According to Part 141, the minimum requirement for hours of use of the instrument is 35 hours and flight time across the country is not required. A minimum of 35 flight hours are needed to obtain a private pilot's license, which is the first license most pilots obtain. However, on average, it takes 55 flight hours for students to obtain their private pilot's license. If you want to fly for airlines, you'll need an Air Transport Pilot License (ATP), which requires a minimum of 1500 flight hours.
The rest of the 25 hours can be completed with a Safety Pilot, a CFI or a CFII. Obtaining an Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL) requires the highest number of hours compared to any other pilot certificate. To achieve the required level of competence, most future pilots need at least a few more hours than the minimum. The other control seat is occupied by a safety pilot who has at least one private pilot certificate with the category and class classifications appropriate to the aircraft to be flown.
While it's true that by reaching this milestone you can be paid for your time as a pilot, your future airline career still requires additional training and flight time. Students who want to train in flight often have the misconception that, once you become a commercial pilot, you have authorization to fly on an airline. For example, it takes zero hours to obtain a student pilot's license, while to become an air transport pilot it takes 1500 hours. A recreational pilot's license is similar to a sports one, but it allows you to fly larger and more powerful aircraft.
There may be a franchise for pilots with less than 1500 flight hours or for those who have not met the minimum age requirement of 23 years, by virtue of what is called restricted ATP. Each type of pilot license includes your aptitude requirements, aeronautical knowledge and flight time. While you can't change your fitness or the weather, you can follow these steps to reduce the number of hours you need to become a pilot.
