How to become an aircraft pilot or air traffic controller
Official title: Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers
Also called: Test pilot, Airline pilot, Aeroplane pilot, Commercial pilot, Helicopter pilot, Air traffic planner, Area radar controller, Air traffic controller, Controller of aircraft, Ground movement controller, Air traffic control officer, Aircraft flight deck officer
Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers navigate and pilot aircraft, prepare flight plans, authorise flight departures and arrivals, maintain radio, radar and/or visual contact with aircraft to ensure the safe movement of air traffic, check, regulate, adjust and test engines and other equipment prior to take-off and give flying lessons.
Main tasks
- Studies flight plan and makes any necessary adjustments
- Directs or undertakes checks on engines, instruments, control panels, cargo distribution, fuel supplies, aircraft's stability, response to controls and overall performance
- Directs or undertakes the operation of controls to fly airplanes and helicopters, complying with air traffic control and aircraft operating procedures
- Monitors fuel consumption, air pressure, engine performance and other indicators during flight and advises pilot of any factors that affect the navigation or performance of the aircraft
- Maintains radio contact and discusses weather conditions with air traffic controllers
- Directs the movement of aircraft and maintains radio and/or radar or visual contact en-route to its destination, in and out of controlled airspace or into holding areas ready for landing
- Gives landing Instructions to pilot and monitors descent
- Plans flight route, calculate fuel consumption and optimum flying height and obtains information on weather and other conditions, such as cargo distribution
How to become one
Entrants with GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades, a BTEC/ SQA award or equivalent qualification can apply for an airline sponsorship. Private residential training as a pilot is available to candidates with GCSEs/S grades or appropriate BTEC/SQA or other certificates/diplomas or to holders of Private Pilots Licences who have 700 hours flying experience. Training lasts up to 15 months and consists of courses of study and flying instruction. Airlines may have additional age and height requirements. Air traffic controllers training lasts 74 weeks including study and practical experience. Entrants must be 18 to hold a Student Licence and 21 for a full air traffic controller licence awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority. Normal colour vision is required for pilots and air traffic controllers and candidates also undergo a medical examination.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Air traffic controller (level 5). England. Typically 15 months. Skills England standard ST0595.
- Apprenticeship (England): First officer pilot (level 6). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0523.
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
- University: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £82,746 a year The middle half earn £61,511 to null.
- About 25,600 people work in this job now, and about 26,800 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become an aircraft pilot or air traffic controller?
Entrants with GCSEs/S grades and A levels/H grades, a BTEC/ SQA award or equivalent qualification can apply for an airline sponsorship. Private residential training as a pilot is available to candidates with GCSEs/S grades or appropriate BTEC/SQA or other certificates/diplomas or to holders of Private Pilots Licences who have 700 hours flying experience. Training lasts up to 15 months and consists of courses of study and flying instruction. Airlines may have additional age and height requirements. Air traffic controllers training lasts 74 weeks including study and practical experience. Entrants must be 18 to hold a Student Licence and 21 for a full air traffic controller licence awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority. Normal colour vision is required for pilots and air traffic controllers and candidates also undergo a medical examination.
How much does an aircraft pilot or air traffic controller earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £82,746 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is an aircraft pilot or air traffic controller a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 25,600 to about 26,800 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an aircraft pilot or air traffic controller?
Not always. 59% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Arts & Humanities degrees; Business & Commerce degrees; Air traffic controller (level 5).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.