Acron Aviation Academy
How long does it take to become a pilot in 2025?
The next three to six months is all the time it takes to get your Private Pilot License (PPL), and after another 12 to 18 months for a Commercial Pilot License (CPL), you could be flying for work. Your personal timeline will vary based on your commitment, in-air hours, and practice frequency.
How long does it take to become a commercial pilot?
Following an accelerated training program, you can expect to enter the professional world within 18 to 24 months. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Training to become a commercial pilot: You'll finish your Private Pilot License (PPL), then your Instrument Rating and your Commercial Pilot License (CPL).
- Gaining flight hours: After receiving your CPL, most students become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) to gain flight hours while being compensated. The average minimum requirement to apply for an airline First Officer position is 1,500 hours.
- Airline pathway opportunities: Acron Aviation Academy provides Airline Pathways with several partners where you gain seniority while training with us, so that when you reach 1,500 hours, transitioning to an airline position will be a breeze.
Students who enroll at Acron Aviation Academy will have access to fast-track programs that foster such commitment: accelerated courses, sim hours, and flight-hour accumulation. With the right curriculum, students can go from ground school to cockpit-ready in under two years.
| License/certificate | Approximate duration | Flight hours required |
| Student Pilot Certificate | 1 to 2 weeks | 0 hours (to start training) |
| Private Pilot License (PPL) | 3 to 6 months | 60 to 70 hours |
| Instrument Rating | 2 to 6 months | 35 hours |
| Commercial Pilot License (CPL) | 9 to 12 months | 250 hours |
| Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) | 1 to 2 months | Additional training only |
| Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate | 2 to 3 years | 1,000 to 1,500 hours |
Moving from CPL to CFI is both seamless and logical. You only need your CPL, and there are no other minimum hours needed to enroll in CFI courses. Plus, you’ll gain more hours teaching students.
Graduates of accredited aviation programs (such as Acron Aviation Academy) can qualify for a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certificate with only 1,000 hours required instead of 1,500. This reduction from training to time at a regional airline can put you ahead of the curve in your career.
Typical timeline for a novice to become a pilot
If you are starting from scratch with zero flight hours or experience, the average time from novice to becoming a pilot is as follows:
- First year: Obtain your Private Pilot License (PPL), Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
- First year into second year: Achieve a Multi-Engine Rating and begin work as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) to build flight hours towards the 1,500-hour ATP minimum
- Second year and onward: Become qualified for regional airline hiring interviews.
It's not uncommon for many of our students to have conditional job offers with airlines before even finishing their hour requirements.
What factors affect the duration of my pilot training?
The duration of training to become a pilot is estimated but can be extended or shortened based on your training schedule, flight consistency, instructor availability, weather, and how quickly you build flight hours. These are some reasons that may increase or decrease the time it takes to train to become a pilot:
- Where you train: Full-time training may allow you to graduate faster than part-time training.
- Teaching and learning frequency: The more time you give yourself for lessons and the more lessons you attend, the quicker you'll remember and master the skills, leading to an earlier completion date.
- Weather: Certain places have better weather than others (e.g., Florida has 300+ flyable days a year), so pilots aren't stuck waiting for poor weather to clear.
- Instructor availability: More instructors available for one-on-one training with flexible hours helps reduce training times.
- Hour building: Opportunities within lessons (i.e., sims) and going for additional certifications like Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) assist in hour building.
- Health & age: Meeting the medical qualifications to become a pilot regarding health and age means no delays during the course due to unexpected issues.
- Financing early: Planning finances and getting loans or scholarships early reduces the likelihood of a training schedule setback.
Students are more likely to complete their training in a condensed time frame by having a set schedule, pursuing flight hours at a relentless pace, and learning how to apply the requisite basics from day one.
Additional considerations that impact pilot training
It's not just about the time it takes to get a pilot's license. It's about entering a market that's positioned for you. Keep the following in mind:
- Pilot shortages mean a shorter time to hire: The global pilot shortage means pilots are being hired sooner rather than later, before even meeting minimum time-building requirements. Many Acron Aviation Academy students receive their airline pathway positions during training.
- No frustrating delays with available funding: When you have the funding to cover the cost of becoming a pilot, no annoying delays are encountered. Those students who secure funding early (scholarships, loans or personal funds) get through training faster.
When you have Acron Aviation Academy in your corner, you don't have to worry about how long it takes to become a pilot. Stay focused, accelerate your training, and launch your career in professional aviation within no time.
