How to Become a Pilot in Kenya: Requirements, Schools, Fees, Salary

How to Become a Pilot in Kenya: Requirements, Schools, Fees, Salary

How to become a pilot in Kenya: Requirements, schools, fees, salary.

Almost every little child's dream is to become a pilot once they grow up. Somehow, that dream is never actualized by many as very few make it to the profession, leaving the demand for captains very high. It is rare to find an unemployed pilot, and that can only be a good sign; that picking this profession guarantees employment.

On the flip side, there is little information on how to become a pilot in Kenya, which could partly be why many give up on their dream. What do you need to become a captain in Kenya? Wanting to be an aircraft captain in Kenya is a journey not only of passion but also a range of requirements and qualifications that have to be met. First, your academic credentials must align with whatever piloting school you choose to go to. There, you will also find that many things have to be fulfilled during the piloting course before you can be given the green light to fly aeroplanes.

As a prospective pilot, you ought to prepare yourself financially, physically, and mentally before you make the bold step to join an aviation school. How to become a pilot in Kenya ?You can become an aircraft captain in Kenya by joining the military or going to an aviation school.

There are three ways to become an aircraft captain in Kenyan and worldwide. The first is by joining the military as a cadet officer and then training to become a military pilot. The military pays for everything, so you do not have to worry about fees. The second way is by joining a training programme run by an airline, and in this, the fees are also catered for. Finally, the third and most common way of becoming a pilot is paying for flying lessons, usually in an aviation school.

Aviation courses and requirements ,What are the requirements for aviation school? Minimum subject requirements to become a pilot include a mean grade of C in KCSE or an equivalent with at least grade C in English, Mathematics, Physics/Chemistry/Physical Science. In addition, most pilot schools in Kenya require KCSE mean grade of C+ or an equivalent with at least grade C+ in English, Mathematics, Geography, and any other science. Any aspiring aircraft captain must score Grade A in Aeroplane Performance Rating, a test done by commercial airline pilots. Other basic requirements include: Be at least 16 years of age or more. A certificate indicating medical fitness issued by an accredited Aviation Medical examiner. Copies of national identification card/passport/birth certificate and academic papers. At least six passport size photos (3 normal size and 3 2cm x 2.5cm). Pass three internal written evaluations in English, Mathematics, and Psychometric Testing. At least five lessons of flight assessment A certificate of good conduct.

There are several pilot courses one can pursue, including: Private Pilot License (PPL): Offers basic and foundational flying skills Commercial Pilot License (CPL): For flying commercial aircraft and is done after the PPL Private Pilot License (Helicopters): Similar to PPL but for flying private helicopters Commercial Pilot License (Helicopters): For flying commercial helicopters Instrument Rating Training: Trains one how to fly using instruments Multi-engine Rating: Trains one to fly multi-engine aircrafts Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL): Highest level and rigorous training for airline transport captains and pilots in command on big aircrafts.

Everything you need to know Aviation schools in Kenya Kenya has about 15 KCAA approved aviation schools. Where can I study aviation in Kenya? The country has about 15 approved aviation schools that offer flying, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance engineer, and flight operations courses. The institution you choose must be accredited by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). Some of the flying schools in Kenya include:

East African School of Aviation at Airport North Road, Embakasi, Nairobi.
KQ Pride Centre at KQ headquarters, Embakasi, Nairobi.
Mt Kenya Flight School in Nanyuki.
Kenya School of Flying at Wilson Airport.
Standards Aviation Flying School at Wilson Airport
Flight Training Centre at Wilson Airport
Ninety-Nines Flying School at Wilson Airport
Proactive Flying School at Wilson Airport
Skymax Aviation Limited at Wilson Airport
Aerosafe African Consultants at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Nairobi Flight Training at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Westrift Aviation Limited at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Capital Connect Aviation at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Pegasus Flyers (EA) Limited at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Think Aviation Training at Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Flitestar Academy at Wilson Airport, Nairobi.

(updated) Fees for a piloting course ,How much does aviation school cost in Kenya?

One impediment for many people from becoming a pilot is the fees required. Given the demanding nature of piloting fees, how many years does it take to become a pilot?

Training in Kenya is expensive and takes up to 18 months.

Alternatively,one can train outside the country, with the USA and South Africa being common destinations where it could take from six to 14 months and is cheaper compared to Kenya.

However, the downside of studying outside is that once you come back into the country, you have to part with close to a million shillings as pilot license costs. Whichever the case, you have to have an adequate supply of money for fees because you will be required to have to the tune of millions. To be on the safe side, you need about Ksh. 5 million for you to become a pilot in Kenya. The fees may slightly range depending on the school, but the variations are not very significant.

What makes a good pilot Qualifications to become an aircraft captain are not only a matter of academics. There is a range of things one has to fulfil before being admitted into an aviation school, and some of those things might vary based on the demands of the institution. Some of the things looked into by aviation schools include: Passion for flying,you cannot make it good if you are not interested in flying. You must demonstrate that you are passionate about flying without any external influences or peer pressure before you can be accepted into an aviation school.

A prospective student must be taken up in the air for about five sessions to evaluate their potential and ability before being admitted to the school. Discipline Piloting requires a much-focused individual; hence one has to give up things such as smoking, miraa and all other forms of substance abuse. Short-cuts and the Kenyan matatu attitude is not condoned at aviation schools. Education Even though C+ is the minimum requirement, most aviation schools would like to see better KCSE results, preferably a B+ and above. Health There is no debate on good health in aviation. You must demonstrate good physical and mental health to be admitted into piloting. Be prepared for medical and drug tests before joining any aviation school in the country.

Pilot salary in Kenya Kenyan aircraft captains earn between Ksh. 132,000 and Ksh.420,000 per month. How much does a pilot earn in Kenya?

It always depends on whether one is a private pilot or a commercial pilot. Private pilots earn based on their negotiation skills and how much their clients are willing to pay per hour of flight. On the other hand, commercial pilots are paid according to their rank and experience.

An expatriate pilot takes home about Ksh. 716,802. Local Boeing pilots, on the other hand, earn Ksh. 483,000. On average, the lowest-earning pilots take home about Ksh. 132,000 while the highest-earning pocket a cool Ksh. 420,000 per month. Steps to getting a pilot's license. A commercial pilot license can be obtained upon completing and submitting an application form. The forms are available at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Branch offices or online at the KCAA website.

The filled form is submitted to the KCAA office or posting it to the Director-General, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, P.O. Box 30163-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.

Documents that have to be attached with the application form include: Aeronautical experience form indicating breakdown of the mandatory flight hours Summarized edition of the flying experience form An application form for English language

proficiency endorsement An application form for flight radiotelephony operator's license At least four passport size photographs showing the full face Class 1 valid medical certificate Copies of I.D. or passport and certified copies of 2 of the last pages of the personal logbook Pay the prescribed amount for license application fees and submit the payment receipt together with the application form.

The commercial pilot license will then be processed within seven days, after which you will be contacted to go collect it from the KCAA offices.

One has to undergo rigorous training to fly Is it hard to become an aeroplane captain in Kenya? Not at all. With the proper training, you will certainly fulfil your passion. So go for it, and you will find it is as you imagined all along. That is all the information you need to kick start your dream to become a pilot in Kenya.

@Pilot Success Network team News

Ready to Soar: Your Pilot License Journey Begins Here

Student pilot license

1.Student pilot license (SPL)

Student Pilot License✈️

Taking the first step into skies?

Here's the requirements to get your Student Pilot License and starting your journey!

More to be updated soon...

Updated on Wednesday,17/04/2024 at 10:42 a.m

Student Pilot License

The first step in gaining any Pilots License is the Student Pilot License. This license is majorly used for training purposes. This license can also be used to gain the required hours to be qualify a pilot to renew their license in case their other license e.g. PPL, CPL or ATPL has expired.

Requirements for application of an SPL

To be eligible for issue of Student Pilot License, an applicant shall;

Be at least sixteen years of age;

Able to demonstrate the ability to read, speak, write, and understand the English language;

Be in possession of a valid Class 2 Medical Certificate.

Application Requirements

Fully Completed SPL application form (Form M-PEL001) ;

Submit two passport size photographs - full face (size: 2cm by 2.5cm);

Present a photo Identification Card or Passport, or Birth Certificate and a photocopy of the same to be left at the PEL office.

Payment of the prescribed fees (Kshs. 1,000)

Renewal of Student Pilot’s License requirements

Upon expiration of a Student Pilot license, the applicant may apply for renewal.

Completed application form for Issue, re-issue and renewal of the SPL (Form M-PEL001)

The original Student Pilot License on which the renewal is appended. If it is full, issue a second Student Pilot License following the same procedure as for initial issue.

A valid Class 2 medical certificate;

Paid the prescribed fees for the License (Kshs. 1,000)

Approved by KCAA

@Pilot Success Network team News

Essential Focus Techniques for Aspiring Pilots

Success Stories in Pilot Training

How I Became a Pilot.
My Astonishingly Quick Pilot Training

January 17, 2023 story from Stephen.
Zero hours to fully Qualified Pilot in less than two Years

Approximately reading time-9 minutes

"In this post, I will talk about my astonishingly fast journey from zero flight hours to being a fully qualified commercial pilot in just over 18 months and how I received my first airline job within 5 minutes of being signed off and qualified.

Let’s get into how I conducted my pilot training and the details around it.

Commercial Pilot Training. A320 Cockpit

I Have been always wanted to be a Commercial Pilot

I’m not sure where it came from, but I have always wanted to be an airline pilot. Since I was old enough to remember, I have always had a passion for aviation.

Unlike some, I didn’t spend my time plane spotting or joining the air cadets etc. Not because there is anything wrong with these things, but mainly because my life and free time were so busy playing sports.

However, I was fascinated with airports and aircraft whenever we went on holiday or travelling. This interest never went away and followed me into my early adulthood.

I would be lying if I said the idea of travelling for a living wasn’t part of the reason I wanted to be a pilot. However, I knew this would only be the case for some airlines.

The well-paid pilot salary also attracted me to this job.

How Old was I when I started my Pilot training?

Once I was old enough to be serious about a career path, I decided that being a pilot was the only career that interested me.

This helped me pick my A-level exams (these are the exams you take in the UK when you are between the ages of 16-18 for my US readers).

I decided to study physics, maths, IT and biology. I knew physics and maths would help me with my pilot training. However, I didn’t pick these A levels to become a pilot. I did, too, have an interest in these topics.

It would be unwise to pick subjects just for pilot training. It’s better to pick subjects where you will achieve higher grades and those you enjoy studying unless your pilot training school/airline scheme requires exact qualifications.

I finished my A levels in the summer of 2013 and then enrolled in my pilot training in January 2014 at 18 years old.

My commercial pilot training journey

Where did I do My Pilot Training?

I studied with CTC Aviation, now known as L3 Academy and enrolled on the Integrated pilot training route.

When I looked at how to become an airline pilot, this course offered me the route I wanted.

They had multiple partner airlines, a great history of placing pilots with employment at the end of their pilot training and ticked all of the boxes when it came to my research in becoming an airline pilot.

For a large amount of money, I was able to train to become a commercial pilot within 18 months and also had the pleasure of living in New Zealand for nine months.

How did I find out how to become A Pilot?

A pilot throwing a paper airplane, signifying how to become a commercial pilot.

Research, and lots of it.

Sadly, there was no guide available to me at the time, like the extensive guide I wrote on how to become a pilot.

However, I was lucky enough to have a supportive family who assisted me in my research. The most beneficial recourse we had was open days. We attended many open days throughout the six-month period that we were searching for pilot schools.

During these open days, we gathered a considerable amount of information. The essential information was my flying school’s awe-inspiring pilot placement success rate.

They had placed hundreds of graduated pilots with airlines throughout their history. They also had a lot of commercial airline partners. Both of these facts meant that the chances of employment upon completing my pilot training were very high, which was my priority!

How Long does Pilot training take? Worldwide Answer

I started my pilot training in late January 2014 and was employed by an airline and passengers by January 2016.

This means that in under two years, I was qualified as a commercial pilot, had been offered a job, completed my Type Rating and training and successfully transported passengers as a commercial airline pilot.

Truly incredible, and I’m very lucky that I was in the right place at the right time regarding my employment. I waited just three minutes in the flight schools ‘holding pool’ (where we were put into and then recruited by airlines in a first in, first out process).

How much did It cost for me become a Pilot?

Pilot sat on a stack of dollar bills and cash.

How much does It cost to become a Pilot?

A lot of money is the short answer.

Including the integrated package, the living expenses, my Type Rating and everything else associated with the cost of becoming a pilot, my total was likely to be around £130,000.

I appreciate this is a tremendous amount of money, and many pilots (myself include) will spend their first decade as commercial pilots

How difficult was the class 1 medical?

Not very difficult at all.

The Class 1 Medical Certificate was a considerable worry in my mind. I was fit and healthy, as you would expect an 18-year-old to be. However, I was worried that something might come up and ruin my chances of being a pilot,"said Stephen.

@Pilot Success Network team News