How to Become a Pilot in Senegal 2025

You need to know what pilot training programs are being offered in the country and which among those is the most suitable for you. This is where you should take into account what your aviation goal is. Do you want to obtain a Private Pilot License (PPL) or a Commercial Pilot License (CPL)? Are you seeking to work for an airline? If yes, then an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) is for you. Do you aim to attain a college degree at the same time too? Or do you see yourself joining the military, particularly the Air Force? 

Did we lose you? Don’t panic! If you’re not familiar with the terms or can’t choose which license is right for you, you can send in your questions and our team will be happy to help you out.

Here are your options

• Flight School

There is only one (1) flight school in Senegal that offers a Private Pilot training program only. 

• Aviation-related college degree program

However, if you’re interested in obtaining a college degree accompanied with flight training, you should consider aviation-related college degree programs. These programs allow students to combine a college degree with flight training. With this kind of program, you will earn a college degree together with a pilot license such as Commercial Pilot License (CPL) in most cases. This will give you the opportunity to have the best of both worlds.

• Airline cadet pilot program

Meanwhile, if your greatest childhood dream is to become an airline pilot, you should consider airline cadet pilot programs. Airlines often sponsor these programs and students are guaranteed employment upon course completion. In this pilot program, you will obtain an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). You can reach out to us to get an insight into the options currently available.

• Join the military

Finally, if you’re interested in serving your country, you can join the Senegalese Air Force. The Government will sponsor your flight training but you will have to stay with the military for around 12 years after completion before you can apply to commercial airlines.

• What is the minimum age to become a pilot in Senegal?

You need to be at least 17 years old to start your pilot training in India.

• What do I need to start pilot training in Senegal? 

In order to start your pilot training, you will need to secure a medical certificate. The best way to do this is to speak with the flight school you would like to enroll in and they will help arrange it for you.

• What are the minimum educational requirements to become a pilot in Senegal?

Potential students must be at least a high school (Class 12) graduate.

• What level of English do I need to become a pilot in Senegal?

Since the language of aviation internationally is English, it is recommended to have at least a level 4 English standard before receiving your pilot license. If you are looking to improve your English, you can send us a message and we will give you tips on what courses to take.

In general, there are five (5) different pilot training stages in which students need to complete depending on what their goal is. The stages of pilot training are as follows:

• Student Pilot License (SPL)

The first pilot license you will need to obtain is a student pilot license. This license allows you to start your flight training.

• Private Pilot License (PPL)

The private pilot license will allow you to fly solo, passengers, or cargo but without monetary compensation. In order to get a private pilot license in Senegal, you must: 

1. Be over 17 years of age;
2. Hold a valid class 2 medical certificate;
3. have completed at least 40 hours of flight time, or 35 hours if these have been completed as part of an approved training course, as an airplane pilot appropriate to the requested class qualification. The licensing authority determines if the experience acquired as a pilot during instruction on a flight training simulator is acceptable in total flight time of 40 hours or 35 hours, as applicable. Credit corresponding to this experience will be limited to a maximum of 5 hours; and
4. have completed at least 10 hours of solo flying on airplanes suitable for the class rating requested, under the supervision of an authorized flight instructor, including 5 hours solo flight on a campaign including at least one flight of a minimum of 270 km (150 NM) at during which a complete stop landing was made at two different aerodromes.

• Commercial Pilot License (CPL)

To start earning from flying, you will need to obtain a commercial pilot license. This license allows you to become a paid professional pilot. In order to obtain a commercial pilot license in Senegal, you must:

1. must be over 18 years of age;
2. have a valid class 1 medical certificate;
3. have completed at least 200 flight hours, or 150 hours if these have been completed as part of an approved training course, as an airplane pilot. The licensing Authority determines whether the experience acquired as a pilot during training on a simulator flight training is acceptable in the total flight time of 200 hours or 150 hours, as appropriate. The credit corresponding to this experience is limited to a maximum of 10 hours. All these must have completed on an airplane a minimum of:

i) 100 hours, or 70 hours in the case of an approved training course, as a pilot-in-command;

ii) 20 hours of field flight as pilot-in-command, including one flight a minimum of 540km (300NM) during which a landing with complete stop at two different aerodromes;

iii) 10 hours of instrument instruction, of which a maximum of 5 hours may be in ground instruments;

iv) If the privileges of the license are to be exercised at night, 5 hours of night flight, including 5 take-offs and 5 landings as pilot-in-command.

Both 4 and 5 are add-ons to your pilot license…

• Instrument Rating (IR)

Being instrument-rated means that you can fly the aircraft in any weather condition (for example low or zero visibility) using just the instruments. Flight schools offer Instrument Rating along with their commercial pilot training. But this can also be obtained separately.

• Multi-Engine Rating (MER)

The multi-engine rating will allow you to fly multi-engine aircraft. Flight schools offer Multi-Engine Rating along with their private pilot training and commercial pilot training. But this can also be obtained separately.

•   Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL)

ATPL is the highest level of Aircraft Pilot Certificate that allows you to act as pilot in command on scheduled air carriers. To get an Airline Transport Pilot License in Senegal, you must:

1. Be over 21 years of age;
2. Have a valid class 1 medical certificate;
3. Have completed at least 1500 flight hours as an airplane pilot. The licensing Authority determines whether the experience acquired as a pilot during training on a simulator Flight training is acceptable in the total flight time of 1500 hours. Credit corresponding to this experience is limited to a maximum of 100 hours, of which a maximum of 25 hours on a flight procedures trainer or on a primary instrument flight trainer. All these must have completed, on an airplane, at least:

i) 500 hours as pilot-in-command under supervision, or 250 hours in pilot-in-command or composed as follows: at least 70 hours in pilot-in-command and the rest as pilot-in-command under supervision;

ii) 200 hours of field flight, including a minimum of 100 hours as a pilot captain or pilot-in-command under supervision;

iii) 75 instrument hours, of which a maximum of 30 hours may be instrument hours ground ;

iv) 100 hours of night flight as pilot-in-command or co-pilot

If you have any questions with this “How to become a Pilot in Senegal 2021” Guide, feel free to use the chat messenger to send us a message.

After doing your research on the type of license you would like to obtain, the next step is to choose which flight school is the most suitable for your budget.

So, how much does pilot training cost? 

It is important to note that becoming a pilot requires a certain budget. Your flight training cost depends on the country you do your training, the flight school you pick, and a number of other factors.

If you decide to do your flight training within the country, there is only one (1) pilot school in Senegal which is an aeroclub and offers Private Pilot License Training only. You can find more information about the school through flight training institutes in Senegal by registering with us on Aviationfly. Our flight school directory has a list of all the latest active flight schools around the world including their brief background, pilot training courses being offered, the school’s fleet details, what they can offer to you, and other information.

On the other hand, if you decide to do your flight training abroad, there are a number of popular countries to choose from. One important thing to note is that after your training, you will have to convert your license to the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM) of Senegal.

As mentioned above, another alternative is to enroll in an airline pilot program. Once you have successfully passed your pilot training, you will be employed by the airlines that have set up the program.

Many aspiring pilots have a defined career path they would like to pursue, while others don’t. Below is a list of options for what you can potentially do with a pilot license.

• Airline pilot for large airlines or smaller regional ones
• Corporate or business aviation pilot
• Cargo pilot
• Charter / Air taxi pilot
• Flight instructor
• Medical/ Air ambulance pilots
• Agricultural pilot and many more options

A frequently asked question is: how much does an Airline Captain in Senegal make? The short answer is around US$2,000 per month plus benefits (XOF 998,000)!

*This/these number/numbers is/are based on available data and research conducted in the year 2019. There is no guarantee that the number/s provided is/are accurate. Please read our Disclaimer.

Tip 1. Decide on your pilot goals

Firstly, ask yourself – what are your long-term aspirations in aviation? Do you want to become a pilot in your free time (Private Pilot License)? Or do you want to fly in General Aviation (Commercial Pilot License)? Do you want to become an airline pilot through an airline pilot cadet program? Additionally, which airlines are currently hiring? What type of aircraft will be utilized by airlines in the next few years? Which flight schools do the airlines usually hire from? Best to ask flight schools if they have partnerships with airlines. These are critical questions you should list and get answers to when asking yourself “how will I become a Pilot”.

Tip 2. Determine how much you can afford to spend

Secondly, different flight schools have different costs (due to location, number of students, aircraft type and several other factors), find out the reasons for the price difference. Moreover, do these programs have financial assistance/loan programs? Might a part-time program work for you?

Tip 3. Determine how much free time you have

Each flight training school has its own training schedules with some offering flexibility while others want the cadets to train full time and on campus. Note that delaying flight training usually increases your training costs.

Tip 4. Find out what type of aircraft the flight school uses and information of its aircraft maintenance center

This is important from a training point of view, but even more importantly, from a safety aspect. Furthermore, you should also take into consideration the equipment preference of airlines. Aircraft age does not always relate to safety, this is dependent on the aircraft maintenance – ask the flight school in detail about their aircraft maintenance department and safety features of the aircraft.

Tip 5. Visit your shortlist of flight schools

Finally, when possible, speak to the instructors and flight school management teams to learn about the training, safety policies, history, and graduates of the flight school.

Do you still have questions? Send us a message!

You can also check out How to become a Pilot in the Philippines or other countries by navigating on our platform or simply just reach out to our team through chat.