How Many Hours Can Pilots Fly A Day?
How many hours are pilots allowed to fly a day?
In Europe, the maximum flight duty time a pilot can work is 13 hours. However, this assumes only 2 pilots are operating the flight (you may have 3 or 4 pilots to increase the maximum allowable time) and that you start your duty during the morning. This is a bit of a simplification as the limits for how many hours a pilot can work in a day can be complex and depend on a number of variables.
These variables include:
- The time of day a pilot reports for duty (you can work more hours if you start at 10am rather than 10pm for obvious reasons!).
- Whether the pilot is acclimatised to the local time zone (if you are a long haul pilot, you probably won’t be acclimatised when down route)
- How many pilots are operating the flight (on short haul flights you’d normally only ever have 2 pilots but when flying long haul, you can have 3 or 4 pilots operating a flight, sometimes even more)
- How many flights the duty consists of (this might be 4 flights a day for short haul pilots or just 1 flight for long haul pilots)
There are also restrictions on duties that have several early starts in a row or pilots may need some extra time off required following night flights. There is a requirement for a fixed number of days off over a set period and there are maximum flight and duty time limits for periods of 7 days, 14 days, 28 days and annually which can be seen in the example below.
The rules which govern the number of hours that pilots can work are called Flight Time Limitations (FTLs). These rules are mandated by the regulatory authorities such as the CAA, FAA and EASA.
Duty Period vs Flight Duty Period
There is a subtle but important difference between a Duty Period and a Flight Duty Period and they are treated differently in terms of the maximum time allowable for each entity.
A duty period is defined as when a pilot checks into the airport to commence their pre-flight duties, to after landing once they have completed their post flight duties (typically 30 minutes after parking the aircraft at the gate).
This is not the same as a flight duty period, which covers the period from when the pilots check in at the airport for their flight to when the aircraft comes to a stop (parking brake on) for the crews last flight.
By way of example, if a pilot operates a flight to a destination but then they come home as a passenger (at the behest of the airline), the entire day is classed as a duty period. However, only the part from the piloting checking in, to them parking the aircraft for the flight they are actually operating, is classed as a flight duty period.
Unlike duty periods and flight duty periods, flight time (for which there are even more restrictions!) commences when the aircraft’s parking brake is released to commence pushback until the parking brake is set when it arrives at its destination.
Maximum Pilot Duty Hours in 7 days / 14 days / 28 days
EASA who govern European airlines, stipulate the following:
The total duty periods to which a crew member may be assigned shall not exceed:
-
- (1) 60 duty hours in any 7 consecutive days;
- (2) 110 duty hours in any 14 consecutive days; and
- (3) 190 duty hours in any 28 consecutive days, spread as evenly as practicable throughout that period
How Many Hours are Pilots Allowed to Fly in a Month & Year?
The total flight time limitations for pilots during a month and year are as follows:
-
- (1) 100 hours of flight time in any 28 consecutive days;
- (2) 900 hours of flight time in any calendar year; and
- (3) 1 000 hours of flight time in any 12 consecutive calendar months.
Maximum Hours a Pilot can Fly in a Day in Detail
In terms of how many hours a pilot can work in one day you may be surprised to learn that it is normally far higher that Lorry drivers. A flight duty period is one day’s work and that starts from when a pilot arrives at the airport to complete their pre-flight duties, which involves looking at fuel planning, weather and briefing the crew. They then have to get to the aircraft early enough to complete their checks and start boarding customers to ensure an on time departure. Most short haul flights have a flight duty period that would start 1 hour before the flight and long haul is typically 90 minutes before.
A flight duty period ends when the pilot sets the park brake at the final arrival airport. Although the pilots still have work to do after this it is not deemed to be dangerous if they are tired as they are not flying customers around any more, although they still have to drive home!
A short haul pilot working for a low-cost airline would typically do 2 long sectors (flights), 4 shorter ones or perhaps even 2 long ones with 2 short ones after or before.
Airline rostering is a complex business. Airlines have a responsibility to roster pilots work that they can safely complete, however pilots are an expensive to airlines so, they also need to get as much work out of them as possible. It is a fine balance to strike.
Below is a table which sets out the normal maximum hours a crew member can work for a flight duty period, assuming the crew member is ‘acclimatised’. These hours can be extended through in-flight rest (i.e. having more than 2 pilots onboard) and Captains discretion, both of which are described later on in the article.
A Typical Short Haul Day for a Pilot
A typical days work for a short haul pilot may for example, see a pilot reporting early in the morning at an airport in the UK, fly down to the Mediterranean, and then fly back again. The day might end there or they might end up doing another shorter flight such as from London to Glasgow and back.
The maximum flight duty period for pilots starting at 0600 and doing 4 flights in the day would be 12 hours.
Although the flight duty period ends when the park brake is set on the final sector, the pilots still then have to say goodbye to their customers, complete their post flight checks onboard, file any paperwork in the office, clear customs and immigration, get to the car park and drive home.
What is Captain’s Discretion?
The Captain has the authority to exercise ‘discretion’, which is an extension to the maximum flight duty period, if he/she feels that they can safely extend their working day. This extension of hours can be used to manage on the day delays, such as due to technical or air traffic control days. The crew can’t be planned to go into discretion before the duty, it must be due to exceptional circumstances on the day.
The rules state that the pilots can extend the maximum duty, using discretion by up to 2 hours. This can be extended to 3 hours if the flight has 3 or more pilots and the aircraft has crew bunks which allow onboard rest.
However it is called ‘discretion’ precisely because the use of this extension is completely down to the discretion of the captain. The captain must make a judgement call as to whether it is safe to exercise discretion or not. This will depend on a wide range of factors, such as:
- How the crew are feeling – if they’ve been up at 4am for every morning for the last 4 days, the might be too tired to safely extend the flight duty time.
- Poor weather requires the pilots to demonstrate greater cognitive capacity. This is harder to do when tired and you’ll inevitably be more tired if you extended your duty period by 2 hours.
- Aircraft technical defects can complicate the operation, so it may not be appropriate to extend the flight duty period.
The airline should not put any pressure on the crew to operate into discretion, and it is the Captain’s decision only, the airline can only ask if they are willing and able.
What happens to maximum pilot hours when a delay occur?
What happens if the flight is running late? You may have been on a flight and heard the expression by pilots, cabin crew or ground staff that ‘the pilots are out of hours’. This means they can not legally complete the flight within the maximum number of hours they are permitted to work. If the pilots are out of hours it isn’t that they are just a little tired and don’t fancy competing the day’s work. If pilots exceeded the maximum allowable duty hours, they would be breaking the law and risk losing their licence and potentially be criminally prosecuted should anything un-towards happen,
Long Haul Pilot Hours
On long haul flights there is also a requirement for a number of local nights rest at home base / airport depending on the time zone you have been in (if equal or greater to 4 hours difference to home base / airport) and the number of nights you have spent in the different time zone. This is to try to ensure pilots are adequately rested and acclimatised for their next duty.
So as you can see there are many factors involved and some regulations are based on scientific research to help prevent fatigue. It is a well known fact and genuine concern in the industry as increased fatigue has a direct correlation to reducing safety as most air accidents are caused by some sort of pilot error at some point and many of these incidents have fatigue as a contributing factor.
The FAA (American authority) made changes to their regulations in a bid to reduce fatigue particularly in the small commuter airlines after the Colgan Air flight 3407 in 2009 accident which was attributed to pilot error likely caused by fatigue. Other air accidents attributed to fatigue include Korean Airlines flight 801, American Airlines flight 1420 and Corporate Airlines flight 1566.
Typical Long Haul Day for a Pilot
Long haul flights are slightly different as they sometimes have more than 2 pilots to allow a longer flight duty period by giving each pilot some rest away from the controls, these areas are called bunks as they are like bunk bed areas normally in the roof space of long haul aircraft. Some long haul aircraft do not have bunk areas so the airline would have to block a seat off (normally a first class or club class seat) so the pilot can get some rest there instead.
If a pilot started early in the morning like the example above and did one flight then the maximum duty period is 13 hours. The increase in maximum flight duty period is due to the fact it is deemed less fatiguing to do 1 flight than 2, 3 or 4. There are also fewer mistakes likely to be made as they are only setting up the aircraft and departing and arriving once.
If you’re interested in a comprehensive description of a day in the life of a long haul pilot, check out our article here.
Pilot Rest Areas Onboard an Aircraft
Many long haul aircraft are fitted with crew rest areas referred to as ‘crew bunks’. These are flat beds separate from the passenger compartment where both pilots and cabin crew can sleep during the flight.
On very long flights (such as from Heathrow to Hong Kong) airlines are able to extend the crews maximum duty period by rostering 3 or 4 pilots for the duty. In the case of 3 pilots, this allows 1 pilot to always be resting in the bunks (except for take-off, approach and landing), or 2 pilots to be in the bunks if there are 4 pilots in total. With one extra pilot and bunk rest facilities onboard the authorities allow an airline to extend the maximum duty period to 16 hours without the use of discretion (19 hours if discretion is used).
Cabin Crew Flight Duty Time Restrictions
Cabin crew have similar duty time restrictions to the pilots and are often identical limits. The main objective of these regulations is to ensure pilots and cabin crew have the required alertness levels at crucial stages of flight, i.e. take off and landing.
Pilot Controlled Rest on the Flight Deck During Flight
If pilots still feel tired during a flight duty period, they can opt to have ‘controlled rest’. This is a short period (no longer than 45 minutes) of sleep in the seat at the controls. There are various requirements such:
- The seat has to be pulled back from the controls
- The rudder pedals moved forward so the pilot cannot inadvertently move the pedals while asleep
- The other pilot must feel alert enough to fly the aircraft
- It must be during a period of low workload during the cruise.
- It is normally a requirement to inform the cabin crew to ensure they keep checking on the other operating pilot.
Most aircraft have systems fitted whereby if no controls are touched or buttons pushed for a period of time an alarm will sound. The maximum of 45 minutes sleep / rest has been scientifically researched to increase your alertness levels for the landing phase of the flight without allowing the pilot to fall into a deep sleep. Once awake again the pilot that was sleeping must not touch the controls for 10-15 minutes until they have fully woken and feel fit and alert once more.
It may sound alarming that pilots have a quick nap on occasions whilst at the controls of a plane, but it has been proven to significantly reduce fatigue and improve alertness levels for the critical landing phase.
Remember the key objective with any flight time limitation rules is to allow airlines to operate their schedules as efficiently as possible while ensuring pilots and cabin crew are sufficiently rested to perform their duties safely.
How Much Rest Do Pilots Need Between Flights?
Generally speaking, pilots need 12 hours rest or the length of the preceding duty if it was more than 12 hours. If a pilot was on duty for 8 hours, they would need 12 hours rest, but if they were on duty for 16 hours, they would need 16 hours rest. This can be lowered under some circumstances when delays occur, and you are away from your home base. ‘Split Duties’ can also be utilised where crew rest in a hotel whilst in the middle of a duty, which has the same effect as in-flight rest – it extends their max allowable duty time.
Can the Pilots Eat the Same Meal when Flying?
Do Pilots Need to Eat Different Meals from Each Other?
At many airlines, food is provided for the pilots to eat during the course of their flying duty. This may be the same food offered to the passengers or crew specific catering.
Historically, pilots were required to ensure they ate different meals in case the food gave them food poisoning. Having different meals helped to ensure that if one pilot got food poisoning, the other didn’t and could still fly the aircraft. However, the chances of both pilots now suffering from food poisoning due to eating the food onboard is so rare that it is no longer a requirement. Therefore, pilots don’t need to eat different meals from each other. However, some airlines still recommend the pilots eat different meals.
What Happens if the Pilot gets Food Poisoning?
If a pilot was unable to continue safely operating the aircraft due to food poisoning, it would be classed as a pilot incapacitation. Both pilots and the cabin crew are trained in what to do if this occurs. A full pilot incapacitation would result in a May Day call being made to air traffic control and the aircraft landing at the nearest suitable airport.
Airbus vs Boeing Differences in Design Philosophy
Boeing versus Airbus – What are the differences for the Pilots?
At first glance, the design of the flight decks for Airbus and Boeing aircraft which are currently in production are visually quite similar. The screens, thrust levers, and various controls and levers are located in similar positions as can be seen when comparing an Airbus 320-200 and Boeing 737-800 flight deck in images below.
A320 Flight Deck
B737 Flight Deck
Automation Philosophies
Much of the similarities, both in terms of anthropometric design and automation, are mandated by the certification requirements set out by EASA and the FAA in CS/FAR-25. This mandates much of what must be visible to the flight crew, and its respective distance or angle from the Eye Datum Point for certain instruments (EASA 2020).
It could be observed that the significant visual difference between the design of the two flight decks is the inclusion of a Control Yoke on the Boeing aircraft, as opposed to the Side Stick found on the Airbus. Behind these two design differences there is a fundamental difference in the automation philosophy between the two manufactures. Both manufactures have previously described their philosophy with regards to aircraft design and automation.
Airbus Philosophy
Whilst both manufactures share the philosophy that the pilots are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the aircraft, Airbus has stated that “Automation should allow the operator to use the safe flight envelope to its full extent…” (Spitzer, Ferrell 2015: 224) (Airbus 2017: 6). This philosophy is incorporated into the automation design through Airbus’s flight control laws. In Normal and Alternate Law, the flight crew are able to manipulate the flight controls but are unable to make any input which would result in the aircraft operating outside a pre-defined set of parameters (Ibsen 2009: 343).
The result is that the flight crew do therefore not have complete authority over the aircraft as certain flight envelope protections are in place to ensure various aircraft limitations are not exceeded. These are known as “Hard” limits (Spitzer, Ferrell 2015: 224). These flight envelope protections are removed in Direct Law, however this law can’t be manually selected by the crew (Ibsen 2009: 343).
Boeing Philosophy
On the other hand, Boeing has stated in its design philosophy that “The pilot is the final authority for the operation of the aeroplane” (Spitzer, Ferrell 2015: 224). This is incorporated into the design of its fly-by-wire aircraft by allowing the pilot complete control authority of the aircraft, regardless of whether this results in departure from the normal flight envelope (Harris 2011: 379).
Why is there a difference in philosophy?
Airbus introduced this ‘hard limit’ philosophy and subsequent technology into its Airbus 320 aircraft which entered service in 1987. Given that the majority of airline accidents are caused by Human Error (Wiegmann, Shappell 2016: 10), it could be considered that such technology was introduced on an ideological basis on the premise that it enhanced flight safety. This technology has been consistently applied on all Airbus models since the A320, simplifying and streamlining crew training and aircraft maintenance resulting in cost reductions for the airlines (Ibsen 2009: 347).
Boeing made a conscious decision to embrace the philosophy of full pilot authority over the aircraft through being able to override any fly-by-wire system, when the B777 was introduced, which was the first Boeing aircraft to incorporate such technology (Ibsen 2009: 347). With an extensive history of aircraft design, this allowed a degree of commonality and continuity for Boeing aircraft pilots (Ibsen 2009: 347). The flight crew have the ability to simply fly the aircraft unrestricted whether they are operating old, new, small or large airframes from the Boeing family.
Conclusion
There are clear aesthetic similarities between the two flight deck designs which are likely as a result of the certification requirements stipulated in CS/FAR-25. However, there are clear differences in automation philosophy, with Airbus restricting pilot control authority, ensuring the aircraft remains within a predetermined flight envelope (Harris 2011: 379). On the other hand, Boeing allows the pilots operating its aircraft have complete control authority if necessary (Harris 2011: 379).
References
Airbus. (2017) ‘The Airbus Cockpit Philosophy’ Proceedings of Flight Operations Safety and Awareness Seminar, ‘Airbus Flight Operations Support and Training Standards’. Held 19-21 September 2017 in Nairobi.
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Certification Specifications and Acceptable Means of Compliance for Large Aeroplanes CS-25, Amendment 24. available from <https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/CS-25%20Amendment%2024.pdf> [10 January 2020]
Harris, D. (2001) Human Performance on the Flight Deck. London: CRC Press
Ibsen, A. (2009) ‘The politics of airplane production: The emergence of two technological frames in the competition between Boeing and Airbus’. Technology in Society 31, 342-349
Spitzer, C. Ferrell, U. Ferrell, T. Becker, SG. (2015) Digital Avionics Handbook. London: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group
Wiegmann D., Shapell S. (2016) A Human Error Approach to Aviation Accident Analysis. Oxford: Routledge
Why do Pilots Wear a Uniform?
Why Do Pilots Wear a Uniform?
Airline Pilots wear uniforms to make them instantly recognisable when at the airport or in the aircraft. The flight crew are in charge of the aircraft and therefore need to command respect and authority from passenger and colleagues.
Pilot uniforms are typically similar in design to that of some military officer uniforms as traditionally, military and commercial aviation share the same heritage. Each airline has a unique uniform design for its pilots, some more subtle than others, although they are clearly generally similar in their make-up.
They are worn for a number of reasons:
Recognisable
It’s important that the flight crew and their rank can be easily identified by passengers and staff, whether this be in the terminal or on-board the aircraft. Either through first-hand experience or through exposure to uniform in the news, films or pictures, almost everyone has a good idea what a pilot uniform looks like, making them instantly recognisable.
Authority
The flight crew may need to give time critical safety related instructions. If an individual look’s like they have a high level of authority, the instructions being issued will be more likely to be followed.
Professional Image
The travelling public quite rightly expect their pilots to operate to the highest professional standards. Flying is a safety critical industry where passenger need reassurance that everything associated with the act of flying a plane, is done so professionally and to a high standard.
Portraying a professional image by looking smart and presentable helps to reassure passengers of the flight crews professional standards. If a pilot turned up looking scruffy with their shirt not ironed, loose tie with the top button un-done and not well groomed, how would you this make you feel about their professional standards?
You want your pilots to be looking tip top as their consciously or subconsciously, their uniform standards will reflect their overall standard of operation of the aircraft.
What does a Pilots Uniform Consist of?
A typical pilot uniform consists of a jacket which is usually decorated with a set of the airline’s wings to help identify the individuals as pilots. A name badge is normally also present along with stripes on the arms to indicate the rank of the pilots.
Generally speaking 4 stripes indicates the rank of Captain, 3 Senior First Officer and 2 First Officer. There are some variations on this depending on the airline; for example, some airlines only have 3 stripes for their First Officers.
There are also variations in what some airlines deem to qualify someone as a Senior First Officer as some are based on time within the company whereas others are based on total hours flight time.
The contents of the jacket such as the wings, name badge and rank indicators (through epilates worn on the shoulder) are usually duplicated on the pilot’s shirt.
Material matching the jacket will usually make up the trousers.
Shoes should typically be plain black leather without any intricate patterns or contrasting colours for the stitching or laces.
Why do Pilots Wear Hats?
Not all airlines still require their flight crew to wear hats as part of their uniform. Low cost airlines do not usually include hats as part of the pilots uniform, but most legacy carriers do.
Many airlines still require their pilots to wear hats for the same reasons that they require their pilots to wear uniform; recognition, authority and professionalism.
Pilot Grooming Standards
Many airlines set out minimum grooming standards and guidelines for its flight crew.
For men, neat and well-groomed facial hair is usually allowed but beards must typically be short if the donning of a full-face oxygen mask was required (triggered by a depressurisation or smoke/fumes event).
Hair is required to be well groomed with no ‘extreme’ cuts or colours such as a ‘Mohican’. Any ‘non-normal’ colouring, like red, blue, green etc. is also prohibited.
What is an SOP?
What is a Standard Operating Procedure?
The term SOP is an abbreviation for a Standard Operating Procedure. SOPs are a framework of common procedures set out by an airline which supports pilots in operating a commercial aircraft safely and consistently. SOPs provide step-by-step instructions for how to carry out a task or procedures. It has been suggested that SOPs are specific to routine tasks, but in aviation, they equally apply to rare emergency situations.
Many industries use SOPs to ensure that tasks or operations are completed correctly and in a specific order. It also ensures that the task or procedure is carried on in the same way consistently by many different people.
In aviation, and specifically for pilots, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) serve a number of purposes such as:
- Ensuring that aircraft is flown correctly in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines
- Promote adherence to the manufacturer’s and airline’s operating philosophy
- Promote operational safety
- Promote operational efficiency
- Utilise aircraft resources and functionality appropriately
It also allows any pilots from the same company who may not have flown with each other before (or they may even have never met each other), to fly together as a crew. Adherence to SOPs means each pilot knows exactly what they and the other pilot should be doing in any given phase of flight. This is particularly important when working for a large airline with hundreds or perhaps thousands of pilots.
Different types of SOPs
The following are different types of Standard Operating Procedures:
A memory flow of arranging switches and levers in the correct position for a particular phase of flight. For example, it is normal that the PM / PNF (Pilot monitoring or Pilot not flying) will complete the before start flow and then read the before start checklist which the PF (Pilot flying) will respond to.
A call or acknowledgement of an event. For example, most EASA airlines have to acknowledge an automated callout of 1,000ft which would be followed by PM / PNF stating whether they are stable or not for the subsequent landing.
A procedure that requires completing with certain criteria. For example, in visible moisture below 10 degrees pilots will be required to taxi and take off with engine anti-ice systems on.
SOP Design
SOPs can also be developed as time goes by to incorporate improvements based on experience, accidents, near misses or innovations from other manufacturers or operators to suit the needs of a particular organisation.
SOP design covers both normal and non-normal operations. For example, they dictate how the take-off should be flown whilst also providing guidelines for how to respond to an engine failure.
SOPs should not be designed to be too detailed and exhaustive as this can over complicate the process which may require a high level of attention and mental capacity at the expense of other tasks. However, they should also not be be too vauge or relaxed to the point that the crew have too many options to decide between as this may lead to the SOP being incorrectly applied.
If a pilot is not conforming to SOPs. he/she can be expected to be challenged by the other pilot. Failure to respond appropriately to 2 or more SOP deviation calls by the other pilot will lead them to assume you have become incapacitated and will take control of the aircraft.
When would you not follow an SOP?
However, there may be an occasion where it is preferably or vital to ignore or not carry out an SOP. This would normally be in an emergency situation. An example of this would be continuing to land the aircraft below the operating minima where the pilots had not become visual with the runway as they had an uncontrollable cabin fire. In this case it would be safer to continue with the landing despite it being against the rules (or SOPs) to do so.
How Much do Airline Pilots Get Paid?
How Much Do Airline Pilots Get Paid?
First Officers (or co-pilots) can earn from £25,000 – £150,000 a year whilst the yearly salary for Captains (pilots) can range from £100,000 to about £300,000. Pilot pay varies significantly between airlines and countries with factors such as the type of operation, aircraft flown and experience level all affecting pilot pay. Generally speaking, the bigger the aircraft, the further the aircraft is flown and the longer a pilot has been with that airline, the more the airline pilot gets paid. Many airlines have a yearly increase in salary that reflects the pilot’s length of service or seniority.
The Guardian (a UK newspaper) stated that in 2016, airline pilots were the 4th highest paid profession in the United Kingdom earning an average of £86,915 ($120,000 / €95,000), before tax a year.
The Roles of Pilots
Airline pilots are split into two roles; the Captain and First Officer. The Captain is in charge of the aircraft and ultimately responsible for the safety of the passengers, crew and aircraft. The First Officer assists the Captain in the safe operation of the flight with (on most days), the flying duties being split evenly, taking it in turns to fly the aircraft. The First Officers roles can be further split into a junior First Officer, Second Officer or Senior First Officer. Training Captains and First Officers (pilots who train other pilots) would expect to earn an extra increment on top of those stated below.
Pay Scales
The figures below are meant to be used as a general guide and there will always be exceptions above or below the figures. Each airline has its own pilot pay scales which will vary with the type of operation and aircraft type. The taxation applicable to each country will significantly alter the take home pay (net) for a given gross salary. Please note the Dollars and Euros figures given are based on a UK pound sterling conversion. Salaries are updated to reflect conditions in 2021.
Long Haul Pilot Pay
Long Haul Captain (Maximum)
Long Haul Captain (Minimum)
Long Haul First Officer (Maximum)
Long Haul First Officer (Minimum)
£250,000 ($350,000 / €280,000)
£80,000 ($124,000 / €113,000)
£120,000 ($187,000 / €170,000)
£50,000 ($80,000 / €65,000)
Long-haul aircraft types would include Boeing 747, 767, 777, 787, Airbus 330, 340, 350 380. Airline examples might include, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, American Airlines, Delta, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France Turkish Airline’s, Iberia.
Short Haul Pilot Pay
Short Haul Captain (Maximum)
Short Haul Captain (Minimum)
Short Haul First Officer (Maximum)
Short Haul First Officer (Minimum)
£130,000 ($205,000 / €185,000)
£70,000 ($109,000 / €100,000)
£70,000 ($109,000 / €100,000)
£35,000 ($55,000 / €50,000)
Short to medium haul aircraft types would include Boeing 737, 757, Airbus 319 / 320 / 321, Embraer 190/195.
Regional Pilot Pay
Regional Captain (Maximum)
Regional Captain (Minimum)
Regional First Officer (Maximum)
Regional First Officer (Minimum)
£80,000 ($120,000 / €100,000)
£40,000 ($63,000 / €57,000)
£40,000 ($63,000 / €57,000)
£20,000 ($32,000 / €29,000)
Regional aircraft types would include Jetstream 41, Saab 2000, Dash 8, ATR42/72, Fokker 50, Embraer 145. Example airlines might include Eastern Airways, Aer Arran, Flybe, Darwin Airways or Logan Air.
Charter Airline Pilot Pay
Charter airlines operate both long and short haul. As such pay will vary between the short and long haul salary brackets.
How Much Does It Cost to Train as a Pilot?
How much does it cost to train as a pilot?
As of 2022, the cost of commercial pilot training is between £/€ 40,000 to £/€ 150,000. The cost depends on which flight school you train at and the type of training you do (there’s more than one training route to becoming an airline pilot). Unfortunately, the cost of flight training is very expensive and can be a barrier to some people becoming a pilot.
At present, the majority of airline’s currently require the student to pay the cost of training and this seems unlikely to change for the foreseeable future given the number of pilots out of work who are seeking reemployment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- A full time commercial flight training course (known as an integrated course) completed at a European flight school will cost upwards of £80,000 to around £130,000.
- Part time flight training, or a course completed at a various flight training organisations (known as modular training) will start at around £40,000 rising up to approxmately £60,000.
Type Rating Costs
You also need to factor in that many aircraft require the newly hired employee to pay for his or her Type Rating. This is the qualification needed by a pilot to operate a specific aircraft type such as a Boeing 737. This can cost between £15,000 to £35,000 depending on who provides the training.
To see what options there are to help you fund your flight training, you can visit our ‘Financing Flight Training‘ page for more information.
Integrated Flight Training
Integrated flight training refers to a full time commercial flight training course, where all of the training is completed with the same dedicated flight training organisation. Students who complete integrated flight training can complete the course with fewer flight hours than that required if completing it through the modular route. A full time integrated course usually takes between about 14 – 18 months, however it is dependant on the weather and satisfactory student progress at each stage.
Integrated Training Advantages:
- It’s the quickest way to complete your flight training (14-18 months)
- High quality, intensive training
- Many airlines have traditionally preferred students from integrated training courses
- Many integrated flight schools have good relationships with airlines, and have a recommendation system
- Some airlines run mentored training programs which provide a fast track route into a job after completing your training
- Fewer flight hours are required to obtain your CPL/IR
Modular Flight Training
Modular flight training refers to completing your flight training one step at a time. You can do the training at your own pace, as your spare time and finances allow. It’s usually cheaper than integrated training and gives you maximum flexibility.
You would normally complete your modular flight training in the following order:
- Private Pilots Licence (PPL)
- Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) Theoretical Examinations
- Hour Building
- Commercial Pilots Licence
- Instrument Rating
- Multi Crew Cooperation Course
Modular Flight Training Advantages
- It’s the cheapest way to get your commercial pilots licence
- You can pay for it as you go, no large fees are required upfront
- You can complete it in your own time, alongside a full time job
For more information on the Pro’s and Con’s of each training route, visit our Integrated vs Modular page.
How Many Days Off Do Pilots Get a Month?
How many days do pilots usually get off a month?
Commercial airline pilots typically have between 9 and 15 days off a month without including any leave, although this depends on the airline and type of operation.
Short Haul Operations
Short haul pilots might either be on a fixed rostering pattern or a variable roster. A fixed roster means you work a set number of days on, then have a set number of days off. For example at some low cost airlines, most of their pilots work 5 days on then 4 days off. easyJet pilots work 5 on – 4 off – 5 on – 3 off. Legacy short haul pilots work a ‘random’ roster with no set pattern. There are both benefits and disadvantages to a fixed and variable pattern. One allows you to know exactly what days you will have off all year, but if you want a day off that doesn’t normally fall on your off day, you will need to use your annual leave to have it off. On a variable roster pattern, which is often used at leisure airlines, you will likely work much harder in the summer than the winter due to the operational requirements. Therefore, you will have anywhere between about 9 and 13 days off a month as a short haul pilot, depending on the airline and the type of operation.
Long Haul Operations
Long haul pilots typically get more days off a month than their short haul counterparts as they spend more time away from home. The days off must also allow for adequate rest following multiple time zone crossings often in the middle of the night. As a long haul pilot, you would typically get between 10 – 15 days off a month, again depending on the airline.
If you found this article of interest, you might find our page on a Typical Pilots Roster worth a read.
Do Pilots Sleep in Flight?
Do pilots sleep when flying the plane?
The simple answer is yes, pilots do, and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.
Pilot rest can be separated into two categories; ‘Controlled Rest’ where the pilot sleeps whilst in the cockpit at the controls, or ‘Bunk Rest’ where sleep or rest is taken either in the passenger cabin (in a seat reserved for the pilots) or in the dedicated crew ‘bunk’ beds available on long haul aircraft.
This is standard practice throughout the industry as it is proven to improve flight safety by ensuring the flight crew are well rested for the approach and landing which is one of the most demanding and intensive phases of the flight. Needless to say, at least one pilot must always be awake and at the controls at all times.
Controlled or bunk rest is more common on long haul flights that are scheduled to operate overnight, particularly when operating within the window of circadian low (around 4am to the time you are acclimatised to).
Aircraft Bunk Rest/Sleep for Pilots
On most long haul aircraft there are hidden beds where the pilots and Cabin Crew are able to sleep out of the view of passengers.
Some long haul flights require there to be 3 or 4 pilots due to the length of the flight and to allow a suitable sleep/rest opportunity for the pilots. The same two pilots are at the controls for take-off and landing whilst the other pilot(s) will take control for other segments of the flight to given the other pilots an opportunity to sleep. The extra pilots (i.e. the ones not at the controls for take-off and landing) are often referred to as ‘Heavy’ crew.
Most long haul aircraft have bunk beds available for both the Pilots and Cabin Crew. These are generally hidden out of view from passengers. If no bunks are available, commercial passenger seats in business or first class are set aside for the pilots to ensure a good standard of rest can be achieved.
Shortly after take-off, the first pilot(s) will head to the bunks to sleep for a set period of time, before rotating with the other pilots. The rest is typically distributed evenly amongst the crew, before all the pilots return to the flight deck approximately 1 hour before landing.
Controlled Rest in Flight for Pilots
Controlled rest allows one pilot at a time to get up to 45 minutes of sleep during periods of low workload (in the cruise). This is to promote a higher level of alertness levels during periods of high workload, for example the descent, approach and landing.
The principle of controlled rest is to allow the pilots to boost alertness and energy. It’s the equivalent of a “power nap”. Ideally controlled rest should be between around 10 – 20 minutes as this limits you to the lighter stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Sleeps between 30 and 60 minutes can result in sleep inertia when you wake up, which will leave you feeling groggy similar to a hangover.
There are set rules that have to be followed when pilots take controlled rest in flight, such as:
- Controlled rest should be discussed and agreed to by both pilots
- Controlled rest should be limited to a predefined period between around 10 – 40 minutes.
- Only one pilot should take controlled rest at a time and that should be in his/her seat but with the seat pulled back away from the controls.
- Once the resting pilot is woken he should avoid operating the controls for a set period of time to ensure he/she has fully awoken and is alert. They should also be awake for at least 15 minutes before any high workload situations such as initiating the descent.
- The resting pilot should ensure the operating pilot is adequately briefed to enable the other pilot to carry out their duties during the single-pilot operation.
There is a risk that the non-resting operating pilot may fall asleep too, to mitigate this the cabin crew are informed control rest is taking place and regular contact is made between the operating pilot and the cabin crew.
Some aircraft also have a facility whereby a warning is sounded if none of the controls / switches / buttons have been touched for a specific time period.
Pilot Sleeping in-flight Example
Lets consider this example in terms of what is safer with resting / sleep onboard:
Two pilots are operating a night flight to Tenerife from Manchester. The report time for work is 20:00 on Monday evening, the flight is planned to leave Manchester at 21:00 with a block time (flight time and taxi time at both ends) of 04:30 giving a scheduled landing time of 01:30.
The turnaround time is 1 hour meaning the return flight departs at 02:30. Again it’s a block time of 04:30 back to Manchester giving a scheduled landing time of 07:00, the pilots would then be off duty at 07:30 and have to drive home. This is all if the flights are running on schedule.
Naturally the pilots would sleep normally overnight on Sunday (although may have operated that day to) into Monday and they would try to either lay in or go back to sleep in the early evening for a couple of hours before reporting for duty depending on how long their commute is. Effectively they are losing one nights sleep.
The question is would it be safer to allow each pilot a 30 minute nap on each sector to ensure they are more alert or to not allow this procedure at all?
Now you have the facts what do you think?
Yearly Training Requirements For Airline Pilots
Airline pilots are probably tested more than any other profession. Every 12 months, pilots must complete the following:
- Pass a medical assessment ensuring they are fit to fly (reduces to every 6 months when above the age of 60).
- Complete a ‘Line Check’. This is a bit like a driving test, but in the aircraft. An examiner observes you operating the aircraft to ensure you are compliant with company rules and regulations and are doing the job to a proficient standard.
- Every 6 months, pilots must go into the simulator where they practice emergency procedures whilst being assessed by an examiner over a couple of days.
- Complete technical testing to ensure they maintain a high level of technical proficiency on their aircraft type.
- Complete Crew Resource Management (CRM) Training. This is where pilots are taught about how human factors can affect flight safety.
- Aviation Security Training
- Winter Operations Course
- Dangerous Goods Examination
If the pilot fails any element of these, he or she is removed from flight duties and could ultimately lose their job.