How to Become a Pilot in India

Being a pilot would be a dream to many youngsters. To achieve this, you need to follow the necessary steps. In this session, we will discuss the important aspects associated with this career.

Let us begin with some of the top courses:

Pilot Courses in India

Professional Pilot Programme- India, Gondia

CAE Aviation Academy provides an exclusive programme of 19 months created to help you become a professional pilot. The concenrned course meets the syllabus standards of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). On completion of this course, you would have all the essential ratings to start with, comprising Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Instrument Rating (IR) and Multi-Engine Rating (ME). The Training comprises the best practices developed from CAE’s vast experience in coaching the professional pilots throughout global training center network, wherein thousands of airline as well as business aviation undertake the training every year.

Private Pilot License

This is available at Avel Flight School, enabling you to be the Pilot In Command of the aircraft for a non-commercial purpose. This is the initial step towards obtaining a Commercial Pilot License, and moreover a job in airline industry or a company. Out of many benefits of the Private Pilot License, you can also run charity flights with some restrictions, also participate in other activities such as Angel Flight, Civil Air Patrol.

Commercial Pilot License

With this course, you can fly the aircraft for payment or hire. This is the minimum requirement to be employed as a pilot or a flight instructor. With this license, you can get paid for specific operations such as Banner Towing, Agricultural applications and photography.

Instrument Rating (IR) Aircraft

The Instrument Rating is necessary for flying by the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Under these rules, the pilot will not be allowed to use visual references from outside for navigation, hence flying individually as per the instruments in the cockpit. The rating is required to work as a professional pilot and is necessary to obtain the Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL).

What is Commercial Pilot?

Commercial Pilot is a person certified with Commercial Pilot issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), obtained by completing all the required training.

14 CFR (Commercial Flight Rating) 61.133 portrays a Commercial Pilot by the respective privileges and limitations such as the following:

Privileges:

• Holds a certificate for commercial pilot, acting as pilot in command
• Carries people or property for payment or hire, on a condition that he or she is eligible and with the applicable parts of the chapter applying to the operation

This means that, by law, a Commercial pilot can earn money as a pilot. People have mistaken the term Commercial Pilot with Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). This is not true as a Commercial Pilot need not always earn by flying for an airline company. Besides, A pilot in an airline must be certified in Airline Transport along with certification in Commercial Pilot License, so he could get paid for flying the airlines.

Like most of the professional courses, to get an admission in pilot course, you need to pass an entrance examination.

Entrance Exam for Commercial Pilot

Aspirants seeking admission in pilot course need to take up an entrance exam. This exam is held by IGRUA or the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi). IGRUA is a training institution for flying, wherein aspirants would be trained to become a commercial pilot. This institution sets an entrance exam every year to filter the most eligible aspirants for CPL course. The test is online based followed by an interview round and a Pilot Aptitude or a Psychometric test. To take this entrance test, you should be at least 17 years of age.

To become a Commercial Pilot, there are some terms to be fulfilled.

Qualifications to be a pilot

To be a Commercial pilot, it is not as easy as learning to drive a car. Being a pilot, thousands of lives would be your responsibility. Hence, you need to check everything a couple of times to fly an aircraft with passengers.

Eligibility

Following are the requirements to be a pilot:

• Aspirant should be at least 19 years of age and should NOT above 23 years.
• Should have completed 10+2 years in Science stream including Physics, Chemistry, Maths as major subjects
• Should have secured at least 50% marks as an average in 12th.

Besides these, make sure you are healthy. To qualify for the pilot course you must be physically fit. Take more care of your eyes as you will be flying the aircraft and sole responsibility is yours!

If you have just completed 10th but have the passion for this unique career, get ready to fly! You too can become a pilot. Let us look at the ways to take this ‘flying’ career at an early stage.

How to Become a Pilot After 10th

There are no shortcuts to success. You need to go through all the milestones and win across the hurdles. Once you complete 10th, complete 11th and 12th in Science stream, as the entrance exam syllabus covers Physics, Chemistry and Maths.

Once you complete 12th, get done with the medical class and then, apply for the best flying school.

There are about 6 exams that you need to clear, and about 210-220 hours of flying, which comprises Single engine with an instructor or trainer until the institute gets the confidence that you can fly well.

Hence, it is important to complete 12th to apply for a flying course. You cannot take up the flying course after 10th. Another reason for not being eligible after 10th is that the minimum age to apply for a flying course is 19 years.

How to Become a Pilot After 12th

To be eligible for a flying course, you need to take Science stream, comprising Physics, Chemistry and Maths.

Here are the steps to be followed to get into your dream career of flying:

1. Clear class 12 exam with Maths and Physics (if not you could take corresponding exams for the same)
2. Find institutions providing Ground training for DGCA exams related to CPL.
3. Work hard to clear the 6 exams to be eligible for the flying course and then search for the right institution where you could get trained well.
4. Complete the course with full dedication during the 4-6 months and get certified with CPL.

You could pursue the flying career even after graduation. Let us discuss how to take this career ahead.

How to Become a Pilot after Graduation

The only term you need to satisfy while applying for a flying course is that you should be a Science graduate with Physics and Maths as the subjects. However, you should not be over 23 years of age.

If you did not have Physics and Maths, then you need to clear 2 exams in Maths & Physics, set by the National Institute of Open University School (NIOUS). On clearing these exams, you would be eligible for the flying course.

We have seen the ways become a pilot. Now, let us discuss the fees for the flying course.

Fees for the Flying course

To be a pilot would cost a fortune. However, if you are passionate about this wonderful career, it may not sound too expensive as you would work really hard to make it worth paying for!

• Ground classes: 1.5 lakhs
• 220 hours of flying classes, which include Multi Engine, Solo, Night Rating, Instrument Rating: 27-28 lakhs (Food & Accommodation included)
• Type rating: 15 lakhs

Which totals up to 45 lakhs (approx.)

It is quite essential to consider the flying institute that you choose as time and money are equally important. Spending such a high fees but not worth would make your career worthless.

Getting the course done from the best institute could help you get a job in top airline companies.

Conclusion

In this session, we discussed the pilot courses in India. We also discussed the fees incurred to complete the course. Hope you find the right flying institute and get trained well.

HAVE A COLORFUL FLYING CAREER!