An airline transport pilot license or ATPL integrated course is the fastest way for a person to achieve the goal of becoming a commercial airline pilot qualified to work with any of the major passenger carriers in the European Union.  You can start this training knowing nothing about being an airline pilot with no flight experience.  You will be taken systematically through each requirement including theoretical sessions, completing flight training hours, and official exams.  With high quality Swiss curriculum you can go from zero to airline pilot in only 16 months for a fee of €91,000 with no hidden costs while also maximizing your chances of getting a good job when you are done.  

The great advantage of such a program is that it allows one to rapidly achieve their dream of becoming a pilot.  Some people who decide to become a commercial pilot choose a step wise modular approach, taking courses individually to accumulate their requirements over time.  This might seem like a more economical idea at first; however, it takes longer time and many pilots find they never get around to completing all the requirements.  It is also highly inefficient as their can be unnecessary overlap in your training, particularly if you are receiving training serially from different schools.

Perhaps most importantly, major airlines are currently favoring students who have completed an ATPL integrated training.  So not only does taking the ATPL integrated track get you to your goal of a license sooner, it also increases the probability that you receive a good position with an airline after you graduate.

AELO (Aero Locarno SA) is certified by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation as an "Approved Training Organisation (ATO)". All our licences are recognized by the members of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Also, our flying school provides the highest number of Sphair courses in Switzerland, the first flying step to become a military pilot.  We have been training pilots since more than 30 years. Our former students are now employed as airline pilots for Swiss, Ryanair, Lufthansa, Adria, Etihad, Emirates and many more. Some AELO graduates have chosen a career as a military pilot and currently fly the FA-18 or Super Puma.  Others were invited to work as a Flight Instructor sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with our new students.

In aviation, safety is always paramount and we pride ourselves on that too.  AELO offers pilots a highly professional and experienced training team, year-round operations and an exceptional environment at both Locarno airport and our other locations.

Aerodrome Locarno LSZL

via Aeroporto 21

Gordola, 6596 Switzerland

You can find a map to our location at the bottom of this page.

First check to see if you meet our entry criteria listed in our entry requirements. Before you can enroll at AELO, you will take part in a pilot assessment process. This assessment is designed to assess an applicant's overall suitability for the pilot career. It typically comprises different aptitude tests. The results of this assessment will give you the best indication regarding your suitability for a career as a pilot.  All candidates are also interviewed by a member of our staff to determine their suitability for training.

Requiring correction to your vision is not automatically disbarring from a career as an airline pilot. The requirements are that distant visual acuity, with or without correction, shall be 6/9 or better in each eye separately and binocular visual acuity shall be 6/6 or better. For an initial examination the refractive error shall not exceed +6 diopters. For more information we recommend that you contact an approved Aeronautical Medical Examiner (AME).

Having some form of color blindness does not necessarily prevent you from having a career as an airline pilot, providing you can pass acceptable color perception tests (predominately Red/Green perception). For more information we recommend that you contact an approved Aeronautical Medical Examiner (AME).

There are no height limits that will affect you qualifying for a civil professional license. But if you are particularly short or tall, less than 5'2" (157cm) or over 6'6" (200cm), you would be well advised to clarify which aircraft you would fit into and be able to reach all the controls comfortably. This would identify whether your height would limit your career prospects in the future.

The simple answer is yes; No medical = No License. The initial medical can be completed at any EASA approved Aeromedical Centre (AeMC) but it is strongly recommended to do it in Swizerland. Cost of this medical is included in our fees.

For non-EU students, it would be advisable to attend a local medical assessment for a local equivalent of a Class 1 Medical to avoid wasting money before training can commence.

Everyone that meets the minimum entry criteria may apply. AELO maintains equal opportunity standards that prohibit discrimination based on gender, race, religion, age or national origin. With regard to non-EU cadets, being accepted in our course, means you will be able to apply for a student visa.

If you hold an EASA PPL, we can credit you with a number of flying hours depending on the amount of hours you currently hold on a case by case basis.  This will reduce the overall cost of the course. 

The AELO Integrated ATPL course takes students with little or no previous flying experience, to a Commercial Pilot's License (CPL) with a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating (MEIR) referred to as the 'frozen' ATPL. Also included at the end of training is a Multi Crew Co-operation (MCC). From this point, pilots can then be employed as a First Officer with an airline where they will need to obtain the Type Rating on the aircraft they will be flying.

Graduate pilots with a 'frozen' ATPL are free to train onto any aircraft type and to fly for any airline that will accept their EASA license. Most airlines will initially assign new First Officers to "short haul" fleets so they can build experience in the more demanding departure and approach phases of flight. Once an ATPL holder has gained 1,500 hours experience, the ATPL becomes 'unfrozen' and they are then eligible to be considered for promotion to Captains.

The price of the ATPL integrated training is €91,000 inclusive of VAT, all training, accommodation, landing fees, exam preparation materials, etc. For a comprehensive list of everything included in the ATPL package click here.

There are many variables when starting your career as a professional pilot but, broadly, it greatly depends on the airline you are working for, the type of aircraft you are flying and the region of the world you are flying.

In the European market a rough estimate for a pilot flying for a small regional airline initially could earn €30,000 per year. A first officer working for one of the larger European airlines could earn between €45,000 and €55,000 per year. Some airlines will take back the cost of the initial Type Rating, usually from the first years' salary. Experienced captains flying long-haul aircraft could earn at least €150,000 per year. Salaries tend to increase with each year of service with a company.  

Attending a flight school with an excellent record of producing well-trained, competant pilots should also help you to maximize your earnings over the course of your career in aviation.

There are two different types of ATPL Integrated courses: cadet and self-sponsored. Cadet programs are conducted in conjunction with airlines where selection process is conducted by both parties and students are offered a job after successful completion of their training.  AELO's MPL Cadet Program is offered in conjunction with SkyAlps, and those who complete this program are guaranteed  a contract with the airline once their 16 months of training is complete.

On the other hand, self-sponsored students decide to commence their training without any airline process approval, therefore there is no guarantee of a job offer. That being said, AELO will try to facilitate job interviews through our network of contacts to those students that have excelled at their training.  100% of our graduates in 2022 and 2023 were successfully placed with reputable employers after the end of their training.  For a full breakdown of the jobs obtained by these students click here.

We have a modern fleet of 14 planes.  These include the following models: S201 Sonaca, Tecnam P2008, DA40 Diamond Star, DA 42 Twin Star, and the Extra 200.  For more information about our fleet of planes click here.

We also have a modern simulator: the MPS Boeing 737 NG Simulator.  This is a state of the art simulator that best mimics a Boeing 737 NG and is available at only a few flight schools.  For more information on our simulator click here.

Your success at getting a visa will be highly dependent on your individual circumstances including the country you are applying from.  We will do our best to provide you the best assistance we can at navigating through the process.

In order to start the application process contact us by phone or WhatsApp at +41 79 544 07 77.

You can find out more information by filling in the contact form on this page or contacting Diego Paris at +41 79 544 07 77 via WhatsApp or phone.