Type Rating Overview
What is a Type Rating?
A Type Rating qualifies you to operate a specific type of large transport aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 or the Boeing 737 NG, that requires its own dedicated certification beyond your licence.
Where your CPL and ratings prove you can fly professionally, a type rating proves you can operate one particular airliner to the manufacturer’s and operator’s standards. It is the qualification most directly associated with flying for an airline on a given fleet.
The type rating covers the Boeing 737 NG — the 737-700, 737-800 and 737-900. It does not cover the 737 MAX.
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Explore every training path at Sky Team Aviation.
License Privileges
What You Can Do With a Type Rating
A Type Rating qualifies you to operate the specific aircraft type as a crew member.
Type Rating
Issued by the SA-CAA
Operate the type
Act as crew on the specific rated aircraft type
Granted
One type
Tied to that type; another type needs its own rating
Employment
Not guaranteed by holding the rating alone
Important Note
A type rating is tied to the specific aircraft type. Operating a different type requires a separate rating. Holding a type rating does not by itself guarantee employment — that depends on the operator, available positions and the market.
Type Rating Pathway
How Training Works
Type-rating training follows a structured progression from aircraft-specific theory through full-flight simulator training to operator qualification.
01
Study
Technical Ground Course
An intensive aircraft-specific ground course covering the type’s systems, limitations, normal and non-normal procedures, and performance, to the depth required for safe crew operations.
Aircraft-specific knowledge
02
Train
Simulator Training
Full-flight simulator training on the specific aircraft type, covering standard operating procedures, crew coordination and the handling of normal and emergency situations to airline standards.
Full-flight simulator
03
Qualify
Line Training
Operator base and line training with the airline or operator, completing qualification on the type to their standards and requirements.
Operator qualification
Training Structure
Type-rating training is built around the approved simulator syllabus for the specific aircraft type rather than general flight hours.
64
Hrs total flight & simulator
Sim
Full-flight simulator syllabus
None
Written exams
Crew
Multi-crew coordination
Qualifications
Examinations & Your Pilot Journey
To obtain your Type Rating (A320 – B737 NG), there are no written exams, so qualification is by the simulator skill test (licence proficiency check). This milestone sits on a structured aviation career path.
01
Practical
Type Skill Test
The type’s skill test / licence proficiency check in the simulator (and operator checks where applicable), conducted with a designated examiner.
Simulator skill test
Your Path Beyond PPL
Your progression follows a structured pathway toward becoming a professional airline pilot.
1
PPL
Earlier stage
2
Night Rating
Earlier stage
3
Instrument Rating
Earlier stage
4
Multi Engine
Earlier stage
5
CPL
Earlier stage
6
CFI
Earlier stage
7
Type Rating
You are here
8
ATPL
Upcoming
Current milestone
Earlier & upcoming stages
Training Duration
Time to Complete
40–50 days
Your training timeline depends on how consistently you train and how quickly you progress.
Factor 01
Training frequency
Factor 02
Student availability
Factor 03
Weather conditions
Factor 04
Learning pace
Sky Team in South Africa
A short montage from Sky Team Aviation Academy.
Prerequisites
Who Can Apply from Egypt & the Gulf
To enrol in the Type Rating (A320 – B737 NG), you must hold the following prerequisite qualifications.
Prerequisite
Valid CPL with Instrument Rating (IR) and Multi-Engine Rating (MER).
Medical
Class 1 medical certificate
English proficiency: ICAO English language proficiency, Level 4 minimum, is required.
Our admissions team is happy to walk you through every step, from medicals to paperwork, so you can start training with full confidence.
Entry Requirements
Full requirements checklist
1
Hold a valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Instrument Rating (IR) and Multi-Engine Rating (MER).
2
CBT (Computer-Based Training): interactive modules that introduce you to the aircraft’s systems and controls.
3
CPT (Cockpit Procedures Training): learn the correct procedures for normal and emergency situations in the cockpit.
4
JOC (Jet Orientation Course): prepares pilots to move from piston or turboprop aircraft to jet operations.
5
LOFT (Line Oriented Flight Training): realistic flight scenarios on the Boeing 737 NG simulator.
6
FMC (Flight Management System familiarisation): training on the flight management system for correct navigation and operational planning.
Meet the requirements? The next step is your application.
Investment
Boeing 737 NG & A320 Type Rating Cost: What the Price Depends On
The cost of obtaining an A320 / B737 NG Type Rating depends on your training pace, flight hours, and overall progression.
Personalized Quote
Type Rating Training Plan
Your investment is tailored to your training plan.
Every student progresses differently, which means your total investment is influenced by how consistently you train and how efficiently you build your flight hours.
Students who train more consistently complete faster, and spend less overall.
What Influences Your Cost 4 Key Factors
01
Flight hours required
Minimum hours plus any additional time you may need to feel confident.
Variable
02
Training frequency
How often you fly each week, consistency keeps progress steady and efficient.
Variable
03
Aircraft usage
The aircraft type and total flight time used during your training.
Variable
04
Individual progress
Your learning pace, every pilot is different and we adapt to suit you.
Variable
Final Investment
Tailored to your plan
Speak with our team for full breakdown
Ready to Begin?
Get Your Personalized Cost Breakdown
Speak with our team to receive a clear, structured breakdown tailored to your training plan, no commitment required.
No commitment
Tailored plan
We call back within 24 hours
What pilots earn — and why we will not print a number here
Pay is the question everyone arrives with, and it is the one where most of what you will read online is invented. There is no single pilot salary. What a pilot is paid depends on the airline, the aircraft, the seat, the hours flown in a given month and the country the contract is written in — and most of the figures circulating online name no source at all.
So this page will not print one. What we will say is what the Type Rating changes about your position: it lets you operate a specific airliner type, which no general licence permits, and that is what moves you along the ladder that pay follows. We have written separately about how pilot pay is actually built up — basic, housing, flight-hour allowances — and why two pilots on the same licence can be paid very differently. Read that before you judge any number you are quoted.
Why Students Choose Sky Team
In this video, we explain why students choose Sky Team Aviation Academy.
Ask about the Type Rating
Tell us your age and schooling. The admissions team confirms whether you qualify and calls you back within 24 hours.
Type Rating FAQs
Common questions about type rating training at SkyTeam Aviation.
What is a Type Rating?
A qualification to operate one specific large aircraft type, such as the A320 or B737 NG, beyond your pilot’s licence.
Is it done in a simulator?
Largely yes, full-flight simulator training forms the core, followed by the operator’s base and line training.
Does one type rating cover other aircraft?
No. It is tied to that specific type; operating a different aircraft requires a separate type rating.
Does it guarantee an airline job?
No. It qualifies you on the type; employment depends on the operator, available positions and the market.
How much does a Boeing 737 NG type rating cost?
There is no single fixed price. The cost of a Boeing 737 NG type rating depends on your training pace, the flight and simulator hours you need, aircraft usage, and how consistently you progress. Students who train more consistently finish faster and spend less overall. Speak with our team for a breakdown tailored to your plan.
How much does an A320 type rating cost?
The same factors apply to the A320: your training pace, the flight and simulator hours required, aircraft usage, and how efficiently you build the hours all shape the total. We do not quote a fixed figure up front, so speak with our team for a breakdown tailored to your plan.
Where this takes you
Sky Team is an admissions and placement office: we place students with a flight academy in South Africa, and the academy delivers the training under its own civil aviation authority. What you leave with is a licence recognised on that authority’s terms — not a job offer, because no training provider anywhere can offer you one.
What the Type Rating does is open a specific door: it lets you operate a specific airliner type, which no general licence permits. We have Saudi students who have been through us and hold both the private and the commercial licence.
What comes after that is an airline’s decision, not ours, and it turns on your hours, your ratings, your medical and your English. Anyone who tells you a training course comes with a seat at the end of it is selling you something we would not.
