(Non)Limitations for pilots-to-be

Pilots that we see approaching aircraft somehow always looks vibrant and so confident. Many people think that pilot profession requires specific skills or great health, and some of them are not too far from the truth. You have to have a high level of motivation, specific character features and knowledge, and of course great health condition to become a pilot.

Very often Baltic Aviation Academy faces the problem of ‘not knowing’. We meet a lot of people who admire pilot profession and even dream about it, but they imagine various barriers that prevent them from this dream. In fact, most of the time such ‘barriers’ appear being not that much of a barriers at all.

It is never ‘too late’ to start

During the past year Baltic Aviation Academy has implemented a lot of actions towards public awareness about the pilot profession by visiting schools, engaging in public aviation events or even hosting them. In our experience the most common issue for people that we communicate is... age. People tend to think, that there is a certain age limit to become a pilot. Of course there are some limitations, for example in order to gain pilot license you must be at least 18 years old or, depending on the license and course type, even less. Also there is a recommendation to start studying for Airbus family aircraft type before 38, simply because it is easier to do that. However there are no other age’s restrictions preventing from starting your pilot training.

Health condition must be flawless?

There is no doubt that health condition of those who intend to fly people on board is very important. Although you may be surprised, that you can have some deviations from assumed health norms with which you can still become a pilot. Here we will just mention few of them for class 1 medical certificate.

Heart diseases. Applicants with minor cardiac valvular abnormalities may be assessed as fit by the licensing authority. And even aneurysm of the infra-renal abdominal aorta may be assessed as fit with a multi-pilot limitation by the licensing authority.

Respiratory system. Applicants with chronic obstructive airways disease should be assessed as unfit. However applicants with only minor impairment of their pulmonary function may be assessed as fit. If you have asthma requiring medication or experiencing recurrent attacks of asthma may be assessed as fit if the asthma is considered stable with satisfactory pulmonary function tests and medication is compatible with flight safety.

Visual system. The vision of the candidate to become a pilot is not required to be perfect either. At initial examination an applicant may be assessed as fit with: hypermetropia not exceeding +5.0 dioptres; myopia not exceeding -6.0 dioptres; astigmatism not exceeding 2.9 dioptres; anisometropia not exceeding 2.0 dioptres.

According to the biggest aviation sector players such as Boeing, in the upcoming 20 years aviation sector will face the tremendous pilot shortage. With the growing aviation sector, pilot profession becomes not only prestigious and glamorous profession, but also financially beneficial. If you dream of becoming a pilot it is the best time to make this dream a reality.