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Do you ever wonder what it means when a pilot says they have around 15,000 hrs experience? Well, the time that a pilot has flown is related to their experience. A student pilot flies accompanied by the instructor until the instructor feels that they are ready to fly alone. A private pilot carries passengers, flies during day and night and has no restrictions when it comes to the height to fly. For a pilot to enjoy such privileges, they must fly for at least 40 hours. Most pilots end up taking almost 70hours in the air before attaining the certificate.

A pilot needs to be in the air for a minimum of 250hours for them to fly a commercial flight or to be a flight instructor. Regional co-pilots who fly regional jets and twin-engine turboprops need to be in the air for between 500 to1,500 hours. The pilot upgrades to a captain position after being a co-pilot for between 6 months to ten years.

Regional captains are required to have an Air Transport Pilot license. For one to attain the license, they need to have a minimum of 1,500 hours, night flying time and a considerable cross-country air time. National and major airlines require their co-pilots to have between 1,500 and 10,000 hours’ experience. The pilots normally have around 5,000 flying experience in Bristol before getting a job with a major airline company. The pilots fly between 600 to 1,000 hours annually.

The flying experience for different categories is very important and the aviation administration is strict when it comes to the flying experience in Bristol. Our aviation courses at Devon and Somerset Flight Training are crafted to prepare our students for real life situations and to equip them to stand out in the industry. We are strict on the guidelines and regulations set by the aviation authorities. Talk to us today and you will notice the difference.