AlphaPilotAPS
ASPIRE TO AIRLINE PILOT STANDARDSA subscription-based training programme on our Airbus A320 Flight Simulator, designed with Pilot Core Competencies at its heart - an alternative training pathway for those with a PPL, NPPL, ATPL (modular), Aviation Degree students, or anyone aspiring to become an airline pilot.
training costs
sponsored by AlphaTech
A 24-month journey - the time it genuinely takes to become the pilot airlines want to hire, with your subscription kept at just £100/month for committing to the full path.
The essentials of AlphaPilotAPS
More than just simulator time
Whether your goal is to fly to airline pilot standards or secure a place on a sponsored training programme, AlphaPilotAPS is your first step. This course bridges the gap between general aviation and airline operations, developing the mindset, skills and confidence required to succeed.
You are trained to develop your Pilot Core Competencies from the very beginning in an airline-alike training environment - learning Multicrew Cooperation skills, Crew Resource Management and operational techniques for the Airbus A320.
A complete training programme
No upfront training fees
As soon as you start your subscription you can commence your training. No large upfront cost to begin.
Monthly subscription
£100 per month for 2 hrs of flying. Hours roll over into the next month for 7 months (up to 14 hrs) - so if you miss a month, they carry over.
Knowledge base access
24/7 access to our airline-alike Learning & Crew Centre, training documents and Crew Room Advisories.
Professional pilot training
No simming or gaming. What you get is actual flight training with constant development of your core competencies at the forefront.
An industry-leading training repository, included in your subscription
Every AlphaPilotAPS cadet gets full access to CrewCentre - our airline-alike Learning & Crew Centre platform. It's the same kind of knowledge base airline pilots use every day, available to you 24/7.
Interactive training tools, Standard Operating Procedures, ECAM handling aids, flash cards, Crew Room Advisories and training documents - all structured to support your progression from cadet to Captain.
You're investing in far more than two hours in a simulator
Professional airline standards from day one
Pilot Core Competencies that airlines assess
Confidence before airline interviews and simulator assessments
Experience operating the Airbus A320 in an airline-like environment
Ongoing mentoring from experienced airline instructors
A network of pilots who share the same ambition
Two different things, not two alternatives
A PPL gives you a licence to fly. AlphaPilotAPS gives you structured, airline-focused experience and competency development. They solve completely different problems - and both matter.
| AlphaPilotAPS | PPL Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Develop airline-relevant pilot competencies | Obtain a Private Pilot Licence |
| Aircraft | Airbus A320 simulator | Real aircraft |
| Cost | Monthly subscription | Typically £10,000+ overall |
| Commitment | Flexible, ongoing training | Formal licence syllabus |
| Flying | Simulator-based | Real aircraft |
| Airline environment | ||
| Airline SOPs | Introduced from the beginning | Limited |
| CRM (Crew Resource Management) | Core part of training | Limited |
| TEM (Threat & Error Management) | Core part of training | Limited |
| Multi-crew operations | ||
| A320 systems | Extensive exposure | |
| Pilot Core Competencies | Central to training | Part of licence training, not the primary focus |
| Decision making | Scenario-based | Developed, but in a different context |
| Workload management | High-workload airline scenarios | More limited |
| Airline assessment preparation | ||
| Suitable before starting flight training | N/A | |
| Suitable alongside flight training | N/A |
Want to become an airline pilot? You don't have to wait until you have thousands of pounds to spend on flight training to start developing as a pilot.
PPL training teaches you to fly an aircraft.
AlphaPilotAPS helps you learn how to operate like an airline pilot.
Regular, structured practice - not a one-off course
Instead of spending thousands immediately on a PPL, AlphaPilotAPS gives aspiring pilots the opportunity to regularly practise the skills that matter - and crucially, to make mistakes in a safe training environment, understand why they happened, and try again.
If your goal is to become an airline pilot
PPL first
- 1Learn to flyBuild experience
- 2Start professional training
- 3Eventually encounter airline-style multi-crew operations
AlphaPilotAPS alongside your journey
- 1Start developing pilot competenciesExperience multi-crew operations
- 2Learn airline SOPsDevelop CRM and TEM
- 3Build confidenceContinue into formal flight training
Your PPL teaches you how to fly.
AlphaPilotAPS starts teaching you how to operate.
A Class 1 medical shouldn't be the end of your aviation story
If you've poured hundreds of hours into home flight simulation, you already think like a pilot. AlphaPilotAPS takes you the rest of the way - developing genuine airline pilot standards and teaching you to fly and operate the Airbus A320 to a professional level, regardless of whether a cockpit career is open to you.
Maybe a Class 1 medical restriction has ruled out a commercial licence. Maybe life took you down a different path. Either way, AlphaPilotAPS is your way to keep flying for real - in a structured, airline-like environment, alongside instructors who treat you like a pilot, not a hobbyist.
Fly a real A320 platform
Step up from desktop simming to our FNPT II-standard A320 flight simulator - the real flight deck, not a screen.
Develop Pilot Core Competencies
The same competencies airlines assess - communication, leadership, workload management - developed properly, not by accident.
A crew, not a chatroom
Train alongside other committed pilots in a multi-crew environment - the social side of aviation, done properly.
Progress that means something
Work through cadet to Captain ranks within AlphaPilotAPS - structured advancement, recognised by your peers.
Built to professional standards
Simulator standard
Our A320 Simulator uses software approved by various aviation authorities and is used daily for A320 pilot training. It's as close as you can get to the real thing without the associated costs.
A 24-month journey
Becoming an airline pilot takes time. AlphaPilotAPS is a 24-month programme - long enough to develop you from cadet to airline-ready, with structured progression at every stage. Committing to the full journey is what keeps your subscription at just £100 per month, with no upfront training fees.
Self study
Before you commence Initial Training you undertake 4–6 weeks of self study using our Knowledge Base and Crew Centre, with constant support from AlphaTech crew.
We'll pick you up
Pilots visit us from all over Europe. Coming via Belfast City Airport? We transfer you to and from our hangar free of charge (saving £40+ in taxi fares). Surcharge applies for Belfast International.
Your location isn't a barrier - it's a short flight
Our cadets travel from across the UK mainland and Europe to train with us. With daily direct flights to Belfast, free airport collection and help with affordable accommodation, getting here is easier than you think.
Daily direct flights
Direct flights from across the UK mainland and Europe into Belfast daily. You can be at our simulator within 90 minutes of leaving home.
Free airport collection
Flying into Belfast City Airport? We collect you and drop you back - free of charge. No need to navigate taxis or car hire.
Affordable accommodation
Need to stay over? We help arrange comfortable, budget-friendly accommodation nearby so your training trip stays cost-effective.
Pilots from all over Europe
We already train cadets from across the UK mainland and mainland Europe. Distance has never stopped anyone from joining.
Direct flights from cities you already fly from
Just a few of the cities with daily direct routes to Belfast:
Land at Belfast City and we'll pick you up. Land at Belfast International and a small surcharge applies. Either way, you're in the simulator within the hour.
Ask us about travel & collectionFull motion simulator access in Dublin & London
Your AlphaPilotAPS training doesn't stop at our Belfast simulator. As you progress through the programme, you'll have access to certified full motion flight simulators in Dublin and London - the same Level D devices used by airlines for type rating and recurrent training.
Dublin
IrelandTrain on a certified full motion A320 simulator in Dublin, giving you the motion cues and airline-grade realism that only a Level D device can deliver.
London
United KingdomAccess full motion simulator facilities in London, ideal for cadets based in or near the south of England who want to experience genuine full flight simulation.
Full motion simulator sessions are arranged through AlphaTech as part of your ongoing development, giving you the opportunity to experience true airline-grade simulation as you advance through your AlphaPilotAPS journey. Speak to your instructor about arranging a session.
From cadet to Captain at AlphaTech and then from cadet to First Officer in your first airline - the journey really does begin here
A structured progression that mirrors the real world of airline training.
Apply & assess
Complete your AlphaPilotAPS application and pass our online aviation-based entry assessment (75% or greater required).
Join as a cadet
You join AlphaPilotAPS as a cadet and start your subscription.
Self study
Begin mentored self study - approximately 4–6 weeks, supported by AlphaTech crew.
Initial training
Undertake your Initial Training of 12 hrs - fully sponsored by AlphaTech - as both Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring.
First Officer
Subject to passing basic training, you're admitted as a First Officer and work through FO training modules from the right-hand seat.
Senior First Officer
Complete FO modules to operate as a Senior First Officer, continuing to fly with a Line Training Captain.
Captain
After ~18 months and a Command Course Upgrade, complete your Command modules and final assessment to fly from the left seat - eligible for our instructor course.
12 hours. Both roles. Real training & Coaching
Your AlphaPilotAPS Initial Training is around 12 hours in our A320 Flight Simulator - and it's fully sponsored by AlphaTech, included as part of your subscription at no additional charge. You'll learn to fly and operate the aircraft as both Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring - both roles equally important. Every session is supported by a briefing and debriefing.
From our cadets
"AlphaPilotAPS is a must for any budding pilot. As I had chosen a different career, becoming an Airline Pilot was only a childhood fascination. AlphaPilotAPS allows me to learn and progress at my own pace, experiencing the world of flight training and Airline Operations whilst gaining various professional skills which can be applied to my everyday life."
"I have learnt how to fly an Airbus. How many people can say that? With first class training and support at a much lower cost than you might expect, this is as close to the real thing as you will get. New friendships a real bonus, I can't recommend this more strongly."
"Having been on the original SimPilot programme since its inception, I have learned a number of skills that have benefited me both in my real-world flying experience and in the workplace. The emphasis on working as a team within the cockpit has greatly improved my communication, leadership and followership skills."
"I've always dreamed about being a pilot, and AlphaPilotAPS has offered an opportunity to develop these skills in a way that is truly unparalleled. From the high quality instruction to the depth of online resources available, and the excellent friendships made, I would highly recommend this program for any aspiring pilot."
Most who arrive with a dream leave with a career
AlphaPilotAPS was built for one purpose - to take people who genuinely want to become airline pilots and give them a real, structured path to get there. Not a promise. Not a brochure. A programme that works.
of the people who join AlphaPilotAPS with the dream of becoming an airline pilot go on to achieve exactly that - earning their seat on the flight deck after their time at AlphaTech.
The dream
Most cadets walk through our doors with one thing in common - a lifelong ambition to fly for an airline. Some are starting out, some are returning to aviation after years away, and some have been told a cockpit career was out of reach.
The decision
Joining AlphaPilotAPS is the moment the dream stops being a daydream. From day one you're training to airline standards on a real A320 platform, building the competencies airlines actually assess - not just logging hours.
The development
Under the guidance of experienced airline instructors, you progress from cadet to First Officer to Captain - developing the mindset, discipline and professionalism that set airline pilots apart.
The flight deck
And then one day, you're there. Wearing the uniform, operating a real Airbus, and doing the job you always wanted to do. For the vast majority of our cadets, that day comes.
We don't measure AlphaPilotAPS by how many cadets we train. We measure it by how many of them end up where they always wanted to be - in the seat of an airliner. That number is what we're proud of.
AlphaPilotAPS, answered
Everything you need to know before you apply.
Your airline career won't begin on the day you're offered a job.
It begins the day you decide to invest in yourself.
Apply to AlphaPilotAPS today and start building the pilot airlines want to hire.