Expert: Ismar Avdic, Eng. - 7/26/2008

Question
I am an undergraduate in one of d Nigeria university studying geology.I am now aiming to be a pilot after am done with my bachelor degree.how can i go about it.

Answer
Hi AKEEM,
That is fantastic job on degree in geology. You see I have not information about training requirements in Nigeria, unfortunatelly. However I will give just some standard propositions that you will follow on your goal toward pilot career.
As in europe and USA in order to get in aviation career as pilot you have to start with primary pilot training, and with your Private Pilot License it will take you proximatelly 65 hrs (average in USA), once you obtained Private Pilot license next step is your Instrument Pilot rating (teaching you how to manuevar and control airplane in referece to airplane instruments) it usually takes proximatelly 40 hrs to complete that rating. Now, once compaleted you will have your Private Pilot License with Instrument Pilot rating and you will have proximtelly around 120 hrs. Next step is build time and start taking lessons for your Commercial Pilot License. Once completed you will have your Commercial Pilot license and you will accumualte at least 250 hrs. With commercial privileages you will have an opportunity to fly professionally, not with big jets but with some smaller airplanes and smaller multi -engine airplanes (but before you can fly multi-engine airplanes as PIC you will have to take another exam for multi-engine rating).
At this point you can go in different direction to be an professional pilot with Commercial license you can: work as an agricultural pilot, work as an tow banner pilot, work as an scenic pilot. If you decide that you would like to teach other pilot you will have to complete CFI course and pass an CFI checkride in order to be an pilot instructor. Some pilots spent years in order to build flight time for airlines.
Onece you complete few years as an Commercial Pilot and get some serious PIC time under your belt (1200 hrs total time) you will be able to apply for an Airline Pilot License (single and multi-engine airplane)and when you complete this exams you will be shoulder to shoulder with majority of applicant for Regional Airlines. Once you get inside as an First Officer, you will spent at least between 5-7 years before you can be eligible for upgrade as an Captain in an smaller Jet Airliner.
I know this sounds a lot, but this is road in short what you will have to go through in order to get an Airline Pilot job.

Good Luck
Ismar