Ranks and Promotions

1.- PPL Student

A PPL student is considered to be any pilot who joins AirBilbao and begins the PPL course at the Company’s Academy. Once the course has been completed and the corresponding theoretical and practical exams have been successfully passed, demonstrating basic PPL knowledge (Communications, Emergency Procedures, Meteorology, Air and Aerodrome Charts), the pilot will obtain the PPL license.

The aircraft used to complete the PPL course is exclusively the single-engine Cessna 172 SK.

Note:
Pilots who hold a valid real-world PPL license or higher will be directly validated after submitting a copy of their real license to the AirBilbao Flight Academy.

Obligations and/or restrictions

No PPL student may fly online using the ABI callsign unless expressly authorized by a Flight Instructor from the Academy. If such authorization is granted, the student may only fly the aircraft types mentioned above and exclusively under VMC conditions.

2.- PPL

Once the PPL license has been obtained, the pilot is authorized to fly multi-engine aircraft such as the Baron 58, as well as those used during the PPL course. A PPL pilot may perform any VFR flight using the ABI callsign.

The use of the ABI callsign for IMC flights is not authorized unless expressly approved by the AirBilbao Operations Department or by the Flight Instructor in the case of scheduled CPL course flights.

CPL Course

In order to access the AirBilbao CPL (Commercial Pilot License) course, the PPL pilot must meet the following requirements in the order described:

1. Complete the VFR SPAIN Tour with the C172 SK, reporting the corresponding PIREPs for each leg.
2. Accumulate at least 75 hours of VFR flight, in flights of approximately 40 minutes, using the Baron 58, the aircraft used for the CPL course.
3. Successfully complete the exercise required for access to the CPL course (Fig. B), which must be requested from the AirBilbao Operations Department.
4. Be a collaborator of AirBilbao.

Note:
All flights required to access the CPL course must be reported via AIRBILBAO ACARS and flown online on IVAO. Flights reported through any other means will not be considered valid.

It must be taken into account that the CPL course focuses on instrument flight, emphasizing situational awareness, orientation, and instrument procedures. Therefore, if the pilot does not fully master straight-and-level flight, aircraft behavior, performance, and basic maneuvers, they may encounter difficulties in properly following the IR (Instrument Rating) procedures that form part of the CPL.

Once all requirements for entry into the CPL course have been met and following the corresponding course announcement, the PPL pilot will undergo theoretical and practical training delivered by AirBilbao CPL Instructors. The pilot must successfully pass all theoretical and practical examinations established by the Course Management.

The nature, structure, and conditions of each CPL course will be clearly specified in the corresponding course announcement.

3.- CPL

After successfully completing the CPL Course, the PPL pilot will acquire the CPL rank, with all rights and obligations associated with it. This new qualification implies immediate entry into the TURBOPROP Fleet, authorizing the CPL pilot to fly any aircraft within that fleet in training mode.

Remaining in the TURBOPROP Fleet, as a prerequisite for access to other fleets, requires the completion of at least 75 flights, accumulating no less than 80 total flight hours, of which at least 40 hours must be flown on the same aircraft type.

During their time in the TURBOPROP Fleet, CPL pilots are required to complete all flights, courses, or activities established by the Fleet Manager or the AirBilbao Operations Department. Failure to complete these requirements will prevent access to any other fleet, unless a duly justified reason is accepted.

All flights must be conducted online, and the corresponding PIREP, properly completed, must be submitted to AirBilbao via AIRBILBAO ACARS for review and approval, if applicable.

Once all the above requirements have been fulfilled, the TURBOPROP Fleet Manager will issue a report to the AirBilbao Operations Department summarizing the pilot’s performance and conduct during their time in the fleet.

4.- ATPL

Any CPL pilot who meets the requirements for access to another fleet, holds the TURBOPROP Fleet Manager’s report mentioned above, and has completed the courses in Weight and Balance, Turbine Engines, Systems, Inertial Navigation (FMS), ETOPS Flights, and similar subjects, may apply for the ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License) Examination, qualifying them as FO (First Officer).

The theoretical examination must be requested from the AirBilbao Operations Department and will preferably be conducted in English.

Attendance at courses organized by the AirBilbao Operations Department related to the ATPL examination subjects is mandatory for all CPL pilots, except in duly justified cases of force majeure.

Upon passing the examination, the ATPL-licensed pilot will serve as First Officer on the aircraft they currently fly or on any other aircraft fleet they apply for, once accepted by the relevant Fleet Manager, the Operations Department, and the Governing Bodies of AirBilbao.

As a next step toward obtaining a specific aircraft type rating, the pilot must request entry into the corresponding fleet from the Operations Department. A series of 12 flights will be assigned, all of which must be completed satisfactorily.

These flights must be recorded using AIRBILBAO ACARS, and the resulting reports will be submitted to the Fleet Manager for evaluation. The maximum period to obtain the type rating is one year. If the rating is not obtained within this period without justified cause, the pilot will lose the right to apply for a new type rating for two years.

In this case, the pilot may not fly the aircraft in question until six months before the end of the waiting period.

5.- Captain

An ATPL pilot may apply for promotion to Captain at any time by submitting a request to the AirBilbao Operations Department.

To obtain the Captain rank, the ATPL pilot must have completed at least 100 flights as First Off