PPL, CPL, ATPL – Aviation Career Hiding under These Letters

The aviation is your sphere of choice. But as every person stepping into the new area you have to answer three main questions: how serious you are going to perform, how much effort you are ready to put in and what do you except from your career in aviation. Baltic Aviation Academy provides detailed information such as requirements, advantages and career opportunities on the most popular ab initio training options.

PPL(A) – flying for pleasure

Private Pilot License PPL(A) is the most suitable option, if you wish to fly just for your own personal needs or pleasure, for example:

• PPL is the only aviation training program which does not require the specific knowledge of exact sciences;

• Continue by taking some aerobatics lessons and diving into the amazing world of stunts such as rolls and loops;
• Sometimes the aviation is the only option of transportation. There are districts problematic for on ground communication so the light type aircrafts are the only possibility to transfer subjects or services crucial for survival;  
• After the work day take a flight alone and enjoy the peace of mind that flights in single-engine airplanes bring;
• Share the beauty of sights from the sky by flying with your family or friends on weekends.

Successfully completing the course you will get a Private Pilot License (PPL), which will allow you to enjoy personal flights in a single-engine airplane. However, if flying just for pleasure is not enough anymore or you have an intention to gain money from it, the next step should be Commercial Pilot License (CPL(A)).

“Flying is definitely the best way to travel. PPL gives you the freedom to take-off and fly alone or with friends at any time, to any destination. And, of course, flying is the best feeling in the world as piloting airplanes is as close to a bird flight as a human being can get.” Edgaras Parasockis, PPL (A) private pilot license holder.

CPL(A) – flying as a career track
Having a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL(A)) allows flying for a compensation or a hire, so it is the choice, if you wish to pursue flying as a career, e.g.:

• By flying tourists for the sightseeing tours over the city;
• By flying parachutists for their adventures;
• By flight instructing and sharing your knowledge with others;
• By starting to gain some money uprightly after completion of your studies;
• By opening your own small business providing commercial air transportation services with single-pilot single-engine or multi-engine aircrafts (such as Cessna, Piper or Tecnam or other);

“My heart is with the little aviation as here you can experience way much more of a real flying. And having a CPL(A) allows not only to fly for own pleasure but to pursue flying as a career.” Virgis Urbonas, CPL, Flight Instructor and ex-aerobat.

ATPL(A) – career as an airline pilot
Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL(A)) is a licence for you to seek if the following statements match with your expectations:

• Have always known that the career as the airline pilot is the lifelong goal;
• Have an understanding that aviation trainings require time, persistence, patience and social competence;
• Boeing, Airbus or similar commercial airliners are the aircrafts of your choice;
• You are ready to pursue career from being the first officer to becoming a captain;
• Dynamic lifestyle, changing work environment and responsibility suits your personality.

You may also choose CPL (A) modular course which takes longer but you have an advantage to stop at any moments of your studies leaving with PPL or CPL licenses.
After finishing the course you will get a CPL(A) and an ATPL(frozen)*, which means you can start flying small commercial airliner up to 9 seats or start looking for a job as a first officer at airlines.

To give yourself an advantage, you can obtain a Type Rating – training for a specific type of aircraft. This means there is whole new world of airplanes such as Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and others for you to choose from.

“ATPL allows you to enjoy the best job and get the best salary in the world.” Alex, Boeing 737 pilot

*ATPL(frozen) – the licence is frozen until you unfreeze it after gathering at least 1500 hours as a pilot in command.

The decision how to start an aviation career or what ab initio training program to choose can be made only after some considerations as it is know that aviation studies requires substantial investment. The most optimum way to find out the best solutions is to conduct a thorough research and definitely use the consultancies of various aviation training centres.

If you have a particular aviation topic that you are interested in and would like to get more information on it, please let us know by emailing Baltic Aviation Academy at [email protected].
The admission for September 2012 study groups at Baltic Aviation Academy starts on 2 April.