Pilot training in India eligibility. Know your requirements and begin sooner.
With airlines in India extending their fleet, there is ample opportunity waiting for Indian students to build an aviation career.
But first, you have to figure out the following:
Are you eligible for the pilot training course in India?
I will answer that question elaborately in this article. Nothing can stop you from getting a job in an airliner cockpit once you are eligible to become a pilot in India.
Let’s start by answering a common question.
What is the age limit for becoming a pilot in India?
Now, aging is something you can’t stop. Hence, you should get your commercial pilot license in India before age 30.
You are eligible if you are 18 in India and your parents will financially support you for your pilot training fees.
Now it depends on your perspective on what kind of job you want as a pilot.
Are you willing to work for any air charter companies or private jets?
Or do you intend to be on the airline?
If you want to work for an airline, you have to hurry.
- Airlines in India prefer to hire pilots under the age of 30.
- Airlines always want to have pilots who will stay longer with the airline.
I wrote above that the age limit is 18 to 30 years old. Let’s clarify a bit more:
- One must be 16 years old to apply for a student pilot license;
- You must be 17 years old to have your private pilot license;
- By 18, you can obtain a commercial pilot license for yourself.
They are wrong if someone tells you you cannot get your commercial pilot license after 30.
You can get a commercial pilot license even at 40, but your opportunities to work in airlines will be limited.
On the other hand, once you are over 30 years old, you can face multiple difficulties. One of them might be health concerns.
What is medical fitness eligibility for pilot training in India?
In your 30s, you might face several health issues you never had in your 20s.
Yet, there are few basic medical requirements for acquiring a pilot license.
One must have 20/20 eye vision. As a pilot, you must have perfect eyesight to perform your flights safely.
Now, some of you may be concerned about wearing eyeglasses.
Wearing eyeglasses will not stop you from getting your commercial pilot license if you have 20/20 vision wearing spectacles.
One must not be color blind. Being color-blind will disqualify you from becoming a pilot.
You have to be physically fit and mentally fit. A mentally unstable person cannot take the responsibility of flying an airplane with passengers.
There are many other medical checks that the DGCA will request you to perform.
You will be issued a medical certificate once you pass all the medical check-ups.
The medical certificate is proof that you are fit to fly and acquire licenses.
You will need a 2nd class medical certificate to get your private pilot license.
You will need a 1st class medical certificate for a commercial pilot license.
Is it easy to become a pilot in India?
The answer is YES and NO. If becoming a pilot was easy, the airlines wouldn’t be concerned about the shortage of pilots.
Yes, there is a shortage of pilots because airlines are buying more airplanes to extend their fleet.
So YES, becoming a pilot in India is easy if qualified to perform the job.
If the airline believes you can perform your job safely as a pilot, you will eventually get your career.
Although there is a rise in the number of airplanes flying daily around the globe from and to India, airlines will not hire someone if they are deemed unfit to perform the job.
So you must decide how well you will build yourself as a pilot and only then be eligible to become one in India.
No matter which country you want to work for an airline, it is true.
You will be eligible if you can dedicate your time and patience to becoming a pilot.
The best thing is that whoever starts flying once never finds it boring because flying an airplane is mesmerizing.
How much time is necessary for pilot training in India?
The pilot training course may take 2 to 4 years in India, which means a time commitment from your side.
If you do not have the time to work hard and manage time for flight training, you must choose a different career path.
Pilot training in India requires longer than flight training abroad because accommodating student pilots in a limited number of aircraft and completing the flight hours involves time.
If you desire to finish your pilot training quicker, you can choose a flight training institute abroad.
Usually, a flight training school abroad can give you a commercial pilot license with an additional instrument rating between 12 months and 16 months.
How many hours are required to become a pilot in India?
According to Indian civil aviation regulations, one must have flown 250 hours to obtain a commercial pilot license.
A private pilot license requires a student pilot to fly for at least 60 hours.
Getting your first job in an airline is not an easy task. You must be an intelligent pilot and an excellent learner to work in an airline.
So regardless of where you complete your pilot training, in India or abroad, the sooner you obtain your commercial pilot license, the better it is.
RESOURCES:
I am 41 & have a keen wish to become a pilot. How can I proceed with my dream?
There are no difficulties in learning to fly an airplane, regardless of age. If you want to learn to fly an airplane and merely get a license, all you have to do is enroll in a flight school and train for a Private pilot license.
However, if you intend to work in an airline, 41 years old may not be the right time to begin. Thus I want to ask: Why do you want to be a pilot? Do you want to feel the thrill of flying or to work as a commercial pilot?
I am working as a second officer with an Indian international airline and there are many colleagues who joined airlines after 40 because sometimes the wait period to get vacancies is huge.So, off course one can start CPL and try to finish it ASAP within 1 or 1.5 years and get into cockpit if vacancies are available, try to get some airport or airline job to increase your selection chances.
I’m a commerce student and my age is 17..can i apply for pilot training???
Sure you can, Subhomita. You can enroll in a flight school and begin flight training. Your first step would be to get a private pilot license. Then you can pursue being a commercial pilot. You can do it all regardless of your commerce background.
I am 30 years old software engineer. I was looking for a career change and flying commercial gor me intrigued. I understand that I can probably get the license with a few hiccups, but what do you think about the feasibility of getting a job as a commercial pilot at this age?
Hi Gourab, 30 is not too late to begin flight training and work as a commercial pilot. It may take two years to complete your training, and by the time you are 33, you have chances to get a job in the airlines. As you mentioned, you are a software engineer, and you can work as a software engineer if your dream of becoming a pilot fails.
Thus I suggest first enroll for a Private Pilot license. PPL is less costly and requires less effort, yet you can have the taste of flying. Get your PPL, and then if you think you are ready to dedicate time and effort to become a pilot, you can go all in.
To know further, you can read this article >>> Can you become a pilot at 40?
I am 21 and wants to know what all should I do to get a commercial airline pilot license
can i become pilot in any stream and commerce student in 10+2 and done graduation in b.com also my age is 25..can i apply for pilot training???
My age is 30 can i apply for this pilot job .and i have also done mba please suggest me .
Hi Mayank, to enroll in a flight school, one must be a 10+2 graduate. So it means you are eligible for flight training regardless of your commerce background.
25 years old is a good time to start your flight training. You can enroll in a pilot training school to get your commercial pilot license with an instrument rating.
As you mentioned, you have a B.com; it will be favorable for you to apply for airline jobs. Many pilot applicants don’t have a bachelor’s degree, yet they work as a pilot, and having a degree in B.com will give you the upper hand among many applicants.
Thus, the sooner you begin your pilot training, the better it will be.
My age is 30 can i apply for this pilot job .and i have also done mba please suggest me .
I am 30 yrs old. Started my cpl course recently.
Hi Sri,
I am about to be 30yrs now. I cleared my class 2 medicals. I am little scared that if I may end up jobless after completing my CPL then I will be in huge dept as I wil be opting for a loan. And also I should leave my current job as an IT professional. Can you please guide me me to avoid this circumstances.
Hello Nanda. I don’t think it would be wise to leave a stable job and pursue being a commercial pilot. At least not in 2021 or 2022.
Since the pandemic, many pilots lost their jobs. Likewise, airlines don’t prefer pilots with the least experience. Once the aviation industry becomes normal again, the laid-off/more experienced pilots will get their jobs back first.
Thus if you loan and leave your stable job as an IT professional to become a commercial pilot, there is a likelihood, to end up jobless for a long time.
So I suggest you wait for sometime before you pursue being a pilot at your age of 30 years old.
It will be helpful if u clarify that, what if I take the training while doing my current job side by side.
Hello there, I’m 22 and want to become an astronaut, now pursuing msc. After PhD want to learn pilot training, how can I get this license? I what’s the age limit? How much it will cost? and if there any scholarships for it?
hi,
I am 33 year old and i am an electronics engineer by stream and i am an business man. My true dream was to become a commercial pilot but due to financially unstable I am not able to fulfil my dream.
Now i am financially stable, so can i become a commercial pilot and get the job in airline, it is suitable for me to become a commercial pilot at this age.
What r the criteria for the physique I mean the female and male pilots’ height should be how much?
Hello, I’m 29 years old. I’m interesting to study Airline pilot. If any possible can study right now.
I am a 28 year old girl… I want to become a commercial pilot. Can you suggest me if any scholarship available.
I’m a bcom graduate and completed 12th in commerce . i want to become a pilot, is it necessary to complete class 12 maths and physics for joining a flight school ?Even at other countries fly school ?
hey I am in 12th standard right now and i have taken commerce will I have to completely study 12th class maths and physics to get into pilot training?
Hello I’m 34 years old and what are my chances of becoming a pilot in India? If my age factor hinders me to be a pilot for passenger planes then can I look towards becoming a cargo pilot in case they hire pilots in my age group? Also what are the steps towards becoming a cargo pilot in India?
hello, im Ananya Goyal . i want to be a pilot. im 33 year old. can i be pilot at this age. what is fee structure and in how many years ill be completing this course.
can u share me details via mail.
Hi Capt.,
I am a female of 25 years, and am a BE Computer science Graduate working in IT. I couldn’t afford Pilot training back during my college days. Now with my job I’ve saved some and with some loan I should be able to plan finance for the Training. Would you please suggest if pursuing my dream to become a Commercial Pilot by joining the training in a couple of years, so then I should be 26-27 years. Also is there a way to prepare part-time along with my job?
Looking forward to your advice,
Thanks!
Yes why not u have cpl license
do all pilot institutions take commerce students or are there some specified ones? which one is the best for a commerce students ?
Can a candidate with one Lazy Eye(Amblyopia) be able to ever get a commercial pilot licence? If not, what is the maximum extent can he/she go in his/her career to be as close as a pilot.
Is it possible to cure Amblyopia? If it is not corrected, you will not pass your medical test. Without a medical certificate, you cannot become a pilot.
However, if your Amblyopia is fixed in any way, perhaps using spectacles or after treatment, then there is nothing stopping you from becoming a pilot.
I’m 29 years old..can i have the opportunity to get cpl license…is harder to get jobs then
I am a Doctor, my age is 30ryt now can i start my career as a Commercial Pilot..? What to do for this? Can any experienced person give me any suggestion.?