When can a pilot be called captain?

On your journey to becoming a commercial airline pilot, your first stop after training and flight instructing will probably be flying as a First Officer. After gaining experience as a First Officer, you will then upgrade to Captain.



A pilot is officially called "Captain" when they serve as the Pilot in Command (PIC) of an aircraft and hold the highest level of authority and responsibility for the flight. In a commercial airline setting, this transition typically occurs after a pilot has served several years as a First Officer (co-pilot) and has logged a significant number of flight hours—usually a minimum of 1,500 hours to qualify for an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license, though major airlines often require much more. Once they pass a rigorous "upgrade" program and a "checkride" with a flight examiner, they earn their fourth stripe on their epaulets, signifying their rank. In a general aviation context, any pilot who is the sole manipulator of the controls and is responsible for the safety of the flight can technically be called the captain of that specific vessel, but the title is most formally recognized in the professional maritime and aviation hierarchies as the ultimate person in charge.

People Also Ask

Some first officers have waited decades to become a captain while others can upgrade in just a few years, but we'll set an average range of 5-12 years from first officer to captain at a major airline. That means from 0 experience all the way to major airline captain, one can expect a timeline of 15+ years.

MORE DETAILS

A second officer or a flight engineer wears two stripes, a first officer (co-pilot/second-in-command) wears three stripes, and a captain, also known as a pilot-in-command, is awarded four stripes.

MORE DETAILS

Some students ask themselves, “Am I too old to become a pilot?” and wonder how long they will be able to pursue a career in the air. No one is too old to attend flight school, as long as they are physically capable of operating an aircraft.

MORE DETAILS

Women pilots were also formerly called aviatrices (singular aviatrix). Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to travel alone on unprecedented journeys.

MORE DETAILS

As a rough guide, you can expect to make between £40,000 – £60,000 in your first year as a pilot in the UK. For example, a 'second officer' at Easyjet will receive roughly £47,000 yearly, not including flight pay. You can expect to fly between 700-900 hours per year.

MORE DETAILS

According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, the median salary for airline captains, first-officers, second-officers, and flight engineers in the United States is $203,010 as of 2021. However, those working for major airlines as airline transport pilots can earn a much higher airline pilot salary than this.

MORE DETAILS

The Airline Transport Pilot is the highest-level certificate issued to an airman. The holder of this certificate must have a minimum of 1500 hours of flight time, at which 250 of these hours must be logged as a pilot in command of an aircraft.

MORE DETAILS

Captain. An airline Captain always has four stripes on their sleeves and epaulets. This signals they are in charge of the flight and responsible for the passengers and crew.

MORE DETAILS

Alternative titles for this job include Aircraft pilot, co-pilot, first officer, captain. Airline pilots fly passengers and cargo to destinations around the world.

MORE DETAILS

In many countries outside the US, anybody with stripes in the cockpit is addressed as Captain, Cappie, Commander, Commandante or other honoraria so as not to offend and denote respect. In the US crews are sometimes called Skycap, but usually not while in the cockpit.

MORE DETAILS

A Captain is typically the highest rank. However, in some airlines, there is a role of a Training Captain – an experienced pilot who not only performs regular captain duties, but also takes on the responsibility of training and evaluating other pilots (they also wear four Captain stripes).

MORE DETAILS