Building Successful Career In Piloting

In Nigeria, quite a good number of the young citizens would love to be a an aircraft pilot, but lack of information on how to come about the necessary certification and qualifications have hindered their progress and killed their lofty dream.

Though, to become an aircraft pilot, one need to go through rigorous training because aviation industry worldwide is an highly regulated and strict sector.

However, a lot of potentials are also inherent in the sector because Nigeria with its over 200million people and more than 15 airliners with aircrafts having huge demand for pilots, are signs that, there is not a better time to start your pilot training than now.

So, to achieve the dream of becoming either a private pilot, commercial pilot, or airline transport pilot, the following steps needed to be taken:

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Requirements 

(1). Research 

You need to know what pilot training programmes are being offered in the country and which among those is the most suitable for you. This is where you should take into account what is your aviation goal. 

Do you want to obtain a Private Pilot License (PPL) or a Commercial Pilot License (CPL). Are you seeking to work for an airline? If yes, then an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) is for you. Do you aim to attain a college degree at the same time too? Or do you see yourself joining the military, particularly the Air Force? 

(2)Basic Requirements

To become a pilot in Nigeria, you need to be at least 17 years old and in order to start your pilot training, you will need to secure a medical certificate. The best way to do this is to speak with the flight school that you would like to enroll in and they will help arrange it for you.

(3).Education Requirement

Potential students must have at least a high school degree (class 12) with at least 50% in Maths and Physics.

Additionally, you must hold a valid passport with at least 6 months before expiration

(4). Flight School

There are a number of flight schools in Nigeria. Specifically, there are more than 25 of them and notable among them is the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria. These schools offer a variety of pilot training programmes you can select from.

However, kindly note that each school has its peculiar tuition fees, requirements and procedures for enrollment.

However, combining a university degree with flight training if you consider an aviation-related degree programme.

When you complete this degree programme, the institution will award you a college degree and usually, a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) accompanies it.

It means you will need to have more flying time than what’s needed to earn a PPL. Specifically, a minimum of 200 hours flight time is required or 150 hours if you’ve successfully completed a course approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Since the language of aviation internationally is English, it is recommended to have at least a level 4 English standard before receiving your pilot license. 

The retirement age for airline pilots is 67 years old.