Why does air pressure decrease with altitude? How does a cloud form? What causes the wind and how does a pilot know how high the aircraft really is? These were some of the questions our aspiring pilots tackled during our latest two-hour live session as we moved into aviation meteorology, the International Standard Atmosphere and altimetry. And this wasn't simply two hours of listening. By the end of the evening, students had worked throu

Funded airline training schemes have transformed the opportunities available to young people considering a career as a pilot in the UK. But there is an uncomfortable reality that every applicant needs to understand: there are far more people applying than there are funded places. So what happens if you apply and don't get one? First, don't interpret rejection as somebody telling you that you cannot become a pilot. Airline selection is competitive. You can perform well and sti

This week on Become a Pilot, students explored some of the fundamental science behind flight while beginning to understand what it actually takes to progress towards a professional pilot career. The Academy isn't designed simply to teach young people interesting facts about aeroplanes. Each session connects aviation knowledge, GCSE and A-Level Maths and Physics, pilot aptitude and career preparation to help students start developing the foundations they will need later in the

Live Online | 2 Hours Per Session Become a Pilot combines aviation knowledge, applied GCSE and A-Level Maths & Physics, pilot aptitude and career preparation across 10 live online sessions. Each session is divided into two core areas: Aviation Knowledge – developing the academic and technical foundations required for future professional pilot training. Pilot Skills & Career Preparation – developing the skills, aptitude, behaviours and understanding required to progress toward

Become a Pilot Academy begins this September and following demand from students and parents who couldn't attend the original Tuesday evening programme, we're opening a second intake sooner than originally planned. The Become a Pilot Winter Academy will begin on: Sunday 8 November 2026 at 6pm Delivered live online on Sunday evenings from 6pm–8pm, the new intake gives another group of aspiring pilots aged 14–19 the opportunity to begin preparing for a future in professional avi

For thousands of young people returning to school and college this September, becoming an airline pilot remains the ambition. The question is: what do you actually do about it while you're still 14, 15, 16 or 17? You don't need to rush out and start paying for flying lessons. You don't need to have your entire career mapped out and you don't necessarily need to go to university before becoming a pilot. But you can start preparing. On Tuesday 8 September, the first students wi

Every year, thousands of young people tell their parents they want to become an airline pilot. Some have been fascinated by aircraft since childhood. Others discover aviation later through travel, flight simulators or social media. The question many parents ask isn’t “Do they want to become a pilot?” It’s… “Do they have what it takes?” The good news is that there isn’t a single “pilot personality” and there certainly isn’t a requirement to be the cleverest child in the class.

It might only be July but it will soon be September; and September has always represented a fresh start. New academic year. New subjects. New teachers. New goals. For students approaching GCSEs and A-Levels, the weeks around results and the beginning of a new school year are also an ideal opportunity to think beyond the next set of exams and ask a bigger question: Where could all of this eventually take me? For students who dream of becoming commercial pilots, now is the perf

When most people think about becoming an airline pilot, they imagine learning to fly. While flying skills are essential, they are only one part of what airlines assess. Modern airlines recruit future professionals. During recruitment, candidates are evaluated on far more than their ability to control an aircraft. Communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, resilience and decision making all form part of the selection process. This is because airline pilots rarely wo

One of the questions I am asked most often is: "What does the journey actually look like?" Although every pilot's route is slightly different, the pathway typically follows the same broad stages. Step 1 | Build Strong Academic Foundations GCSEs and A-Levels remain important, particularly Maths, English and Science. These subjects develop the knowledge and skills required throughout pilot training. Step 2 | Explore the Industry Understanding the different training pathways, ai

Parents often ask whether taking part in an aviation programme will distract from their child's school studies. The answer is quite the opposite. BECOME A PILOT has been designed to reinforce many of the concepts students are already learning within GCSE and A-Level Maths and Physics by applying them to real aviation scenarios. Instead of asking, "When will I ever use this?", students begin to understand exactly why these subjects matter. Navigation relies on mathematics. Met

Every year, thousands of students decide they want to become commercial pilots. Most know they need to learn to fly. Very few understand what airlines actually look for. Modern pilot recruitment is no longer simply about technical flying ability. Airlines are selecting future professionals who can communicate effectively, solve problems under pressure, work within teams and demonstrate the maturity to complete one of the world's most demanding training programmes. These quali

For many parents, supporting a child who dreams of becoming a pilot can feel overwhelming. The aviation industry is competitive, training pathways can be confusing and there is an enormous amount of conflicting information online. This is why more families are choosing to prepare early. 1. Greater Understanding Students gain a realistic understanding of the aviation industry, helping them make informed decisions about future training pathways. 2. Improved Academic Motivation

This weekend, hundreds of aspiring pilots and their families travelled from across the UK to attend Pilot Careers Live, meeting airlines, flight training organisations and aviation professionals to learn more about careers on the commercial flight deck. For many students, events like this provide the inspiration to pursue what has often been a lifelong ambition. But once the exhibition closes and the brochures have been collected, one important question remains: What should y

On 11 July 2026, hundreds of aspiring pilots, students and parents will attend Pilot Careers Live looking for answers about one of the world's most exciting careers. Events such as these are an excellent opportunity to meet flight training organisations, airlines and industry professionals, ask questions and begin understanding the different pathways into commercial aviation. However, one question often remains after the event has finished: "What should I do next?" Inspiratio

For many aspiring pilots, the focus is understandably on one goal: securing a Commercial Pilot Licence and landing that first airline job. However, one aspect of the journey that often comes as a surprise is the cost of an aircraft type rating. What Is a Type Rating? A type rating is the additional training required to operate a specific aircraft type, such as an Airbus A320 or Boeing 737. Even after completing commercial flight training, newly qualified pilots cannot simply

Many students assume that excellent GCSE and A-Level results are enough to secure future pilot training opportunities. Strong grades are important. But they are only part of the picture. Airlines recruit future professionals, not simply academic high achievers. Every airline wants individuals who can operate safely, communicate effectively and make sound decisions under pressure. This is why recruitment processes often assess: Communication Pilots spend much of their careers