DLR Exam TrainerWhich Airlines Require the DLR Test?
Lufthansa Group requires the Berufsgrunduntersuchung (BU) through the European Flight Academy. SWISS/EFA Switzerland alternatively accepts a DLR or SPHAIR certificate as a first step. Many other airlines without their own procedure ask for the self-paid DLR Pilot Certificate instead.
Not every airline asks for the DLR test in the same way. The best known is Lufthansa Group's Berufsgrunduntersuchung (BU), run through the European Flight Academy (EFA). Other airlines and flight schools — including the SWISS/EFA route in Switzerland — don't run their own DLR procedure at all, but instead accept a certificate that applicants book themselves.
Lufthansa Group / EFA (Germany)
Lufthansa Group uses the BU as the central first test in its own pilot training selection process. Candidates who get invited have already applied through the airline's or the European Flight Academy's regular application process — DLR simply administers the test itself, while the selection of candidates sits with the airline.
SWISS / EFA Switzerland
On the Swiss route through EFA, the DLR test isn't a bespoke SWISS procedure — it's a recognized first building block in a multi-stage selection process. According to EFA, applicants can present a DLR or, alternatively, a SPHAIR certificate as a first step (locations per EFA: Hamburg, Zurich, or Milan), before moving on to EFA's own assessment center with interviews, group exercises, and psychomotor tasks. The cost of this certificate is borne by the applicant.
Other airlines and flight schools
Beyond Lufthansa and SWISS, numerous other airlines and flight schools — particularly those without their own psychological selection process — ask for a DLR Pilot Certificate as proof of basic aptitude for flying. Because this certificate can be booked independently of any specific application, it also suits candidates who want to keep their options open before committing to a particular airline. See the question on the DLR certificate for how that procedure works.
What about air traffic control?
The DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung, Germany's air navigation service provider) also uses DLR procedures to select air traffic controllers — with a different test profile than for pilots, which this page doesn't cover further.
TipSince partnerships between airlines and DLR can change, check the current job posting before applying — it will usually state exactly which procedure is required.
For more on the formal requirements and the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2, see the linked questions.
Airline partnerships and requirements change over time. Only the current information from the relevant airline, flight school, or DLR itself is binding — this site is independent and not affiliated with DLR.