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Professional Pilot

Why Choose the Professional Pilot Program?


If you dream of taking to the skies and flying to far off places, the Professional Pilot program and career path may be the perfect fit for you.

Our Professional Pilot program meets at our state-of-the-art South Hill Campus, conveniently located next door to Pierce County Airport. Students and faculty fly CPTC's college-owned aircraft on local - and occasionally - cross-country flights while having the opportunity to attain all the certifications and flight hours needed for a career as a commercial pilot.

The program offers an associate degree and numerous certificate options to meet the needs of each student and their flight goals, whether simply wanting to earn private pilot certification for fun or wanting to pursue a career as a flight instructor or commercial pilot. 

Program Info


All those who are interested in the Professional Pilot Program must attend mandatory Program Information Session. Instructor permission is required for registration in the program.

Vaccines Required

Vaccinations are required for students in the Professional Pilot Program.  

How Long It Takes

The length for degrees and certificates in the pilot program varies, depending on how long the student needs to fulfill the requirements.

Professional Pilot AAT and AAS-T Degree: 8 quarters

Private Pilot Certificate: 2 quarters

Airline Multi-Engine Crew Resource Management 1 (CRM 1) Certificate: 1 quarter

Airline Multi-Engine Crew Resource Management 2 (CRM 2) Certificate: 1 quarter

Commercial Pilot Certificate: 4 quarters

Flight Instructor Certificate: 1 quarter

Instrument Pilot Certificate: 2 quarters

Multi-Engine Instructor Training (MEI): 1 quarter

Multi-Engine Training: 1 quarter

All program lengths are estimates and are not guarantees.

Program Documents

This link provides access to items like program supply lists and fees, program maps to help you plan your entire time at CPTC, and more.

See all available Program Documents.

Your Questions, Answered!

Clover Park faculty and staff are available to introduce you to the college and all the programs we offer. 

Info Sessions

Information sessions that can introduce you to programs and help you get started at CPTC are offered regularly when classes are in session. To learn more about the types of sessions and see when the next sessions are scheduled, visit cptc.edu/info-sessions.

Contact Faculty Directly

Faculty welcome you to contact them with your questions.

Potential Careers

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.

Get Started

  1. Talk with Entry Services in the Welcome Center to APPLY TO CPTC.
  2. Understand program costs, Tuition, and Fees
  3. Find Ways to Pay for CPTC.
  4. Search for and enroll in classes in ctcLink by visiting www.cptc.edu/MyCC.

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