Commercial Pilot Eligibility: Step By Step Process | DGCA Exam | FAQs

Commercial Pilot Eligibility: Becoming a pilot has always been one of the most exciting career choices and a lot of students aspire to be a pilot from a very young age. Becoming a commercial pilot may be a very challenging task but is also a rewarding one.

Who is a Commercial Pilot?

A commercial pilot is basically a highly skilled professional who flies airplanes and helicopters for business purposes. These may include transportation, aircraft testing, traffic monitoring, etc. a commercial airplane mostly consists of at least two people as a pilot crew, one being the Captain, and the other being the First officer or a co-pilot.

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Commercial Pilot Eligibility Criteria

Following are the details regarding the eligibility criteria to become a commercial pilot in India:-

• Person must have a CPL that is a Commercial Pilot License.
• This license is issued by the DGCA that is Directorate General Civil Aviation.
• The candidate must have passed class 12th from a recognized board with physics, chemistry and maths as their subjects and an aggregate of 50% score in all subjects.
• Person must join a pilot training course from a DGCA approved institution.
• For joining a institution that is approved by DGCA, the candidate must clear a written test.
• The candidate must be medically fit as per the DGCA class medial assessment rules.
• The candidate must be at least 17 years old.
• For getting eligible to get a commercial pilot license, the candidate must firstly complete 200 hours of flying.
• To apply for CPL, the candidate must also pass the theory paper.
• Hence, candidate must clear exams conducted by various aviation academics to get trained for acquiring a CPL.

Commercial Pilot in India Step-by-Step Process

• Step 1. Written examination -This exam is conducted to test the student’s knowledge in different subjects like English, mathematics, physics. A person who is aspiring to become a commercial pilot must have studied physics and mathematics in higher secondary.
• Step 2. Pilot aptitude test – This examination is conducted to test the technical knowledge regarding the field of aviation. Candidate’s knowledge in different areas such as aviation meteorology, engine technology, aircraft technology, navigation, and aircraft regulation etc. is tested.
• Step 3. DGCA medical examination and personal interview-The medical exam is conducted to ensure the mental and physical health of the candidate. This medical exam is only by the doctors assigned from the DGCA. The personal interview is done either by the college authorities or is conducted by the DGCA council itself. Once the candidate has the student pilot license, they are expected to complete 250 hours of ground experience. Whether the candidate should be granted the license or not is totally up to the DGCA council. Then an oral examination is conducted which has to be completed by the candidate in the first attempt or they will not be allowed to apply again.

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Commercial Pilot Course Fee

The whole fee structure actually depends from college to college. The fee structure of the best colleges is provided as follows:

• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi charges an average of Rs.50,00,000 for the whole course.
• NFTI or National Flight Training Institute charges an average of Rs.10,00,000.
• GATI or Government Aviation Training Institute charges an average of Rs.50,00,000 to 60,00,000.
• Flying clubs can also grant the pilot license. Bombay flying club or Madhya Pradesh flying club charges an average of Rs.90,000 to 1,20,000 per semester and the course is divided into 6 semesters.

Commercial Pilot Eligibility: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• How many years does it take to be a commercial pilot?

To become a commercial pilot, you need experience of about 1500 hours which can be earned in an average of about 2 years.

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• What is the average salary of a commercial pilot in India?

As a fresher, the salary of a commercial pilot in India starts from an average of Rs.1.5 lakh per month. However, after gaining some experience the average salary can go up to Rs.5 to 6 lakh per month on international flights.

• What is the age limit to be a commercial pilot?

The minimum age to get a commercial pilot’s license is 18 years. And the maximum age limit is restricted to 65 years.