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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. 

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.

Potential Careers

Commercial Pilot

Commercial Pilot Career & Wages Details


This is not a guarantee of employment or a certain wage. Full career data available at careeronestop.org.

Career Pathway

Talk with Entry Services in the Welcome Center to APPLY TO CPTC.

Find your timeline and learning plan with Program Maps.

Understand program costs, Tuition, and Fees

Find Ways to Pay for CPTC.

Search for and enroll in classes in ctcLink by visiting www.cptc.edu/MyCC.

Still not sure or need help? REQUEST MORE INFO.

Meet Your Instructors

Marshall Collins

Marshall Collins headshot

South Hill, Rm 105
253-583-8908
marshall.collins@cptc.edu


Bruce Callahan
South Hill, Rm 102
253-583-8920
bruce.callahan@cptc.edu


Shannon Feist

Shannon Fiest headshot

South Hill, Rm 105
253-583-8902
shannon.feist@cptc.edu

Professional Pilot Program Information Sessions usually occur at 3 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

To learn more about information sessions, visit cptc.edu/info-sessions.

Visit the Academic Calendar at cptc.edu/academic-calendar to see when the next information session is scheduled.

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