1 year ago I was finishing up my first type rating course and since then, time has flown. I have certainly been flying, and at the time of writing I have a little over 500 hours in the Airbus and have had many memorable experiences along the way.
I’m still continuously learning all the time, and in this guide I aim to share my learnings from my first type rating and what to expect. Whether you have already landed your first job (Congrats!) and are going to begin a type rating course, or are aspiring to become a commercial pilot, I hope you can learn something from my experiences getting.
The Type Rating is definitely of the more challenging courses I’ve ever done in my aviation career, not the most difficult, that would be ATPL exams for me, the first time round. However, it was probably the most consequential course as an aspiring commercial pilot, and this added pressure challenges you mentally in a very different way, as the sessions can get intense.
Structure of the Type Rating Course
Here’s how my type rating course was structured:
- Home Study with online learning materials – 2 weeks
- Ground school – 5 Days
- Fixed Base Simulator Sessions (4 hours each) – 10 sessions
- Technical Systems Theory Test (100 questions)
- Full Flight Simulator (FFS) Sessions (4 hours each) – 10 sessions
- License Skills Test in FFS – 4 hours
- Base Training – Simulator Training and then real flight with 6 touch and gos.
If your course includes fixed based simulator sessions, you should practice pretty much all the same things that you will later do in the full flight simulator. In the full flight simulator you definitely feel a lot more, and be able to practice landings better.
At this stage, you’ll probably start to get a taste of what an airline schedule is like. Forget weekends off and normal working hours. Some days the briefing started at 4:30am, and others days, we finished past 3am.
What a Type Rating Course Teaches You
The Type Rating gives you a solid foundation to fly the aircraft safely. You will practice and experience a lot of failures. Prepare yourself and learn as much as you can about the following:
- The aircraft systems and limitations
- Flows and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS)
- Dealing with abnormal and emergency situations and the memory items
What you learn after the Type Rating
While the type rating is very thorough, there are so many things you’ll end up learning after the type rating. The learning really starts once you begin line training. i.e flying in real world operations.
You will learn things like:
Company SOPs (Especially if your type rating was done externally)
People Skills
Descent Management
ATC Communications
Efficient Operating Procedures
Dealing with Weather
Which Type Rating to Choose
Often the two main choices to go for are either the B737 or A320 Type Rating. As of this moment, it seems like the A320 Type Rating is quite valuable in terms of having more choices of airlines to work for, especially in Europe.
However, at the end of the day it’s really up to you. If you get a job flying Embraers or any other aircraft, and it works well for your current situation, definitely do that type rating. Even if it may not have been your first choice, if you’re short on options, then I’m afraid you can’t be too picky. Getting valuable jet time will be highly beneficial in your aviation career.
Should you pay for your own Type Rating?
Some companies require you to pay for your own Type Rating or expect you to come with your own. There are flight schools who’ll sell you a Type Rating, but very rarely does that come with a guaranteed job.
Upon finishing your CPL course, paying for a Type Rating is a big financial risk. A Type Rating like my A320 TR is valid only for a year before it needs to be revalidated again. Also many ompanies who hire type rated pilots require at least 500 hours on type to be considered by them.
Each session in a Full Flight Sim can cost thousands of dollars/pounds/euros, and skills tests cost even more. Therefore I would strongly recommend you avoid paying for a Type Rating upfront, unless you have a guaranteed job offer and a contract.
Tools to prepare for an A320 Type Rating
- A320Q App – On the Apple App Store. To prepare for technical theory exam
- A320 CBT App – On Apple App Store. Great for learning the various flight modes
- Flight Sim software – Like X-Plane and Thrustmaster A320 sidestick and throttle quadrant
- Youtube – Here are some channels I recommend
Some parting advice
The Type Rating is a highly challenging yet rewarding course. Passing each stage from the theory exam, Skills Test and Base Training should bring a big smile to your face and a sense of relief.
Have fun, put in the work, and realise it’s ok to feel behind or find it challenging. You will likely meet several instructors over the course of your type rating, and each one may be slightly different from the other. This is a daily reality of commercial aviation, and you will feel tested at times.
- Practice flows and drills with your simulator partner before lessons
- If you can do it in a mock paper cockpit, that’s even better. A big difference with commercial flying versus general aviation, is that there are two pilots sharing tasks, and while there are checklists, we performs actions as flows, i.e sequence of tasks committed to memory, and then use a checklist at various stages of a flight.
- Fly an airplane before going to base training if possible.
- Base Training, which involves 6 take-offs and landings. Is without a doubt a highly important and expensive day. Give yourself the best chance at doing well. It might have been months since you flew an actual aircraft before your last type rating. Therefore your flying skills could become a little rusty.
- Take any reasonable single-engine aircraft, ideally with a good instructor, and practice some touch-and-gos. My company mandated this that we do a certain amount of take-offs and landings before our start date.
- Set up a home sim with a good model of the aircraft
- I use X-plane with the Toliss A321 aircraft. Being able to practice flows, understand the systems, and visualise things as they actually happen, has been a huge help. I only regret not setting it up sooner.
Conclusion
Your first type rating is a big milestone in your aviation career. It will come at you quick, but with focus, discipline and an open mind, you will learn and grow a lot.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.