The airline industry in India has developed significantly in the last 50 years. Every year we see more opportunities being introduced to the students to establish a career in aviation. If you are one such individual who dreams about having a career as a pilot in India, you will need to figure out the eligibility criteria for the same.
In this article, we take a look at criteria required to attend DGCA CPL ground classes and clear the exams to obtain your commercial pilot licence or other types of license you are looking for. Pilot training usually takes a very long time and dedication, hence, it is better to start when you are completely prepared to dedicate yourself into a process.
Is Pilot Training Easy in India?
Well, there is no definitive answer to that question since it completely depends on your dedication and commitment to the cause. Further, if it were too easy, everyone would become a pilot and the airline industry in India would be concerned about the pilot shortage.
Not to mention the risk in the world in flying a commercial plane with other people on board he’ll have to be responsible for not only the safety of you and your crew but the people travelling on your flight. Further, this type of career is not for the faint of heart, since you’ll be flying way off the ground, which requires perfection and hence why it takes a long time and hard work to become a pilot.
Age Limit for Pilot Training
Age is one of the primary criteria required during pilot training; hence you need to become eligible at the right time to enrol in a pilot training course. Further, it will require a significant amount of budget and a long time to go through the training, which is why starting earlier is considered a better alternative. You will have better opportunities as well compared to an individual who starts at a later age.
Eligibility criteria in India require the individuals to be at least 16 years old to apply for a student pilot licence. From there you can earn more flying hours and gain more knowledge to move towards a private pilot licence which can be acquired at 17 years old.
However, one thing to keep in mind, you won’t be able to fly commercial planes using a private pilot licence. If you aim to become a commercial pilot, then you’ll need to be from 18 to 30 years old and have cleared the DGCA CPL exams and DGCA medical examination to obtain a commercial pilot licence. Being older can limit opportunities, mainly due to various health concerns that can come with age.
The Importance of Medical Fitness in Pilot Training
You mustn’t have any health concerns when it comes to pursuing a pilot career in India, especially if you are aged higher than the minimum age requirements. Apart from the age constraints, there are other eligibility conditions as well.
To become eligible for training as a pilot, you must have a perfect vision, so if you don’t wear corrective eye lenses for glasses is also permitted. The candidate must not be colour blind as it will disqualify them. Further, they will need to clear the DGCA medical assessment exams, both class 1 and class 2 based on the licence they are applying for.
Once you have cleared your student pilot licence, you will need to obtain the required flight hours and clear the DGCA medical assessment class 1, and you will be eligible to attend the training classes for a commercial pilot license.
