How to become a pilot

How to Become a Pilot

Educational:

To become a commercial pilot in India, one has to first possess a Student Pilot License (SPL). To get the SPL those with 10+2 with science and aged at least 16 years should register at AAPL which is recognized by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Government of India. (If you don’t have Physics & Maths in 10+2 you have an option of doing these two subjects from National Institute of Open Schooling’s On-Demand Examinations and can still start your Pilot training course. Visit www.nios.ac.in for details)

After registration class II medical certificate and police verification clearance is required. An oral examination in subjects such as Air Regulations, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, Engine (technical and specific) follows the registration. Successful completion of the examination entitles you for an Student Pilot Licence certificate.

The second step is the Private Pilot License (PPL). PPL training includes fifty hours of flying of which about fifteen hours are dual flights, that is accompanied by the flight instructor and at least 30 hours of solo flights and cross-country flying. This makes one eligible for the PPL exam, which consists of Air Composite (Air Regulation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation), Technical General. The prescribed age for appearing for this exam is 17 years and an educational qualification of 10th along with a class II medical Fitness Certificate.
To obtain a Commercial Pilots License (CPL) 200 hours of flying (including 50 hours for the PPL) is necessary. Besides that you have to undergo a class I Medical Fitness Test and an examination of Air Regulations, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, Aircraft Technical, Aircraft Specific and communications in the form of Radio Telephony. With the CPL, a pilot can take up any professional assignment.

Personal Attributes:

This is a field of discipline, patience, responsibility, punctuality, commitment and self-confidence. The job requires a lot of hard work, stamina, alertness of mind, adaptability to follow difficult time schedules, good team spirit etc. Must be mentally very alert in every situation. Apart from these qualities, the persons willing to take up this as profession should be calm, pleasant, compassionate, adventurous, understanding and technically sound.