Do you want to become a commercial pilot? Then you first need to take Commercial Pilot License (CPL). If you wish to pursue a career full of glamour and excitement and have the love for travel and flying then the aviation industry is for you. Aviation is the field that attracts many people especially youngsters. If you have patience, time and dedication to the profession of a commercial pilot could become the right choice for you.
Through this blog, we provide complete information about how to do CPL courses, its scope, course cost and how to choose the best CPL colleges in India 2021.
To become a Commercial Pilot one have to complete the Commercial Pilot Course and earn the Commercial Pilot License (CPL). The Basic eligibility criteria are given below -
Course Duration for CPL
Including all the exams minimum flying hours, flying tests, written tests, etc. The course duration is a maximum of 18 months in most of the colleges. However, it may vary from college to college.
A Commercial Pilot License also is known as CPL. It is a type of License which allows a person to receive money in exchange for their services of flying certain aircraft. The authority which regulates the requirements for this license is the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It is valid for 5 years which can be renewed after giving some tests. The CPL license issued is valid internationally and a candidate can be employed as the pilot in Govt. civil, private airlines, corporate companies, and flying clubs in various positions.
The job of a commercial pilot is a highly rated and adventurous career option that demands intensive training. It may look attractive and adventures from outside but the job is full of responsibilities. So, to become a commercial pilot you need to first completeCommercial Pilot License Course.
An aspirant can get Commercial Pilot License after completing minimum flying hours and theoretical examinations as per their course conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority of one’s country. After acquiring CPL, one will become eligible to fly Commercial as well as Cargo planes. For Commercial Pilot training, initially, a candidate has to start with earning a Student Pilot License. After that, they have to acquire a Private Pilot License where the pilot will fly an aircraft without passengers. In the advanced form of this training, the candidate will fly the aircraft along with passengers by which he/she will Commercial Pilot License. In order to acquire a Commercial Pilot, Licence one needs to earn a certificate of a commercial pilot with logging of 250 flight hours.
Even though the charges may vary to a great extent with every institute and state/ country the fee structure of getting a Commercial Pilots Licence one would have to pay between 20-35 lakhs for the whole course. Other expenses like hostel facilities may not be included in these fees.
A candidate also has to give a written exam as per the syllabus offered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Some of the subjects of study are:
| Air Navigation | Climatology |
| Magnetism and Compasses | Flight Hazards |
| Charts, Mass and Balance – Aeroplane, Centre of Gravity | Meteorological Information |
| Performance of Single-Engine Aeroplanes | Rules of the Air |
| The Atmosphere | Procedures for Air Navigation – Aircraft Operations |
| Aircraft Accident Investigation | National Law – National Law and differences to relevant ICAO Annexes and CARs |
| Human Performance & Limitations | Power Plant |
| Limitations | Propellers |
| Flight Mechanics | |
However, a career as a Commercial Pilot has been a cherished dream of almost all the children at some point in all the children at the time but the job of a pilot is not all play and no work. To become a commercial Pilot in India one has to complete intensive training with knowledge, intellect, think and perform actions quickly, working tough terrains and even working in odd hours.
To make you understand in simple words we are telling the process in 3 steps given below:
1 - As step one, the aspirant has to first get a Student Pilot License (SPL) by registering herself/himself at a flying club which should be recognized by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Govt. of India. The registration will require a medical certificate, security clearance, and a bank guarantee. An oral and written examination in subjects such as Air Regulations, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, etc. After the successful completion of the examination, you’ll be awarded an SPL certificate.
2- In the second step, you’ll have to get trained and earn a Private Pilot License. The training for PPL will include 60 hours of flying (15 hours dual flights), accompanied by the flight instructor and minimum 30 hours of individual flights except for 5-hour cross-country flying. After successful completion of this training, one can give the PPL exam, which will include topics such as Air Regulation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, Aircraft Engines, and Seamanship. Only after completing the successful training as a Private Pilot one will become eligible to apply for a Commercial Pilot Licence.
3- To acquire a Commercial Pilots License the aspirant have to undergo a Medical Fitness Test which is held at New Delhi and give a written exam including topics such as Air Regulations, Aviation Meteorology, Air Navigation, Technical, Planning, and communications in the form of Radio & Wireless Transmission. With fitness test and written test minimum, 250 hours of flying (including 60 hours for the PPL) is also a necessary part of this training.
In the cockpit of a plane, two pilots are there. The one with more experience is the captain and the other is the co-pilot. In some bigger aircraft, a third pilot who is known as the flight engineer also there. However, with automatic computerized monitoring systems now, almost every airline keeps only two pilots in one flight. The captain’s work is to keep the surveillance to other crew members while co-pilot monitors the system and communicates with the air traffic controllers.
Some other responsibilities of a commercial pilot are
Commercial Pilot Salary in India
However, the salary of a Commercial Pilot in India depends upon the airline and one's flying experience. The average salary of a fresher can be between Rs. 40K to Rs. 1.50K per month. With time and experience, the salary of a Commercial Pilot also increases gradually which can go up to 5-8 Lakh per month. Besides the salary, a Commercial Pilot gets attractive remunerations, incentives, provident fund, gratuity, medical facilities, and free/concessional air passage also. In some Private and Government-owned airlines, they may also get a range of benefits and allowances including housing facilities, medical expenses, and outstation allowances, as well as free/concessional air passages for their family members or dependents.
In India Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India (DGCA) is the regulating authority of all the matters related to aviation in the country. It takes care of implementing, controlling, and supervising the standards, safety operations, and crew training in aviation in India. It also holds examinations for pilots, and grants flying licenses. There are many pilot training Institutions available in India under the recognition of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) providing many types of training courses in aviation, which a student can pursue after completing 10+2 in Science stream. Besides these institutes, there are some flying clubs that are also available in Mumbai and Delhi.
Undoubtedly flying aircraft as a commercial pilot is one of the highest paying salary careers and benefits. The career prospects in this field are huge, it is a lucrative field for those who enjoy taking challenges. One can getjobs in any airline like Lufthansa, Jet Airways, AirAsia, IndiGo and many more. The job opportunities with CPL are there in Govt. as well as in private sectors. Large business houses that have their own aircraft also hire experienced commercial pilots. As a commercial pilot, seniority is based upon the total hours of flying. With the increasing number of hours of flying experience, one can take more responsibilities and earn more.
Ques:Who is Commercial Pilots?
Ans: Commercial Pilots are intensively trained and skilled professionals who fly various kinds of aircraft and helicopters. They are also known as Aviator, Commuter Pilot, Aircraft Pilot, Airline Pilot, Airline Transport Pilot, and Airline Captain. A Pilot is a part of the aviation industry that directly operates the directional flight controls of an aircraft. As an airline pilot, you will fly passengers or cargo on long or short-distance flights for business, leisure or for commercial purposes. Various types of commercial pilot certificates or licenses are issued for the different categories of airplanes, airships, balloons, gliders, gyroplanes, and helicopters.
