Full Time Training Option

Full Time Training Options

Full-Time commercial flight training can be provided by two methods.

‘Integrated Training’

This is the most common type of commercial flight training. In essence you arrive with no experience, and leave in a position to join your first airline. The scheduling and planning of your training is all handled by the school allowing you to just focus on the actual training. Your training normally starts with 6-8 months of ground school theoretical training followed by roughly 10 months of practical flight training. Sometime these schools will have multiple bases to allow them to utilise better weather conditions around the world.

‘What is good about Integrated Training?’

It can be the fastest route from zero to the flight deck.
Training scheduling and planning is handled by the school.
Often an allowance of extra training at no extra costs.
Often a talent pool or hold pool to assist you in gaining employment after training.

‘What is bad about Integrated Training?’

It is the most expensive type of training.
You have very limited control over the speed of your training and the schedule.
Limited options to change schools mid training if you are unhappy with the school you chose.
Usually only issued with a licence for commercial aircraft, no flexibility to fly light aircraft for fun without additional costs.

Integrated training is the most common type of training provided, however it is important you thoroughly research integrated schools before committing to them as they often require large upfront payments and offer very little in the form of escape routes if you are unhappy at the school you are at.

Covid 19 Note: Integrated training finishes when the school need you to finish, this means that if there is no demand for pilots you may find you spend time and money renewing licences and ratings before you can start earning, where modular students may have been able to delay their training to finish as the market recovers.

‘Modular Fast Track Training’

Modular Fast Track courses are a fairly new addition to flight training. In short they are a modular course where all modules are delivered at one school, on a more full-time basis. They often include a reward for the loyalty in the form of reduced course fees. Your training will start with the private pilots licence and gradually increase in difficulty, complexity and cost until you gain your commercial pilots licence.

‘What is good about Modular Fast Track Training?’

It generally costs less than an integrated course
Gain various licences allowing flexibility to fly for fun.
More freedom during training, and ability to stop training temporarily.
Possible to change schools for different modules.

‘What is bad about Modular Fast Track Training?’

More emphasis on you controlling your training.
Not all modular providers have the capability to provide continuous full-time training.
Often little or no hold-pool or graduation support.

Modular fast track training can be appealing due to its reduced course fees and similar time length to integrated courses. While in most situations this may be the case, these schools may not have the capacity to provide full-time training continuously. You may also be required to make larger upfront payments instead of pay as you go.

To find out more about the routes available to you, you can visit our advice section here.