Pilot and Air Traffic Control Careers UK: Costs, Pay and Routes

OVERVIEW

There are two ways to work in the sky. Pilots fly the aircraft, and air traffic controllers keep them apart from the ground. Both are demanding, well paid once qualified, and expensive or selective to enter.

The big difference is who pays. Pilot training is usually self-funded (£48,000 to £129,000 at flight school) unless an airline cadet scheme sponsors you. NATS trains controllers on a salary. Both need a medical, so check yours before you spend anything.

IS IT FOR YOU?

You'll probably like it if...

You stay calm and make clear decisions when several things go wrong at once.

You can take shift work, nights and time away from home.

You'll keep studying, because checks and exams never stop in this job.

It might not suit you if...

You can't fund £48k to £129k and have no sponsored route in mind.

You haven't checked your medical. A failed Class 1 can end the plan.

You want a guaranteed job at the end. Airline hiring rises and falls.

THE JOBS

Role

First Officer

Captain

Flight Instructor

Tower Controller

Approach/Radar Controller

En-route Controller

Flight Operations Officer

What you actually do

Flies as second in command and builds the hours needed for command.

Commands the aircraft and is responsible for crew, passengers and the flight.

Teaches students to fly and builds hours, a common step towards an airline.

Directs take-offs, landings and ground movements from the airport tower.

Sequences arriving and departing aircraft near busy airports.

Guides aircraft across UK airspace between airports.

Plans routes, fuel and weather for flights and supports pilots from the ground.

Where

Airlines, cargo and charter operators

Airlines and business aviation

Flight schools and aero clubs

NATS and airport operators

NATS and major airports

NATS control centres

Airline operations centres

A DAY IN THE JOB

05:00

06:30

07:30

10:00

14:00

Report for duty, read the weather and brief with the captain.

Walk-round checks, fuel and paperwork before boarding.

Take off and fly the first sector, with the first officer flying or monitoring.

Turn the aircraft round and fly the return sector.

Land, complete the reports and finish the duty.

ROUTES IN

Airline cadet scheme

An airline selects and sponsors you through training. Very competitive, and some schemes pause, so don't rely on one.

Flight school

Integrated costs about £95k to £129k over 18 to 24 months. Modular costs about £48k to £90k over two to four years. You pay and apply to airlines afterwards.

NATS apprenticeship

A paid Level 5 apprenticeship to become an air traffic controller. Selective, with four assessment stages.

THINGS PEOPLE WISH THEY'D KNOWN

Get your medical first. Around 3 to 5% fail the Class 1.

A licence isn't a job. You may wait three to six months for a type rating, and airlines pause hiring.

Fail the NATS process and you can't reapply until the next campaign, so prepare properly the first time.

HOW CROSSWIND HELPS YOU GET THERE

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

How much does it cost to become a pilot?–

Integrated flight school courses run roughly £95,000 to £129,000 over 18 to 24 months. The modular route costs about £48,000 to £90,000 over two to four years. Airline cadet schemes can cover or fund training, but places are few.

What do pilots earn?+

The National Careers Service gives about £47,000 for a starting airline pilot, rising to £150,000. Regional and small operators often start nearer £24,000 to £30,000. Captain upgrades take about 3.5 to 5 years at Ryanair and 10 to 15 at British Airways, so the route you pick changes what you earn.

Do I need a degree to be a pilot?+

No. Airlines mainly want the licence, the medical and the right attitude. Some cadet schemes ask for A-levels or a degree, so read each one. A degree is a useful fallback if you lose your medical.

Should I get my medical first?+

Yes. Book a Class 1 medical before you pay for any training. Around 3 to 5% of applicants fail it, and a failure after you've paid for flight school is expensive.

How does the NATS controller route work?–

NATS recruits trainee air traffic controllers and pays them while they train at Whiteley or Cheltenham. You must be 18+, have indefinite right to work in the UK, 5 GCSEs including English and maths, pass SC security clearance and hold a Class 3 medical. There are four assessment stages, and if you fail you can't reapply until the next campaign.

What do air traffic controllers earn?+

Using NATS's 2026 rates: a trainee gets £34,611.60 (£25,500 plus £9,111.60 accommodation), unit training pays £37,490 to £42,786, and qualified controllers earn £50,468 to £56,247. Pay depends on the unit, so check the current advert.

Is there a pilot shortage?+

Boeing forecasts demand for 660,000 new pilots worldwide by 2044, but hiring rises and falls with airline finances. TUI cancelled its 2026 MPL scheme, so don't assume a place will be waiting when you finish.

What happens after I get my licence?+

You still need a type rating for the aircraft you'll fly, and the wait for one can be three to six months. Plan your money for that gap.

Pilot and Air Traffic Control Careers

OVERVIEW

IS IT FOR YOU?

THE JOBS

A DAY IN THE JOB

ROUTES IN

Career Progression

SKILLS

THINGS PEOPLE WISH THEY'D KNOWN

HOW CROSSWIND HELPS YOU GET THERE

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

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