Andhra Pradesh   

The sky is the limit for aviation sector

M.L. Melly Maitreyi

EducationPlus Boom time is ahead for civil aviation. There is no better time to be a commercial pilot than now

TAKE WINGS: A course in commercial aviation ensures a lifetime of adventure and good earnings. — Photo: PTI

Making a career choice is all about weighing factors like passion for a particular vocation, aptitude, demand-supply quotient and lucrative opportunities in the chosen area.

Given the above parameters and the present boom in India, the aviation sector is the next big thing.

With Indian skies opening up to private air carriers and a number of aircraft to join the fleet to meet the growing number of air passengers, dearth of pilots is being acutely felt making the profession of commercial pilot extremely lucrative.

According to industry estimates, about 5,000 pilots are required in the next five to seven years.

A 10-plus-two qualification with maths and physics being the minimum requirement for the commercial pilot training, many aspirants and parents are increasingly being drawn to this option despite it being an expensive programme at Rs. 16 lakhs for an 18-month programme in India and 20 to Rs. 22 lakhs for a 10-month programme abroad offering 200 hours of flying to get the licence from Director General of Civil Aviation.

In addition to Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy and Flytech Aviation that offer training to aspiring pilots in the city, American School of Aviation, set up by an Indian abroad, opened a recruitment centre in the city last week for selection of students who would be trained in the US as per requirements of DGCA.

Though 10-plus-two is the basic requirement every candidate is evaluated for requisite personality traits in the pre-induction process, including cockpit test followed by medical evaluation.

Two types of medical tests are conducted, class II and class I.

Class I is for evaluation of sugar, cholesterol, ECG, EEG, ENT, colour blindness, chest X-ray, blood pressure etc by recognised Air Force doctors.

It takes about seven months for a candidate to get an appointment.

Before that the medical fitness of a candidate is evaluated under the less stringent class II.

But a student could get a trial class I by approved DGCA panel of doctors.

This is to rule out the possibility that a candidate might get rejected on medical grounds after having joined the training programme.

Wearing spectacles will not be a disqualification so long as the vision is 6x6 with corrective lens.

Nor is there any restriction for height and weight provided they are proportionate.

Vice-President, of US-based ASA, Reny Kozman, says the five-year-old institute, recognised as one of the best schools offering world class pilot training in the US, started selecting Indian students since 2005 for the training programme.

"We trained 110 Indian aspirants last year and by March it will go up to 150," she said.

There are flight schools offering pilot training in Australia, Canada, Philippines, South Africa besides the US, but it is wise to choose a school in a country that gives most choices like wide variety of aircraft, diverse weather pattern, good training facilities, adequate number of flight instructors.

The students when returned to India should convert for DGCA licence by taking an exam, she explains.

Theory papers

Flytech Aviation Executive Director Capt.

Mamata says it is essential for students to clear all theory papers after the mandatory 50 hours of flying.

Many students take time to clear the papers. If the student is dedicated, training could be completed in 12 months and they will be eligible for DGCA licence after 200 hours of flying.

Students who train abroad will get DGCA licence for operating as a pilot only after clearing the theory papers which are tough compared to online objective test done abroad.

Many who train abroad take even a year for conversion to DGCA licence.

"It is best to complete theory papers, mandatory 50 hours of flying for taking the test and go abroad to meet stipulation of 200 hours of flying if one so desired" she says.

Agrees Mr. Prabhakar Reddy, managing Director of Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy. Indian institutes are under DGCA rules and regulations. "We have four aircraft and our candidates are doing good flying," he said.

But students have to be thorough with the theory to clear the exam for the DGCA licence.

But they all insist one should have passion for flying besides dedication and discipline to be a pilot.

After a trained pilot clears the test to get DGCA licence, he can land a job as first officer in a small aircraft to begin with and after required hours of flying and a test, become the captain.

As they gather experience, they are upgraded to bigger aircraft.

Long career

The career of pilot is quite long as the retirement age is 65 years provided they clear annual medical tests. If one is declared unfit to fly, one still can take a ground job or become flight instructor.

With maximum 125 hours of flying a month, young pilots have ample time to acquire desired qualification through online or distance education in aviation management, aircraft maintenance, aeronautical engineering etc.

Though commercial pilot training may cost a lot, bank loans are available and a candidate can get back the money he spent on training within nine months of employment as they make anywhere between Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh a monthand trained pilots are up for grabs.

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