CPL
Commercial Pilot License
Last updated: April 20, 2026 · Maintained by Aviatr Editorial Team
What is CPL?
A CPL (Commercial Pilot License) is the EASA pilot certificate that permits the holder to be paid for flying in single-pilot operations such as aerial survey, banner towing, cargo charter, parachute-drop flying, and flight instruction. It is the intermediate step between PPL and ATPL in a commercial pilot career.
How is CPL used?
CPL candidates must already hold a PPL and accumulate 200 total flight hours before the practical skill test. Theoretical knowledge covers 14 subjects (the same nine studied for PPL plus five additional commercial-focused modules including VFR Communications, IFR Communications, and extended Air Law). Candidates add complex-aircraft flight training, advanced cross-country navigation, and a valid Class 1 medical certificate. Most pilots pursuing an airline career earn a CPL bundled with Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine Rating, creating the stepping-stone to the first airline job — typically as a First Officer on regional turboprops while accumulating the 1,500 hours needed to unfreeze ATPL. Cost of a modular CPL-only program ranges 15,000 to 30,000 euro on top of the PPL, while integrated CPL/ATPL programs cost 80,000 to 150,000 euro but compress the timeline to about 18 months. CPL holders working as flight instructors in an ATO commonly bridge the gap between CPL issue and their first airline opportunity while building multi-engine and instrument time toward the 1,500-hour unfreezing milestone.