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.
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
South Hill, Rm 105
253-583-8908
marshall.collins@cptc.edu
Bill Coyner
South Hill, Rm 105
253-583-8902
bill.coyner@cptc.edu
Shannon Feist
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.
STORIES ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL PILOT PROGRAM
Some people spend their whole lives trying to figure out what they want to do for a career. Not Adam Carollo. “This has always been what I was going to do – I was going to be an airline pilot for as far back as I can remember,” Carollo said.
Members of the aviation programs' Advisory Committee and faculty join Clover Park Technical College Board of Trustees chair Bruce Lachney in cutting the ribbon at the official unveiling of CPTC's new twin-engine plane Thursday, Nov. 17, at the South Hill Campus.
