Free tool · UK training
Pilot Training Pathway Planner
Pick what you want to fly for, tell us your budget and how often you can get to the airfield, and we will lay out a realistic timeline: every licence milestone, the medicals you need and when, and what it will cost in pounds.
Step 1 · Your goal
What do you want to fly for?
Four routes, four very different bills. Choose one and the planner builds the stages for it; you can switch at any time.
Your pathway
Timeline
Licence milestones
When each piece of paper arrives, assuming the pace above and typical UK weather.
Medical requirements
Which class, when to get it, what it costs and how often it needs renewing over your plan.
Cost breakdown
Indicative 2026 UK prices including VAT. Low is a well-run plan at a good-value school; high is a premium school with the usual extra hours.
Not included:
Your budget
How far your money gets you against the low and high estimates.
Assumptions behind this plan
After that
Reference
The four routes side by side
Typical 2026 UK figures from zero, at a weekend-flyer pace for the modular routes. Use the planner above for your own numbers.
| Route | You end with | Flying hours | Time | Cost | Medical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPL for funPrivate Pilot Licence | PPL(A) | ~55 | 9–18 months | £10,500 – £17,500 | Class 2 medical |
| Modular ATPLFrozen ATPL, step by step | Frozen ATPL: CPL, ME/IR, ATPL theory, MCC | ~223 | 24–48 months | £58,000 – £95,500 | Class 1 medical |
| Integrated ATPLOne school, full time | Frozen ATPL: CPL, ME/IR, ATPL theory, APS MCC | ~200 | 18–24 months | £86,500 – £127,500 | Class 1 medical |
| Hour building to CPLYou hold a PPL already | CPL(A) at 200 hours | ~145 more | 12–30 months | £29,500 – £45,000 | Class 1 medical |
Questions
How much does it cost to become a pilot in the UK?
The short answers. The planner above gives the long ones.
How much does it cost to become a pilot in the UK?
A PPL for private flying costs about £10,500 to £17,500. A commercial licence with a frozen ATPL costs about £58,000 to £95,500 on the modular route and £86,500 to £127,500 on an integrated course, before living costs and a type rating. These are 2026 UK prices; use the planner above for a figure matched to your budget and pace.
How long does it take to become an airline pilot?
An integrated course takes 18 to 24 months full time. The modular route depends on how often you can fly: two to three years is typical flying most weekends, four or more if you fit it around a full-time job. A PPL on its own takes nine to eighteen months for a weekend flyer.
What is the difference between modular and integrated training?
Both end in the same licences. Integrated means one school, one price, one continuous full-time course from zero, usually with airline partnerships at the end. Modular means buying each module (PPL, hour building, ATPL theory, CPL, IR, MCC) separately, often from different schools, at your own pace and usually for less money overall.
What medical do I need to be a pilot?
A Class 2 medical from an Aeromedical Examiner for the PPL, and a Class 1 for the CPL and ATPL. The initial Class 1 is done at the CAA Aeromedical Centre or an approved AeMC and costs around £550 to £750. Get the Class 1 before you spend anything on commercial training.
What is a frozen ATPL?
A CPL with a multi-engine instrument rating, all 13 ATPL theory exams passed and an MCC course. It is what airlines recruit cadets with. The ATPL itself is issued once you have 1,500 hours, normally flown as a first officer.
How many hours do you need for a CPL in the UK?
The CPL(A) is issued at 200 hours total time, including 100 hours as pilot in command, 20 hours of VFR cross-country as PIC with a 300 nautical mile qualifying flight, five hours at night and ten hours of instrument instruction. A modular CPL course can start once you have 150 hours.
Figures are indicative 2026 UK prices gathered from published school price lists and CAA fee schedules, rounded, and will vary by school, aircraft and how quickly you learn. They are a planning aid, not a quote. Licence requirements are those of the UK CAA under Part-FCL; check the CAA website for the current rules before committing money.