To become one of our A380 Captains, you will need a minimum of 7000 hrs total flying time multi-crew, multi-engine (only time in the operating seat of a turboprop and/or turbojet aircraft can be counted; not simulator time).

To fly an Airbus A380 as a First Officer, a pilot typically needs a minimum of 1,500 total flight hours to obtain their Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). However, most major A380 operators, such as Emirates or British Airways, require significantly more experience—often between 2,000 and 3,000 hours—before they will even consider a candidate for "type rating" training on the world's largest passenger jet. To become a Captain on the A380, the requirements are even more rigorous, often demanding 5,000 to 7,000 total hours, including at least 1,000 hours in a command role on other large wide-body aircraft. Once hired, a pilot must undergo a 6-to-8 week "Type Rating" course, which involves intensive ground school and several dozen hours in a high-fidelity full-motion flight simulator to master the A380's complex fly-by-wire systems and unique ground-handling characteristics before they ever take control of the actual aircraft with passengers.