Qatar Airways · Cadet / ab initio
Cadet Pilot Training Programme - Doha (Qatari Nationals Only)
Qatar Airways is running a cadet pilot training programme open only to Qatari nationals. The posting directs candidates to an external link for admission requirements.
- Employer
- Qatar Airways
- Position
- Cadet / ab initio
- Base
- Doha, Qatar
- Pay (as pilots report it)
- Captain: about $17,000 to $24,000 a month; first officer: about QAR 38,100 to 45,900 a month, housing included (2025-2026)
- Seen
- 8 October 2026
Key points
- Open to Qatari nationals only
- Based in Doha
- Part of the Al Darb Qatarisation programme
What the employer asks for
- Must hold Qatari nationality
Summary written by ForAllPilots from the employer's posting. Only the official posting counts: check every condition before you apply.
International long-haul airline
Qatar Airways at a glance
The national airline of Qatar, with its hub in Doha, an extensive long-haul network and very demanding service standards.
- Bases
- Hamad International Airport, Doha
- Fleet
- Airbus A320/A321, A350; Boeing 777, 787
Pilot recruitment
Mostly recruits qualified and experienced pilots, with generally high flying-hour requirements for a first officer position. Also offers, depending on the period, a cadet pilot programme for candidates with no airline experience.
Pay and conditions, as pilots report them
Figures reported by pilots, not confirmed by the airline, each one dated (last update: October 2026). For information only.
- Captain: about QAR 32,550 basic salary a month in year 1, up to about QAR 54,130 in year 15 (May 2026 scale); with allowances, about $17,000 a month to start and up to $24,000 when declining company housing, for 75 flying hours (August 2025). No pay rise for almost 11 years according to pilots.
- First officer: about QAR 22,575 basic a month to start, about QAR 38,100 with allowances; senior first officer up to about QAR 30,340 basic, about QAR 45,900 a month (May 2026). No income tax in Qatar; the riyal is pegged to the dollar.
- Monthly allowances: housing QAR 13,000 (15,000 for a captain), transport QAR 2,000 (2,500), utilities QAR 500; children's schooling covered.
- Flight pay: about QAR 140 per block hour for a captain, QAR 105 for a first officer (121 in relief); about 900 hours a year at most in 2026, 75 a month on average. Layover allowances described as low (2025).
- Pension: end-of-service benefit under Qatari law, or a savings plan (Zurich) with 12% of basic salary from the airline for the first 5 years, 13% for the next 5, 15% after; the pilot pays at least 5% (December 2025).
- Rosters: EASA flight time limitations applied, 75 hours a month on average, 12 to 14 days off a month, blocks of days off possible; no commuting rosters. Leave: 42 days (2023-2025).
- Staff travel: unlimited ID90 and ID50 tickets after 3 to 6 months for yourself and family, on Qatar Airways and most airlines; 15 buddy tickets a year (October 2026).
- Situation: pilot hiring paused, the airline is overstaffed for the flights it operates and growth is slow in the short term; no direct entry captains before late 2026. Senior first officer in 3 to 4 years, command in 9 to 10 years. About 100 second officers a year and cadets planned. Outlook described as neutral (May 2026).
- Selection: application and logbook, video interview and remote psychological assessment, then 2 days in Doha: introduction, 50-question ATPL exam, HR and pilot interview, group exercise, then simulator (August 2025).
Reports published on pilotjobsnetwork.com
Compare pilot pay at other airlines →The Qatar Airways selection, as candidates tell it
What candidates report on forums (Aeronet, Pilot Jobs Network) and what the employer publishes, summarised by ForAllPilots. It is not the official process: it changes from one campaign to the next, always check the posting.
Reliability of the reports : low
The stages
- Application followed by online aptitude and personality tests.
- Assessment in Doha or at sessions abroad: ATPL multiple-choice, group exercise, simulator.
- Panel interview of about one hour, then medical and background checks.
- Pilot Jobs Network listing: video-call interview and psychological assessment from home, then 2 days in Doha (day 1: presentation, 50-question ATPL exam, HR/pilot interview and group exercise; day 2: simulator check), offer if successful.
The aptitude tests
- Candidates cite either Mollymawk (basics in English, maths, science, then working memory, divided attention, spatial orientation) or online Aon tests: the provider varies between campaigns.
- Online personality questionnaire.
The technical part
- Many questions on aircraft performance.
- Short simulator session: circuits, including one with an engine failure at V1 and ECAM actions, all flown manually.
Candidates' tips
- Prepare numerous examples from your career for the interview.
- Revise performance and a standard ATPL question bank.
Our exercises to prepare
Give yourself every chance
A cadet selection mostly assesses your potential: aptitude tests (attention, mental arithmetic, spatial orientation, memory), English, then a motivation interview and often a group exercise.
Practise the aptitude tests regularly, in short sessions, and track your scores: progress is what counts, not a cramming week.
Revise the theory basics (meteorology, navigation, principles of flight): many selections touch on them, and you will need them from day one of training.