CAREER-PILOT PATH
Every rating from Discovery Flight to your first airline job — what it is, what it asks, and what it lets you do.
STOP 01 / 07 · DF
A 30-minute introductory flight in an Archer II. You take the controls in cruise. Most people decide whether flying is for them within ten minutes of takeoff.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 02 / 07 · PPL
The license. Fly yourself and passengers anywhere in the U.S. in clear weather, day or night. The foundation every other rating builds on.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 03 / 07 · IR
Fly in clouds, fog, low visibility, and weather using only the panel. The rating that turns flying from a fair-weather hobby into reliable transportation.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 04 / 07 · COMM
From here, every hour you log is hireable. Commercial unlocks the right to be compensated for pilot services.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 05 / 07 · CMEL
Add multi-engine privileges to your commercial certificate. Most first jobs in the industry expect or require it. Trained in the Seneca II.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 06 / 07 · CFI
Teach what you've learned and get paid to do it. CFI is how almost every working pilot at DWFS built their first 1,000 hours after commercial.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do
STOP 07 / 07 · CFII
Add instrument-instruction privileges. Lets you teach the IR and finish the time-building loop with two ways to log paid PIC.
Minimum requirements
What it lets you do