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Before starting out on a journey to learn how to fly an airplane, budding pilots will need to know what's expected of them. Any qualified pilot will need to have a minimum number of flying hours under their belt before they're certified. But, exactly how many hours, and in what circumstances, can vary based on the type of flying they'll be doing. In the U.S., the FAA sets out the rules that stipulate the minimum requirements that a pilot has to meet to get their license, with one of the most talked-about rules being the 1,500 hour rule.
First introduced in 2010, the rule states that pilots who receive an airline transport pilot (ATP) license must have completed 1,500 hours of flight time. Within that 1,500 hours, they'll need to have logged at least 500 hours of cross-country time, 100 hours of nighttime flying, and 50 hours of flying time in the class of aircraft that they're applying for. Up to 100 hours of that total flight time can be completed in a flight simulator, but the rest needs to be carried out in the air. This is separate from any emergency-related training in a simulator that pilots will also complete during their studies.
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Logging enough flight time is only one part of pilot training
Alongside the 1,500 hours of flight time they have to acquire, pilots also need to pass various additional hurdles, including meeting insurance requirements and completing medical examinations. Given the long list of requirements needed to earn a license, it's easy to assume that, once a pilot has their license, their training is done. However, that's not the case for airline pilots.
Speaking to SlashGear about the things pilots wish passengers knew about their job, retired captain Richard J. Levy noted that there are plenty of ongoing requirements after pilots obtain their license. On top of periodic training in a simulator and in classrooms, pilots also need to complete at least three takeoffs and landings over a 90 day period. If they don't, even more simulator training is usually required. Pilots also have to pass another medical examination at least once a year, to ensure they're fit to continue flying.
Even after a qualified pilot is confirmed to be up-to-date with their training and medical exams, they're still governed by a strict set of rules aimed at maximizing safety for crew and passengers. The FAA regulations only allow pilots to fly for a certain amount of time before a rest period, and they must pass regular drug tests to ensure they're not impaired. The rules might be complex, but they've proven to be effective, with aviation fatalities in the U.S. dropping dramatically since the introduction of the latest regulations.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
