I have a private pilot's license. What certifications do I need to fly charter aircraft?
So you have finally achieved your dream of becoming a pilot. That's great. It takes so much work to become a pilot these days, and for good reason. You know how dangerous flying a plane can be, how many things can go wrong quickly. You need expert training to be able to fix whatever situations might come up. You probably also love flying, either for recreational purposes, or you work in some way as a pilot. But what about the option of charter air services? You've probably heard of charter air services. Rather than buying a single ticket on a large flight, as people do with major commercial carriers, when someone charters a plane it means that they have essentially rented that plane for an entire trip. It is their trip for the time that they rent the aircraft, and you work for them as their pilot for the time being. Charter services are becoming increasingly popular as airliner travel has become both more dangerous and more inconvenient. We've all been through those endless lines at ticket counters and at security at the last few years. People just don't want to go through with that type of travel anymore, and especially people who have to travel frequently. You might spend hundreds of hours of your life just waiting for planes that you have spent good money to ride on.
With the invention of very light jets, the commercial charter service has grown substantially, and will probably continue to grow. Very light jets are small luxury jets that cost a fraction of what a large private jet usually does. With whole fleets of these aircraft, a charter service can offer more customers much lower prices for air fare. This means that more and more people will be flying charter in the future, so becoming a charter pilot may not be a bad move.
But what kind of certifications will you need to fly charter? To receive a charter license you will essentially have to do about the same amount of training work as a larg company commercial pilot. It usually takes about a year of serious training to become a charter pilot. This training is closely supervised by the FAA and has several random safety checks. In some way becoming a charter pilot could be more difficult because you will probably have to meet regulation 135 standards for flying in inclement weather, which are more stringent standards than many other pilots have to meet.
You have already gone part of the distance by getting that pilot's license. So if you want to become a charter pilot you should probably talk to another charter service pilot and find out how they apprenticed. You will need a commercial pilots license or an airline transportation rating. You will also need to get one or more advanced ratings, such as instrument rating, multi engine flying, or other specific ratings. You will have to have an excellent health record with good eyesight.
It will certainly take time and dedication to get certified as a charter pilot, but with some persistence and practice you should be able to do it. Remember that it is a major undertaking that will require hundreds of hours of work. You will be transporting people all over the world, and will need to do so in a professional and safe manner. Your responsibility is no different from that of a large commercial pilot. You are the one that will transport customers who expect to be safe. To find out more contact a local charter company and find out what there experienced pilots have done to receive training.
