Pilot requirements in South Africa are set by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). For an aeroplane licence the minimum ages are 17 for a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), 18 for a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and 21 for an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). Each stage also needs a valid aviation medical, training at an approved Part 141 Aviation Training Organisation, a theory examination and a skills test.
The figures below are for aeroplanes. Helicopter licences have different hours and ages, so check the SACAA before you plan around them. Licence requirements are the same for everyone; what differs is how you fund the training and how you build experience afterwards.
Business Requirements at a Glance
The licence progression for aeroplanes, with what each stage requires:
- PPL: 17 or older; a valid Class 1 or Class 2 medical certificate; at least a restricted radiotelephony certificate; a valid Student Pilot Licence (SPL) or recent equivalent; approved Part 141 training; the theory exam. Minimum flight time is 45 hours, of which at least 25 are dual and 15 solo (including 5 cross-country with a 150 NM triangular flight)
- CPL: 18 or older; a valid Class 1 medical; a general radiotelephony certificate; a night rating; approved Part 141 training and the theory exam; proof of English language proficiency
- ATPL: at least 21; a valid Class 1 medical; an instrument rating; a multi-crew cooperation course within 60 months; approved training, the theory exam and a skills test; not less than 1,500 hours of flight time
The PPL and ATPL figures come from the Civil Aviation Regulations text published by the SACAA, which is dated 2012, so confirm them against the SACAA’s current requirements.
Registration and Legal Requirements
You progress in order. The SACAA says you need a Student Pilot Licence to sit the PPL examination, a PPL for the CPL examination and a CPL for the ATPL examination (see the SACAA FAQ).
The medical class depends on the licence. The SACAA recognises four medical classes: Class 1 covers ATPL, Class 2 covers commercial pilots and Class 3 covers private and student pilots. The regulations allow Class 1 or Class 2 for a PPL, while the SACAA’s August 2025 CPL checklist requires Class 1. Book your medical early so you know your options before you spend on training, and confirm the right class for your licence with the SACAA.
Training must be at a SACAA-approved Aviation Training Organisation. Confirm a school’s approval with the SACAA before you pay it.
Documents and Ownership Information Required
For a CPL application the SACAA’s CA 61-05a checklist (26 August 2025) asks for:
- Certified copies of your logbook, with a career summary and the skills-test endorsement
- A valid Class 1 medical certificate
- Proof of English language proficiency (CAR 61.01.7)
- Evidence that you hold, or held in the previous 60 months, a South African PPL (or an integrated-course SPL, or a foreign licence), and that you hold a night rating
- The fee prescribed in Part 187 of the regulations
Keep your logbook meticulously. It is the record every licence application is built on.
Tax, Licence and Compliance Requirements
The CPL flight experience requirements on the SACAA checklist are:
- 200 hours total flight time (which may include 20 hours in a flight simulation training device), or 150 hours for an integrated course
- 100 hours as pilot in command (70 for an integrated course), including 20 hours cross-country
- 5 hours as pilot in command by night
- 20 hours of dual instrument time (up to 10 in a simulator)
- 5 hours dual in a complex aeroplane
The CPL skills test must be within 36 months of passing the theory examinations and within 30 days of your last dual instruction. SACAA licence, exam and medical fees are published by the SACAA, so get current figures from it and a full written costing from your school before you commit.
Process, Deadlines and Ongoing Obligations
Get your medical first, then compare written costings from several approved schools for each stage you need. Decide whether you will self-fund or look for a funded route. Airlines and other employers run their own cadet or training programmes with their own selection, so ask them directly for current intakes and entry requirements.
If you self-fund, pay in stages rather than far in advance, and ask how your prepaid fees are protected. Plan how you will build hours after your commercial licence, because a CPL on its own does not meet the 1,500 hours an ATPL needs. The SACAA personnel licensing page is the place to confirm current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first?
Book an aviation medical for the licence you are aiming at, and check a school’s SACAA approval, before you spend on training.
What are the minimum ages for each licence?
17 for a PPL, 18 for a CPL and 21 for an ATPL (aeroplanes).
How many hours do I need?
A PPL needs at least 45 hours, a CPL 200 hours (150 on an integrated course) and an ATPL not less than 1,500 hours, each with the breakdowns set out above.
Is there a pilot programme that funds training?
The SACAA does not run funded training. Any airline cadet or similar programme is run by the airline or organisation itself, with its own intakes and entry requirements, so ask it directly for the current programme.
How do pilots build hours after qualifying?
You log flight time towards the requirements above, such as the 200 hours for a CPL and 1,500 hours for an ATPL. Ask your school how its graduates build hours, and keep your logbook up to date.
Confirm current requirements with the SACAA. See business and compliance requirements and the company registration requirements.