At the beginning of the training course at the flight school consisted of two stages. At the first stage, training took place at the Ulyanovsk Higher Aviation School with a degree in Flight Operation of Aircraft. Studied there for 1.5 years. In the second stage, training was already underway at the Aeroflot school itself on a contract basis for 6 months. If studying at the school was supposed to be free, then at school you had to pay for education, for this the company issued a targeted loan in the amount of the cost of studying. The contract with the student provided that after graduating from the flight school he would work for Aeroflot for 5 years, while he would be deducted money from his salary to repay the loan. But this program is not, since the airline failed to resolve the issue of budgetary financing from the state to pay for training at the first stage.
The average salary of a co-pilot at Aeroflot is an average of 250,000 rubles. Therefore, it will not be difficult to pay off a target loan allocated for studying at a flight school.In 2013, flight training at Aeroflot consisted of two parts. Initial training took place at an accredited flight center in Florida, USA and took approximately 4.5 months. The course cost $55,000, and this does not include the cost of flights, visas and meals. After training, the students took two exams - for flight training and for the theoretical program. After successfully passing the exams, the student received an American standard pilot's license. Training in the second part took place directly on the basis of the Aeroflot flight school. Here they taught the basics of piloting a particular A320 aircraft. The study took 6-7 months and cost about $30,000.
Admission to Aeroflot flight school
You can become only by getting an education in one of the aviation institutes and schools. They are civilian and military. The most famous aviation institute for civilians is MAI. To enter there, you must provide the following set of documents:
- a certificate of completion of eleven classes of secondary school or a diploma of graduation from a flight school;
– certificate of passing the Unified State Examination;
- medical certificate (form N 086 / y);
- certificate of a citizen subject to conscription (registration certificate) or a military ID (only for men 18-27 years old);
– general passport (copy and original);
- photographs - 3x4 or 4x6, black and white, 6 pcs.
It is also necessary to have a good knowledge in the field of physics and mathematics, since additional exams in these subjects are held upon admission.
Prepare pilots and military institutes and schools. They are located in Irkutsk, Ulyanovsk, Yeysk, Krasnodar and other Russian cities. For admission to each of these educational institutions, you need your own set of documents, the list of which can be clarified by phone. Phone numbers of universities and colleges can be found on reference sites.
After graduating from the desired university or aviation school, you need to become an active pilot and fly a certain number of hours in order to be able to get a second education in the specialty "test pilot".
Test pilots - where they are trained
Test pilots are required in both military and civilian. They are prepared at test pilot schools. There are only two of them in Russia - in Zhukovsky near Moscow and the city of Akhtubinsk. To enter there, you must have an education in the specialty of a pilot-engineer, and preference is given to candidates who graduated with honors. Also, only pilots who have flown a certain number of hours are allowed to take the exams. In this case, the age of the applicant must not be older than thirty-one years. Each student entering the school is interviewed. In addition, future test pilots undergo special psychological tests, the purpose of which is to determine their readiness for this difficult and dangerous work.
Training at the test pilot school is carried out for a year and a half. During this time, future specialists fly twelve types of aircraft, and also study various simulators. By the end of the training, students are able to determine the flight performance of aviation equipment, and can also perform flights of any kind.
Man has always strived for the sky. And now it is available to almost everyone. How to take the first step to fly for yourself, become a civil aviation pilot or sit at the helm of a combat fighter.
civil aviation pilot
A civil aviation pilot is not only a romantic profession, but also a very popular one. Not so long ago, a shortage of pilots forced the state to allow foreign pilots to fly airliners, which caused a serious discussion in the aviation community. Airlines begin to hunt for future captains of aircraft even in the first courses of institutes.
MS-21 / Irkut Corporation
Only three universities in the country train civilian pilots: the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation, the St. Petersburg University of Civil Aviation and the Ulyanovsk Institute of Civil Aviation named after Chief Marshal of Aviation B. P. Bugaev. All other educational institutions of civil aviation - aviation technical colleges and flight schools, scattered in different cities of the country, are branches of the above three. It is worth noting that airlines are not always satisfied with the quality of training of young pilots and often retrain them in their training centers.
A prerequisite for training and subsequent work is good health. A future pilot must have perfect vision, a healthy heart and blood vessels, normal blood pressure and a good vestibular apparatus. And, of course, healthy lungs. If health problems are not detected during admission to the school, then during subsequent medical commissions they will definitely be detected. Considerable attention is paid to foreign languages and especially English. In fact, it has already become the number one language in civil aviation. Without his knowledge, one cannot get into a large airline.
In order to operate commercial flights, that is, to work for an airline as a pilot for hire, you need to have a commercial pilot license or a line pilot license. The latter allows you to perform any commercial flights. It is they who are trusted by the steering wheels of Boeings and Airbuses. A commercial pilot is an intermediate stage between a private amateur pilot and a line pilot. They are allowed to operate commercial flights with some restrictions.
Boeing 737-800
Passenger aircraft that holders of air line pilot licenses are to fly are broadly divided into two categories: long haul (eg Boeing 747 and Airbus A340) and medium haul (Boeing 737, Airbus A320). The new Russian aircraft MS-21, presented to the public in June this year, just belongs to the medium-haul. Depending on the choice of aircraft, the work of the pilot also changes.
The pilot of a medium-haul aircraft flies short distances. His working day is the same as most normal people. Departure in the morning, return in the afternoon. And in the evening he is already at home with his family. But long-haul international flights allow you to see the whole world. And to see it not only under the wing of the aircraft, but also during the rest between flights in the far corners of the planet. The work of a pilot in Russia, and throughout the world, is highly paid. In our country, this is also due to their significant shortage.
Yak-130
War pilot
The main educational institution of the country, where military pilots are trained, is the Air Force Academy named after Professor N. E. Zhukovsky and Yu. A. Gagarin. It is located in Voronezh and has two branches. The branch of the academy in Chelyabinsk trains military navigators, and the branch in Syzran trains military helicopter pilots.
But if your dream is to become a fighter pilot, to fly at the helm of a front-line bomber or attack aircraft, then you are welcome to the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation Pilot School named after Hero of the Soviet Union A. K. Serov. On August 1, 2015, the school was withdrawn from the Air Force Academy, where it had the status of a branch, and received independence. The Krasnodar School is the only educational institution in the country that trains military pilots for tactical aviation. It also trains pilots of long-range naval missile-carrying and anti-submarine aviation, as well as pilots of military transport aviation.
The term of study is 5 years. You can enter the school until you reach the age of 27. In terms of health and physical fitness, strict requirements are imposed on applicants. The exam includes pull-ups, 100m and 3000m runs. Cadets study the theory of flight and aerial shooting, aircraft navigation, the structure of aviation technology, meteorology and other disciplines. In addition to studying directly "aviation" subjects, cadets receive full combined arms training. They are engaged in drill training and study military regulations.
In Krasnodar, mainly theoretical training of cadets and their initial flight training are carried out. Direct flights are carried out at training air bases. For example, fighter pilots are being trained at the Armavir training center. Training is carried out on the latest Yak-130 training aircraft. Pilots of bomber and attack aircraft are trained at the Borisoglebsk aviation training center, which is also equipped with Yak-130 training aircraft. The Balashov Training Center trains pilots for military transport and long-range aviation.
Before making the first solo flight, cadets fly long enough with an instructor. And only when the future pilot gets comfortable in the air, he will be entrusted with an independent take-off, flight in a circle and landing. The instructor will be behind the cadet all this time, and if he makes a gross mistake, he will take control of the machine. If the flight is successful, the cadet will be entrusted with a completely independent flight.
Education does not stop even after graduation. Service in aviation involves constant flights to improve skills. From the moment of arrival in the regiment, the formation of a young pilot as an air fighter begins. First, these are day flights in simple weather conditions, and then in difficult ones. Night flights follow. Their complexity is gradually increasing. And consequently, the class of the pilot rises. If he arrives in the regiment as a third-class pilot, he soon reaches the second, and then the first class. In addition to the military specialty, pilots also receive a civilian one, which allows them to find themselves in civilian life after the end of their service.
Tecnam P2002 Sierra
amateur pilot
If you have already found your life's work, but the dream of the sky remains, you can fly just for yourself. To do this, you need to go through training and get a license as an amateur pilot. The aircraft can be purchased as a property or rented only for flights. Passing a medical-flight expert commission for amateur pilots is also mandatory, but only a really serious illness will be an obstacle to flying.
In Russia, such training can be completed at civil aviation training centers and flying clubs. Education is free and not cheap. You will have to pay from 300,000 rubles for a course of study. The terms of training vary from 2 to 10 months. Here it should be taken into account that the theoretical part of the program is studied, as a rule, in groups, and this takes, depending on the frequency of classes, from 2.5 to 3 months. This is 306 hours of theoretical lessons. Here they study aircraft navigation and navigation, aerodynamics and aviation meteorology. This also includes the study of aviation legislation and the design of the aircraft and engine.
But practical classes are held individually. According to the Federal Aviation Regulations, a minimum of 40 hours of flight time is required to become a private pilot. At the same time, a cadet can fly at least every day, or can come to the airfield only on weekends. It should also be taken into account that students have different abilities. Sometimes even 40 hours may not be enough for a future amateur pilot to master the program. With a private pilot license, you can fly solo in light aircraft, take family and friends with you. But you will not be able to work as a pilot for hire or make transportation for money.
Yak-18
The plane is also not a cheap pleasure. An old Yak-18 in good condition can be purchased for 35,000-40,000 euros. But the base cost with VAT and customs payments of the new Italian Tecnam P2002 Sierra is 123,050 euros. Another important item of expenditure is aircraft storage. It is clear that it will not work to store it at home. As a rule, amateur pilots receive membership in flying clubs. The aircraft is attached to the flying club, where it is stored and serviced. Aircraft are stored both in the open air at the airfield and in covered hangars. If you wish, for the time being, you will not fly, you can rent the plane to the flying club. This will offset storage and maintenance costs and even generate some income. And if you don’t want to buy your own plane, then you can rent it for flights.
In addition, the certificate of a private pilot is a step into commercial aviation. Far from everyone is taken to the flight school. One of the main restrictions is the age from 18 to 23 years. If the desire to become a pilot comes after 30, then studying at the flying club is a chance to enter the profession. Naturally, with further training to a commercial pilot. Of course, this is not the easiest and rather costly way, but if the sky beckons, then not all is lost.
How to become a civil aviation pilot at the age of 30 in Russia - a step-by-step instruction for those who decide to realize their dream in adulthood. Where is it better to study, how much will it cost, and so on.
In Russian aviation, the age of 30 is already considered almost unsuitable for pilot training. Firstly, graduates of higher educational institutions by this age already have a flight time of at least 3-5 thousand hours. By this age they are introduced as commanders (PIC), and it is with this position that most airlines experience difficulties. Co-pilots can be recruited in the hundreds, but there are not enough PICs.
Accordingly, after training, the Russian airline will be more willing to hire a 23-year-old co-pilot than a 30-year-old co-pilot.
Secondly, health standards in Russia are as if pilots are making intergalactic flights. And after 30, the health situation worsens, but the norms remain the same. And if Alexei Kochemasov, who smokes Marlboro, can still get a discount on medical examinations, because of his colossal experience, then a 30-year-old co-pilot without a raid and experience will simply show hell.
And if VLEK is passed, then the airline also understands all the risk factors for deterioration in health with age. What is the point of teaching a graduate to be a type and preparing for a captain if in a couple of years he will be rejected at a physical examination?
Work in Russia
Nevertheless, there are examples when guys at the age of 30 and even 35 were trained as a pilot in Russia. There are two ways to get this education:
Way one. In flight schools in Russia, for example, in the Chelyabinsk flight school "Chelavia". They teach for 2 years, the cost of training is 2,200,000 rubles, after that you need to study at your own expense for a type (or get a job somewhere, which is difficult) and enter the correspondence department at UVAU or St. Petersburg State University.
Way two. Study in Europe or the USA, get an ATPL or even a type permit, then, if you want to work in Russia, also graduate from a university in absentia.
The main thing to understand is that in Russia they require a higher aviation education. Foreign pilot's licenses are difficult to convert, and there is constant news that they will be canceled soon. Getting settled after 30 is hard.
However, if you spend about 100 thousand dollars abroad, get a powerful flight directly on Boeing or Airbus (there are also services for internships for co-pilots), have iron health (without a single article in a military ID), then graduate from a higher school in Russia, then there are job opportunities. But is it worth it?
Work abroad
In the West, they become pilots not only at 30, but also at 40 and even 45 years old. You can fly with -5 vision there. Health checks are minimal. The quality of education is a hundred times better. Therefore, if you want to become a civil aviation pilot in adulthood, you should think about moving completely to Europe or America.
In Europe or the USA, people rightly believe that a person becomes more responsible with age. Therefore, there are many cases when a man after 40 works for another 25 years, and rises to the rank of captain.
Many pilots in the West fly with poor eyesight and are aged
Of course it's difficult. The language needs to be learned to perfection, and it's easy to move mountains. But on the other hand, the prospects open up much higher.
When studying in the West, you can get a cheaper CPL license, get an instructor's certificate, and work at some aviation school. And then, having earned a free flight, already improve your education (and chances of finding a job).
In the West, there will be no crises, a fall in the currency, constant layoffs and tightening of medical examination requirements. There, much attention is paid not to idiotic formulas, but to piloting experience, so the quality of education is noticeably higher as a result.
Also, as an option, you can consider working in the CIS countries, China, Africa, and so on.
In this regard, studying abroad in terms of working there is much better than in Russia. And if there is a cherished dream, then for the sake of it it is worth sacrificing your own Muhosransky.
Step-by-step instructions for someone who wants to become a civil aviation pilot
Here, in fact, 10 steps for those who want to become a pilot after 30 years:
- Passage of VLEK (if you plan to work in the Russian Federation) and Medicalabroad to assess their capabilities.
- Preparation of English and a minimum of 50,000 euros (preferably 100,000).
- Obtaining a PPL Private Pilot License.
- Obtaining IFR ratings, licenses for single-engine and twin-engine aircraft;
- Obtaining a CPL(here you can try to get a job as a co-pilot or in chemistry);
- Getting an ATPL;
- Training per type;
- Internship, raid;
- Ratings;
- Employment.
By itself, the instruction is short, exemplary, and does not include obtaining licenses for radio communications, passing English at ICAO levels, and so on. As a result, after preparation and a lot of money spent, you will have 770-1000 flying hours, good English, and a great chance of getting a job.
To work in Russia, you will also need to graduate from a university with a degree in pilot engineering.
Considering that all this is very expensive, there is another way - to get a PPL private pilot license, to buy a light aircraft, it will come out in the same 100 thousand. Or - to get only PPL, but to fly in an aero club, the price of such training will be about 8-10 thousand euros plus 100-200 euros per hour of aircraft rental.
