Did terrible toil, on the quiet, get him his wings? (5)

(Source: London Evening Standard)

"terrible toil" ⇒ anagram of "toil"

"quiet" ⇒ musically, "piano" ⇒ usually shortened to "p"

anagram of "toil", added to "p"

Someone who is allowed to fly a plane is said to "have his wings"

"pilot"