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Become an air france airline pilot

Air France pilots carry out their mission with the highest level of flight safety, technical expertise and a constant concern for customer satisfaction. Being a pilot at Air France is a strong commitment that requires a high level of technical and interpersonal skills.

You will start your pilot career at Air France as a First Officer on medium-haul aircraft, then move to long-haul before becoming a Flight Captain.

By developing your expertise on a daily basis, on one of the most varied air networks in the world, you will then be able to use your skills by taking on the role of pilot instructor, or supervisory missions within the Flight Operations Division.

In 2020, Air France is recruiting pilots for its own needs and those of Transavia, within the Professional Pilots and Cadet Pilots sectors.

If you have a passion for aviation, the enthusiasm to work as an airline pilot, and you want to join a company where men and women are proud to work together, then come and join us!

Discover our recruitement offers and apply !

You are already an airline pilot and wish to join Air France

  • Application conditions
  • The selection process
Application conditions

You must create a “candidate page" to submit your application.
Applications sent by post will not be processed.

Several conditions must be met when applying:

  • Be the holder of the ATPL or a valid CPL/IRME.
  • Be the holder of the ATPL Theory issued by an ATO certified by a Member State of the European Union.
  • Have a valid "Class 1" medical certificate.
  • Nationality conditions, which you can view by clicking here
  • Be fluent in French.​

To be eligible for invitation to a selection day, you must:

  • Hold a certificate of satisfactory attendance for a multi-crew cooperation training course (MCC)
  • Provide proof that you are at Level 5 or above on the language proficiency system: valid FCL 055 / 055D.
  • Have a TOEIC Test score (LR = Listening and reading) of 850 or above, no older than 2 years at the time of selection.

"Create your candidate page” by clicking here 

The selection process

These are completed in 5 stages.

 

 

These are completed in 5 stages:

  • online pre-selection: reasoning, psychotechnical and logic tests
  • Psycho-technical tests
  • Personality inventories
  • Group tests and interview
  • Flight simulator test

You wish to join the Air France Cadet Pilot programme

  • Being an Air France Cadet
  • Application conditions
  • The selection process
  • Training
  • FAQ
Being an Air France Cadet

You have a little or no experience as a Pilot but are extremely motivated. The Cadet Pilot programme is for you!

In 2018, Air France is currently offering pilot vacancies and will provide your airline pilot training.

To be updated on the next Cadet recruitment, you can create a job alert on the “Candidate page” and follow @pilotes_af on Twitter.

Application conditions

Applications for the cadet pilot recruitment programme can be submitted between October 15, 2019 and December 15, 2019.

The conditions for submitting an application are:

  • No age limit
  • Be a national of a country in the European Economic Area or of Swiss nationality and be fluent in French.
  • Not have been disqualified and/or eliminated twice from an “Air France pilot” selection, regardless of the programme
  • Not have been eliminated during an Air France or Transavia Pilot training course
  • Meet one of the following conditions:
    • Have “baccalauréat” level qualifications and hold a valid ATPL Theory issued by an ATO certified by a Member State of the European Union,
    • Or be in the second year (first year completed and validated) of a preparatory class for the Grandes Ecoles, all sectors except Literature A/L, and also including integrated preparatory classes (for example, engineering schools)
    • Or have completed a study in a scientific subject area course resulting in a BAC+2 or a minimum of 120 ECTS credits,
    • Or be currently completing a Master study programme (BAC+4/+5) in a university or engineering school (or have graduated),
  • Have a minimum TOEIC (Listening and Reading Programme Public or Institutional Programme) score of 850pts less than 2 years old. The TOEIC is mandatory and no equivalence is accepted. You can update your TOEIC in your candidate section until december 15, 2019.
  • Have a “Class 2” medical fitness certificate without exemption delivered by an EASA/DGAC-approved physician (more restrictive medical fitness visits accepted – Class 1, Class 3 and Cabin Crew medical fitness visit)

You will be required to pay registration costs amounting to €160 at the time of the pre-selection process (French government scholarship recipients exempt)

You can add and modify your attachments until 15 december 2019.

If you successfully pass the Air France Cadet Pilot selection -

  • You will be required to undergo a Class 1 medical fitness visit prior to starting your training.
  • We will send you information concerning your training start date. 

Candidates disqualified from the 2018 cadet pilot selection can reapply for the 2020 cadet pilot selection. 

For the Cadet pilot selection, it is no longer possible to continue the training in the following cases:

•3 failed tests at the Pre-selection level mean it is no longer possible to continue or reapply for the Cadet programme.

•2 failed tests at PSY 1 level (Psychotechnical and Psychomotor Tests) mean it is no longer possible to continue or reapply for the Cadet programme.

•1 failed test after passing the PSY 2 stage (interviews) gives the candidate the possibility to reapply as a cadet after 2 years or via the Professional Pilot programme.

Therefore, if you have failed at the Pre-selection or PSY 1 level, you can reapply for this session. However, if you have failed the PSY 2 stage, you cannot reapply for another 2 years.

For more information thanks to write us at email adress mail.cadets@airfrance.fr 

The selection process

The Air France Cadet Pilot selection campaign will begin as from 10/15/2019, and will involve submitting and studying your applications. This phase will be followed by successive and eliminatory pre-selection and selection tests over the first half of the year.   

Pre-selection:

The pre-selection will be carried out on the basis of an online test integrating different logic, reasoning, aeronautical general culture and English language tests. This will take place at 10 and 11 of January 2020 and will allow us to rank the applicants selected for the subsequent phase. 

Selections:

The applicant(s) who have successfully completed the pre-selection tests will be invited to take part in a “PSY 1” phase comprising different psycho-technical and psychomotor tests. This test will take place over one day at the ENAC campus in Toulouse. Several dates will be offered to the candidates having passed the pre-selections: from 19 of february to 26 february of 2020 inclusive.

Applicants who successfully pass the “PSY 1” phase will be called for the so-called “PSY 2” phase, which will take place in Paris / Villepinte at the Air France recruitment division from the end of March 2020. This will be composed of group tests and an individual interview. In the morning you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement on the content and execution of the group tests. We would like to inform you that the fee-paying group test training courses, in which you can participate beforehand, have shown no added value during the Air France selection tests.

Selection committee:

The files of the candidates who reach the "PSY 2" phase will be studied by a selection committee which will decide whether the candidate passes or not.

If you are successful, you must be available to start an Air France Cadets training course on the date given to you.

Training will start between June 2020 and January 2021

Training

The basic training, fully paid for by Air France, will be carried out in partner schools and then at the Air France training centre for a period of about 24 months. During this training, cadets will receive compensation ranging from 80% to 100% of the minimum wage in France. 

The assignment to a particular school will be determined by Air France as and when training is required.
This training will be marked by obtaining:

  • Airline Pilot's License certificates (ATPL theory),
  • the Professional Pilot’s License (CPL),
  • flight instrument (IR) and multi-engine (ME / MEP) qualifications,
  • the crew coordination qualification (CMC),

Depending on the needs of the AF Group, you will be assigned to Air France or Transavia and will pass your aircraft type qualification (QT) on Airbus A320 or Boeing B737.

Following the aircraft type qualification, a flight adaptation phase will be scheduled for several weeks before your confirmed recruitment as an airline pilot at Air France or Transavia.

FAQ

This FAQ groups together the most frequent questions, where you will be able to find a response and additional information on the Cadet program (application conditions, selection process, training). 

Prerequisites

- I have already obtained licenses/qualifications (ATPL theory and/or CPL and/or IR/ME), can I apply for the Cadet selections?

This is not a problem. During the selection, we will assess you on the same criteria as the other candidates.

If you pass the selection, and based on your experience and licences, you will follow an adapted training module that is shorter than the normal module.

NB.: Pilots holding a MCC may not apply for the Cadet selection and are invited to apply via the Professional Pilot program.

Selections

- How can I prepare for the tests?

There are a variety of psycho-technic and logics tests designed to assess cognitive skills that do not require preparation.

- There is no age limit imposed for the selection but what chance do I have over the age of 35?

The age criteria isn’t taken into account in the final decision concerning a candidate who has reached the end of the selection process.

However, the probability of passing the pre-selection and PSY 1 (psycho-technic and psychomotor tests) tests is lower for older candidates. It is proven that cognitive performances assessed through these tests decrease with age.

- What happens during the pre-selection?

The pre-selection is a series of online tests that the candidate takes at his or her leisure over a 36-hour period. The pre-selection will last approximately 1hr30 to 2hr and includes an English test, an aeronautical general knowledge test and several logics and psycho-technical tests.

A few days/weeks before the test, our service provider will contact you by mail to ask you to configure your machine by downloading a secure software (MAC and Windows-compatible). You must have a PC equipped with a webcam.

If you lose your Internet connection during the test, your results will be saved and you will be able to resume the test from where you were disconnected. 

- What happens if I don’t pass part of the selection?

If you are suspended from the cadet selection program, you will be able to apply for a subsequent Cadet selection or a Professional Pilot program. If you are suspended a second time, you will no longer be able to apply for an Air France Pilot selection irrespective of the program

Suspension from the cadet selection program is determined as follows:  

  • he failure of 3 pre-selection tests results in suspension from the course and it will no longer be possible to reapply for the Cadet program.
  • The failure of 2 PSY 1 (Psycho-technical and psychomotor tests) tests results in suspension from the course and it will no longer be possible to reapply for the Cadet program.
  • 1 suspension after the PSY 2 (interviews) means that the candidate can reapply for the cadet program after a 2-year period or transfer to the professional pilot program.

- Is this selection valid for Hop!

No, this selection is only valid for Air France and Transavia.

Hop! is also launching its own Pilot selections. 

Training course

- If I succeed, can I postpone the start of my training so that I can complete my current qualification?

No, training will start between June 2019 and January 2020. If you refuse, your selection will no longer be valid and you will have to reapply for the subsequent selection.

In case of doubt, we recommend that you apply for a subsequent selection.

- Are we free to choose which school to do our training with?

No, Air France allocates the students in accordance with training course requirements and school capacities. 

- Which schools have been selected by Air France?

The schools will be : L3 Southampton, ENAC Toulouse and EPAG Merville

- Can I keep working in another job at the same time as the training course?

No, training is full-time for 24 months.

- What kind of contract does a Cadet pilot sign? Is a cadet pilot paid during their training?

In the current legal framework Cadet trainees will be given a professionalization contract. Air France reserves the right to adapt the Cadet pilot's contractual status according to the evolution of the legal framework and / or individual situations.

As part of a professionalization contract, cadet pilots will be paid 80% of the minimum wage for those under 26 and 100% for those over 26. Cadets are provided with accommodation throughout the initial phase in training school.

- Are we allowed to take holidays during training?

Yes, Cadet pilots will have to take 5 weeks of holidays.

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