Becoming a Pilot (Criteria, Application & Selection)

lao-admin

Feb 20, 2025

8 min read

Updated: Jun 18

First Officer Lapsitthipone, aka Moss - CAFTC 2024 Graduate (ATPL Course)

Updated June 18h, 2026

If you want to become a pilot, read this blog post very carefully!

You will learn about the requirements and how you can best prepare for our selection process.

To become a pilot, you will need to meet certain age, medical, and training requirements.

Age

To receive student pilot authorization (SPA), you must be at least 16 years old.
To receive a private pilot license (PPL), you must be at least 17 years old.
To receive a commercial pilot license (CPL), you must be at least 18 years old.
To receive an airline transport pilot license (ATPL), you must be at least 22 years old.
To enroll into a pilot cadet training course, you must be at least 18 years old and normally not older than 25 (depends on the particular airline).

Medical

You will need to pass an aviation medical examination and get a medical certificate.
A class 2 medical certificate is required for the SPA and PPL.
A class 1 medical certificate is required for the CPL and ATPL. It also gives you SPA and PPL privileges.
If you enroll into our Professional Pilot Training Course (Int. CPL/MEIR + ATPL Theory), you must have a class 1 medical certificate.
Visual and color perception
- Pilots need to have good colour perception. Test yourself.
- Pilots need to have 6/6 vision, or able to correct it with glasses or contacts.
- Airlines may impose more strict requirements, such as 6/6 vision without corrective lenses. See additional Lao Airlines and Lao Skyway requirements below, at the end of this blog post.
For a list of what needs to be checked for an initial class 1 medical, download the following document.

To see the actual Aviation Medical Examiner Manual, Rev. 1, 2014 from DCAL download the following manual. You can read the details regarding the class 1 medical certificate in Appendix D.

If you enroll into our Professional Pilot Training Course, we will set up a medical appointment for you as part of the assessment.
An initial class 1 medical will cost you approximately LAK 3,500,000:
- ~ LAK 2,000,000 to the hospital/clinic for all the tests.
  - DCAL has approved 2 hospitals and one clinic: Mittaphap, Mahosot and the IMDC
- LAK 1,500,000 to the Lao aviation medical assessor Dr. Khamsouk Haophommasaeng. +856 20 22222892.
Do not eat anything on the morning of your medical assessment.

Training

To become a commercial pilot, you will need to pass several knowledge and skill tests from the regulator, the Department of Civil Aviation - Laos (DCAL).
To prepare you for these tests, you will need to complete ground school and flight training at an approved training organization (ATO). The CAFTC is an approved ATO.

Fitness

If you are not physically fit and do not get an aviation medical certificate, you cannot begin flight training.
A fit body is ready to learn, focus and concentrate. It can endure heat, cold and humidity and is able to complete physically demanding tasks such as pushing heavy objects such as the training airplane into and out of the hangar.
Check your BMI. If it is outside the normal range (see below), think what habits need to change to get it within a normal range.
- Eat healthy
- Exercise:
  - 1. Endurance. Play a sport regularly such as socker or badminton. Train 5km runs and more. Go swimming.
  - 2. Strength. Push-ups, sit ups, pull ups, squats.

English

English is the mandatory aviation language. A good command of the English language is very important for safety reasons. While a private pilot flying strictly domestically may get a license without good English, but all commercial pilots must be able to operate in English.
If you English is not good enough, you will miss instructions, you will miss details in the text’s you are readying, your results will be poor and your training will take longer, you will likely require more flight hours and thus it will be more expensive.
To obtain a pilot license you must score 4 (Operational) or above on your ICAO Aviation English examination (on a scale of 1-6). For more details about the rating criteria look here.
- A certificate with a level of 4 expires after 3 years (level 5 is good for 5 years; level 6 does not expire.)
- You will be required to complete this test in the early stages of your flight training.
We will help you prepare for this test, but you must have a minimum level of English to be enrolled into our professional pilot courses:
IELTS 5.5 or equivalent (CEFR B2, TOEFL IBT 62, Duolingo 90, ...)
- This is to ensure that you will be ready for the fast-paced aviation training in the English language.
- You must be fluent and have good understanding to read and comprehend aviation texts in English.
- You must be able to write and communicate in English with your teachers and flight instructors.
  
  English Testing Score Comparison
For the selection:
Review how to write an essay. You will be asked to write one during the selection.
Prepare for an interview. Speak clear and focus on the endings of your words.Minimum acceptable English level for enrollment:

Math and Physics

This includes your English vocabulary for math, in order to help you understand the questions.
Focus on mental calculation. DuoLingo is a good app for your review.
See: Math for Pilots https://youtu.be/Q39sPgjRpxA
Math for pilots focuses on flight planning and in-flight calculations, rather than advanced mathematics like calculus.
The most critical skills are quick mental math for fuel management, distance, time, and speed calculations, alongside understanding wind correction angle.
1. Basic Arithmetic: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are used constantly for fuel planning, altitude management, and passenger/cargo weight calculations.
2. Mental Math: Crucial for in-flight adjustments, such as calculating top-of-descent points, descent rates (e.g., 3-to-1 rule: 3 miles per 1,000 feet), and expected arrival times.
3. Algebra: Used for solving unknown variables in performance formulas, such as calculating ground speed, distance, or time.
4. Geometry & Trigonometry: Essential for calculating wind triangles (crosswind components), navigating between waypoints, and understanding flight paths.
5. Interpolation: Reading aviation charts and tables requires finding values between two given points.

To study specific topics, you can search for free online material.
For example: https://www.khanacademy.org

1. Algebra

2. Geometry

3. Trigonometry

4. Physics (forces, vectors, gravity, acceleration, electricity…)

To sharpen your math skills, you can also use Duolingo Math and practice daily.
- Arithmetic

1. Adding, subtracting, multiplication & division with brackets and in the correct order

2. Calculating with fractions. Simplifying fractions. Comparing fractions. Converting fractions into decimals.

3. Exponents and fractions

4. Ratios

5. Fractions, decimals & percents

Geometry

1. Circumference

2. Rectangular surface area

3. Triangular surface area

4. Volume

5. Circles

6. Cylinders

7. Coordinate grid

8. The Pythagorean theorem

9. Sine, Cosine and Tangent

Algebra

1. Algebraic equations

2. Equations with coefficients

3. One-variable equations

4. Inequalities

5. Two step equations

6. Solve linear equations

7. Quadratic expressions

Algebraic Graphing

1. Slope

2. Linear functions

3. Rate of change

4. Quadratic graphs and equations

Licensing

The most affordable license is a pilot license for very light or ultra-light aircraft (UPL). We do not offer training for such a license.
To fly privately, you will need to get a Private Pilot License (PPL). This license enables you to fly airplanes for "fun", but not to earn a salary. However, the PPL is a first step towards other pilot licenses and ratings.
To work an earn income as a pilot, you will need a Commercial Pilot License (CPL). This license enables a pilot to act as first officer (or co-pilot) and as a captain of any airplane certified for single-pilot crew.
To become a captain in air transport operations on aircraft requiring a two-pilot crew pilot, you will need to have an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL).
- To qualify for an ATPL, you must meet the experience requirements (1,500 flight hours total time and other hour requirements) and have passed the ATPL knowledge and skill tests. Pilots who wish to be in command typically upgrade their CPL to an ATPL within 4-10 years of joining the airline.
- If you wish to fly for an airline, we recommend that you enroll into a course that includes the ATPL theory. The ATPL examinations, once completed, are valid for 7 years. This gives you 7 years to obtain the experience (hours) required. Without this you will then have to enroll into a course and write the ATPL examinations on the side.

Requirements for CAFTC's Professional Pilot Training Program

Being accepted into a professional pilot training course you must first pass the selection process. This is to help us and help you determine your chances at being successful.

Pre-Selection Criteria
- Lao nationality
- Min. 18 years old. If younger you need your parent's consent.
- For maximum age and height requirements, see Lao Airlines or Lao Skyway below.
- Good health
- Good English: minimum score IELTS 5.5 or equivalent (TOEFL PBT 513, TOEFL IBT 65, Duolingo 90, ...)
- Good Math and Science grades: 7/10 or more
Application/ Enrollment
- We accept applications to enroll into our professional pilot training program until May 31st of each year. Following a selection in June, you will be confirmed to begin your flight training in August.
- Fill out the online Enrollment form. Click here.
- The most important step is to let the CAFTC know that you planning to enroll and have started collecting the required documents.
- Submit the following documents via email to lao-admin@pactec.net:
  1. Cover Letter ((explain briefly why you want to enroll into this course)
  2. Copy of Lao passport
  3. Copy of your English language proficiency certificate
  4. Copy of your high school graduation certificate and grade report. (If you have not graduated yet, send us last year's grade report. If applicable, copy of your college or university degree and or grade report.)
  5. A reference letter from your teacher or professor. (If you are working, a reference letter from your employer.)
  6. A valid "Criminal Record Certificate" // ໃບແຈ້ງໂທດ(ຍັງບໍ່ຫມົດກຳນົດ)
  7. Letter explaining how you intend to pay for the flight training

Selection
- The CAFTC will conduct a selection to find the best candidates of those who can be enrolled into a flight training program.
- Expect the following:
  - Background Check
  - Health and fitness tests
  - Aptitude tests, including math and physics
  - Psychological test
  - English tests, including writing an essay
  - Self-study test
  - Simulator lesson
  - Flight lesson
- Lao Airlines requirements
  - Minimum age 18, maximum age 26 at start of training
  - Able to meet flight deck reach requirements:
    - Women: Height between 160 cm and 180 cm
    - Men: Height between 165 cm and 185 cm
  - No tattoos anywhere, even at non-visible locations
  - “A college, university or aviation degree will be an advantage.”
- Lao Skyway requirements
  - Minimum age 18, maximum age 24 at start of training
  - Able to meet flight deck reach requirements:
    - Men & women: Height between 165 cm and 180 cm and a standard BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. See below.
    - The calculation for the body mass index divides your weight (kilograms) by your height (meter squared).
  - No tattoos anywhere, even at non-visible locations
  - “No Hepatitis B”
  - “A college, university or aviation degree will be an advantage.”
  - “Work experience preferred.”