How To Become A Pilot?

Why not try Aviation College, Zaria, Kaduna State?  It's the best I know of in Nigeria.

,  jump off a tree and flap your arms 
only kidding, as mentioned the best place is the Aviation school in Zaria though I have heard one can get lessons in Lagos & Warri, check through the airfields/airports you shld be able to get info from them.
Further afield a friend learnt to fly in SA

If you do not have the funds to sponsor yourself your best bet is the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), once you get in try to get an airline to sponsor you throught the course.

The second option is to go through an airline, Virgin Nigeria for instance, they were recruiting sometime last year but be warned competition is stiff because you will be competing with people who are already comercial pilots with minimum flying hours.

Another option is to join the Nigerian Airforce but you'll have to gain admission to NDA, after a couple of years you'll begin you flight training thats if you make the standards to become a military pilot, believe me its not for the faint hearted, i've seen guys quit after a week at NDA (wimps !).
Be warned though military aviation is very different from civil aviation so when you quit the airforce you'll have to retrain for civil flying but your previously gained skills and knowledge will not be wasted.

If you do have the money just  apply to a flight training school in the US. You'ss start with attaining your private pilots license, then instrument rating & multi engine rating, i'd also advise you to get you flight instructor rating so you can build up your hours while at the same time earning some money, next go for your comercial pilots license and finally Airline Transport Pilots license but it does not stop there, you also need to be type rated in the types of aircraft you'll be flying but don't worry whichever ailine employs you after your taining will usually cover the cost.

Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) web site:
http://www.ncatz-ng.org/index.htm


Nigerian Defence Academy website:
http://nigeriandefenceacademy.org/

Virgin Nigeria pilot recruitment:
www.virginnigeria.com/en/ng/jobs/Virgin%20Nigeria%20Pilot%20Application%

Professional Pilots Forum discussion on Virgin Nigeria recruitment:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=234419







I hope this helps

Hello Digiman,
Concerning what you wrote on Nairaland about [How to become a Pilot] and i quote "If you do have the money just  apply to a flight training school in the US. You'ss start with attaining your private pilots license, then instrument rating & multi engine rating, i'd also advise you to get you flight instructor rating so you can build up your hours while at the same time earning some money, next go for your comercial pilots license and finally Airline Transport Pilots license but it does not stop there, you also need to be type rated in the types of aircraft you'll be flying but don't worry whichever ailine employs you after your taining will usually cover the cost."
How does one go about this?
Because i applied to a scholl in the US year 2006 to stuty Proffesional Flight , but when i got the complete course fees , In Naira it came to about 14,000,000 .Which is a no go area.Far more expensive than here at Zaira.
But her you have said that if one does not have the money he should apply toa flight training school in the US.
***AND ALSO you wrote "If you do not have the funds to sponsor yourself your best bet is the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), once you get in try to get an airline to sponsor you throught the course.
"
Please expound on both that of US AND how one will get an airline to sponsor him through out the course at NCAT.
It would be really helpful.
Already the infomations you have written concerning the piloting issue on nairaland has been really helpful.
I await your reply. My email address is eekayjay@yahoo.com
Regards.

Lmao,  u go to school so they could teach u how to become a pilot.

Of course not,  there's an aeronotic school in Kaduna but I don't know anyone who had an opportunity to test fly while there 

Sorry that was a typo, Flight training in the US of A  is not free. If  you want free training, the Nigerian Airforce is your only choice but then there is no guarantee that you will be eventually selected for pilot training after your basic military training and even if you did you might end up flying helcopters rather than air planes  which is also split into jet or turbo prop planes.


For flight training in the US  you WILL need to have the funds for the course plus your living expenses  since  its, most likely the  flight school would only accept you on the basis that you enrol for an "ab-inito" course since you are not resident in the US. This course takes you from PPL to ATPL hence the reason why its so expensive.

In order to save you the hassle of having to find  the full funds for your course up front you could look for a school that will allow you to do each training course bit by bit i.e.  Private Pilots - PPL  then Instrument rating - IR,  then Commercial Pilots  License - CPL and  Flight Instructor rating (FIR), you might find one that will allow you to do each course on a pay as you go basis, once you get your CPL and your Flight instructor rating you can work as a flight instructor  to build up your hours while at the same time save money towards your Multi engine rating and ATPL, you will still have to find the initial funds to start the basic courses.

Now looking at the NCAT web site it looks like you can do the courses bit by bit as I listed it the paragraph above
see list and prices   http://www.ncatz-ng.org/Fees.htm
 7, 8 , 9, 10 & 12 is what you want ,  you will have to contact them and confirm.

Once you are in you can look around for an outfit willing to sponsor you through the rest of the course, you will have to be pro active in this area, see these links for examples

http://www.virginnigeria.com/en/ng/press/pr2007-3-13.html

http://www.arikair.com/ARIKAIR/racine_site/news.asp

Contact airline operators in Nigeria to seek sponsorship.


Finally if you still cannot raise funds to train to a professional level you could join a flying club and get your PPL, NCAT have a flying club -   http://www.ncatz-ng.org/Other%20services.htm


Remember where  there is a will there is a way !

I hope this makes it a lot clearer.

Hello Again Digiman ,
Actually i want to be a commercial pilot.
So yo have said i need 7,8,9,10 & 12, which are[Private Pilot Licence (Ground School),Private Pilot Licence (Flight Training),Commercial Pilots License (Ground School),Commercial Pilot Licence (Flight Training),Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL)]but doesn't 1  which is [Standard Pilot (SP) (PPL, CPL, IR, ME)]cover for all this?

Actually when i visited the Ncat WEBSITE earlier . i thought all i wouild need to become a commercial pilot will be 1 [Standard Pilot (SP) (PPL, CPL, IR, ME)], so pleae tell me i am going about it wrongly?

Please do reply as i plan to make a close follow up.
Thanks also for the links on arik air and Virgin Nigaria.
I had alrady sent NCAT AN email for over a week now but no reply as off now, but i plan to call today.
I'll give you an update as it goes on.
Thanks

I heard Embry Riddle has the best program,
 http://www.erau.edu/

The best way to go about it is to fast. you might wake up one morning without an airplane to fly

please can some on tell me if one could get schorlarship to the aviation school. i am crazy to be there.
If you have a ny interesat in the aviation school please call me on this number 08060818429 so we can discuss our future. i am DAYO. bye

Hi IVY4U,

I'm very intrested in becoming a commercial pilot and exploring the possibility of training in the US or maybe SA. Could you please send details of how you went about yours to my email sayoplus@gmail.com. Many Thank

@PILOT955

I take it you fly in Nigeria, are you a comercial pilot ?. I have some questions about flying in Nigeria, what navigational aids are available to you guys if any , I know years ago there was an ILS system at Ikeja and some NDB's  or is it VFR all the way ?

am a fighter pilot with the airforce. went to NDA,, n i work with airforce so i am paid with according to my rank with some flyin bonus, remain abroad my sis(am from delta state too, Isoko)

As at AIT's last documentary, the only aviation school in the country 's that in Kaduna and they pay nothing less than 10 milla

@IVY4U

You have the right attitude and determination, well done ! and all the best.

My advice to anyone hoping to embark on a a career in aviation is to stick with the deram and be determined. I have read of people in their late 40's changing career to become airline pilots, by the time they finish their professional training they are already in their early 50's but that does not put them off.

For anyone in Nigeria  your best bet is to seek sponsorship because that is the only way you can do it, try airlines and oil companies or join the airforce. Most privately sponsored pilots I know work 2 or 3 jobs to raise funds to train for their Private pilots license then look for loans or sponsorship for the rest of their training but that method may not be possible in Nigeria. Years ago their used to be a flying club in Ikeja, Lagos, does it still exist ?, if so joining the club to do PPL training will be a good start.

@PILOT955

What A/C are you type rated for ?