How to Become a Pilot after 12th
Introduction
How do I become a pilot after completing my grade 12 education? How do I learn flying after schooling? What course should I enroll myself in to become a pilot? Which is the best university/institute to pursue flying? Have you ever encountered these questions in your mind? Has flying been on the top of your career objectives? Are you passionate about the skies and wish to be in air for most periods of your life? If you answered a ‘yes’ to any of the above posed questions, then you have come across the perfect page! Here’s an optimised and detailed overview about the complete admission and application process that needs to be followed after grade 12 to learn flying and to become a professional pilot!
In order to begin with the applications for courses in flying, one must determine the specific nature of flying and aviation industry that they wish to pursue in the future. It could be flying a commercial passenger flight or a fighter jet or it could be that of being a part of the air-traffic control team at different national and international airports. The primary areas in which the flying and aviation industries are divided into involve the Civil Aviation services and Indian Defence Forces.
This blog includes:
- Introduction
- Necessary steps needed to be followed to become a pilot
- Choose/ Opt for an Appropriate Flying Course/Program based on your Long-Term Goals and Overall Affordability for Education
- Appear for National Level/International Level Aviation examinations
- Get Acquainted to and Work Upon Physical and Medical Requirements to Become a Pilot
- Get Your Pilot License
Here are the necessary steps that need to be followed in order to begin learning about flying and aviation:
A. Choose/ Opt for an Appropriate Flying Course/Program based on your Long-Term Goals and Overall Affordability for Education:
The flying and aviation industry is a highly developing and emerging industry of India and fetches good revenue to the overall economy of India and therefore, the overall tuition fees and other expenditure included in introductory flying courses ranges from a minimum of 7,000-8,000 INR to that of 5-6 lakhs per annum. One must determine the courses that are appropriate for their specific requirements based on their overall affordability, annual income levels and larger expectations from a flying course.
For those individuals looking for a full-fledged degree program in flying and aviation, one must expect to spend an approximate amount of 2-3 lakhs per annum till the completion of a three year/four year bachelor’s program in flying/aviation/aeronautical engineering. Some of the most prestigious institutions offering flying courses include the Bombay Flying Club, Rajiv Gandhi Academy of Aviation Technology, National Flying Training Institute, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy, AIMS Institute, NIMS University among others.
In order to enroll oneself in these training institutions, one must pursue an undergraduate degree of either B.Sc in Aviation, BBA in Aviation Management or B.E./B.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering, B.Tech in Aeronautical Sciences, BBA in Airport Management, from any reputed flight training institutions/academies across India.
Eligibility: High school education of 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized educational board of India and a minimum score of 50% in final examination of grade 12
Approximate fees: 5-10 lakhs per annum (Differs from institution to institution and course levels)
Duration: 3-4 years (Graduate programs)
1-2 years (Postgraduate programs)
Syllabus/Skills: Mathematics, Applied geometry, Planning, Management, Behavioral Sciences, Basics of Psychology, Problem Solving, Perception, Attention, Judgement, Reasoning, Rationalism, Mental preparedness for stressful situations, Vigilance
Average salary post placement: 10-12 lakhs per annum (LPA), 1 crore per annum for highly experienced and senior pilots
Job Placement Positions: Junior/Senior Pilot, Co-Pilot, Cabin Crew, Air Traffic Control officer, Aviation Officer, Airline manager/executive assistant, airplane dispatcher and so on.
It is essential to note that one needs to pursue courses in grade 11 and 12 in schooling that cover subject combinations of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, in order to be considered eligible for bachelor programs in aeronautical engineering, aviation and aviation management. Some individuals also pursue postgraduate programs in flying and aviation from flying institutions of India that include thorough theoretical as well as practical applications of flying lessons, laws of ground aviation, do’s and don’ts of flying, physical and mental preparedness for flying a long drawn flight, overall personality development as well as psycho-motor coordination and diet management and sleep scheduling.
In order to pursue both graduate and postgraduate programs in aviation and related flying fields, one must anticipate to put aside huge amounts of money ranging between 25-50 lakhs or even more as a matter of tuition fees, training fees, costs for equipment and related materials, and overall assessment procedures.
For those individuals, who are not looking for a full-fledged graduate or post-graduate degree program in flying and aviation, can register themselves in diploma courses as well as graduate certificate programs in flying and aviation as well.
There are various institutions that offer diploma and certificate programs in aviation and related fields. Some of them include:
- Vasundhara Aviation Academy, Bhopal
- Trade Wings Institute of Management, Mumbai
- Trade Wings Institute of Management, Kolkata
- Institute of Logistics and Aviation Management, Bangalore
Minimum eligibility for enrollment in diploma/graduate/postgraduate programs in aviation: Educational qualification of 10+2 from an educational board that is constituted under the Constitution of India with a minimum of 50% or more aggregate marks in the final examination.
In order to successfully qualify for the diploma and graduate programs, one must also appear for a personal interview for the aviation course.
Average fees for diploma programs in aviation: 50,000 INR to 1 lakh per annum
Duration: 6 months to 1 year
Syllabus/Skills: Mathematics, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Analytical Skills, Logical Reasoning, Critical Thinking, Cognitive Behavioral Sciences, Planning and Operations, Distribution and Transportation, Risk Management, Organization, Discrimination and Elimination
Job Placement positions: Cabin crew, Head Purser, Airline chief executive, ground manager, Air Traffic Control crew, etc.
Average salary: 5-10 lakhs per annum (can increase based on overall experience, training and promotions)
B. Appear for National Level/International Level Aviation examinations:
It is essential to understand that no flying course or training in aviation is truly fruitful or worthy of its outcomes if it does not prepare you or train you for national and international level entrance examinations in aviation industries.
One must consciously aim to appear for national and international level entrance examinations in aviation and flying in order to get appropriate recognition and exposure in flying.
One of the most reputed examinations on a national level for a career in the government air forces and aviation is that of the National Defence Academy (NDA) examination that is conducted by the Union Public Services Commission of India. This examination is conducted twice each year.
Paper Pattern: The exam is conducted section-wise with 2 and ½ hours allocated for each section and comprises of 900 marks in total. The exam comprises of two sections that are namely the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Mathematics. The questions included in the GAT primarily constitute of 600 marks and the Mathematics section is of 300 marks. Out of a total of 270 questions, 150 are included in the GAT section and 120 are included in the Mathematics section. The Mathematics section has a negative marking of 0.83 and he GAT section has a negative marking of 1.33.
Those individuals who pass the written test are shortlisted and called for the Intelligence and Personality Test (SSB) that involves an interview. All the questions are multiple-choice questions.
Eligibility: Individuals who are unmarried men and women between the ages of 16.5 and 19.5 can apply for the NDA exam.
Another examination that is conducted nationally to get into the air forces of India is termed as Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT). It is conducted twice every year and involves different branches apart from flying positions such as Technical and Non-Technical and Flying Branch.
Eligibility: Indian Nationality, Married/Unmarried men and women till they complete age of 25 years of age, minimum score of 60% in Grade 12 examination with Mathematics and Physics as subjects and passing marks in B.E./B.Tech final exam and 60% or above marks in Section A and Section B tests by either the Aeronautical Society of India or the Associate Membership of Institution of Engineers in India.
Fitness requirements: 162.5 cm for male and female (Flying branch)
157.5 cm for male and 152 cm for female (Non-technical branch)
Weight should be in proportion to height.
Paper Pattern: The exam is conducted completely online and is of a total of 300 marks with 100 questions of 3 marks each and an incorrect response marks a deduction of 1 mark. The total duration of the exam is 2 hours.
Another examination that is popularly conducted for serving in national defence and air forces is the Combined Defence Services exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
The examination is conducted online in two phases that are conducted separately over a span of five months. The first phase is conducted in June and the second phase is conducted in September.
Application for Phase 1: January
Application for Phase 2: June
Syllabus: The candidates are assessed on subjects such as General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics and English with each component comprising of 120, 120 and 100 questions respectively. Total marks of the exam is 300 and is conducted for a duration of a total of 6 hours. Each question is of 1 mark and there is no negative marking.
C. Get Acquainted to and Work Upon Physical and Medical Requirements to Become a Pilot:
There are several physical and medical requirements for both male and female aspirants for pilot training and there are minor differences observed for the specific requirements for both of these aspirants. These are as follows:
- Female pilots:
Height: 162-163 cm
Length of Feet: 100-120 cm
Length of Thighs: 64 cm approximately
Sitting Position Height: 81-95 cm
Eye Vision Frequency: 6/6 in one and 6/9 in another
No candidate should be suffering from night blindness/color blindness or any kind of vision impairment issue.
2. Male pilots:
Height: 163-164 cm
Length of Feet: 100-120 cm
Length of Thighs: 64 cm approximately
Sitting Position Height: 81-95 cm
Eye Vision Frequency: 6/6 in one and 6/9 in another
No candidate should be suffering from night blindness/color blindness or any kind of vision impairment issue.
D. Get Appropriate Flight Training: Flight training is a quintessential component for aspiring pilots. One must be aware of all the do’s and don’ts of flying before attempting to get a flying license.
Eligibility: A candidate aspiring to obtain flight training must be 16 years of age, must clear the fitness test, should have a bank guarantee of INR 1000. Upon fulfilling these requirements, the candidate is asked to appear for the oral test and Pilot Aptitude Test. Post completion of these tests, one can opt for a college/flying institute of their choice with courses in Aviation and Aeronautical Engineering.
D. Get Your Pilot License
It is essential to get your pilot license in order to begin flying a plane on paper under registration. There are different types of pilot licenses that set the stage for pilots to fly different kinds of airplanes that include private planes, fighter jets and commercial airplanes.
- Private Pilot License (PPL): A Private Pilot License (PPL) is authorized to an individual to fly private and small jets. These licenses are provided to individuals who are private pilots of huge businessmen, millionaires and government organizations. This license does not authorise one to fly commercial aeroplanes.
Requirements: Minimum Age of 17 years, successfully cleared 10+2 educational qualification, obtain passing marks in clinical wellness tests from Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME) or the Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM).
2. Certified Flight Instructor (CPL): This is a license that authorizes an individual to tutor/train and guide aspiring pilots in flight training and aviation services across different flying institutes of India. This license does not authorize an individual to officially practice flying any kind of flight as a pilot.
3. Commercial Pilot License (CPL): This is a license that is authorized to individuals to fly commercial flights or passenger aircrafts. These flights are generally owned by private companies and corporations.
Requirements: Age between 18-30 years, studied subjects such as Physics and Mathematics in 10+ 2 examination, past experience of flying private planes for a minimum of 3 years.
