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Pilot licensing or certification in India

Pilot certification refers to permits on how to operate an aircraft. These licenses are issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in each country, establishing that the holder has met a specific set of knowledge and experience requirements. This includes rigorous processes with the involvement of Indian Aviation Authority, DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).

Beginning with getting an SPL (Student Pilot License) with 200 hours of ground classes which covers basics of flying with several lectures, which enables a pilot to get certified for exercising a specific set of privileges in Indian airspace. There were some failed attempts to remove the difference in the basic certification practices and standards for every national airspace and having a similar pattern internationally which  is not a case till date.

The differences include one such pattern difference that is : the U.S. Pilots are certified unlike India and many other countries where pilots get licensed, their medical norms are less vigorous than in India, cost of acquiring a pilot certificate in other countries is also reasonable as compared to the one in India. The pilot in India has to mandatorily every year go through the medical certification but it is every 4 years in UN and UK. The demand of type rating is also lesser in other countries than of the Indians as they already have an experience of glass cockpits during their student flying, but not in India and some other developing or under-developed nations. Many such nominal differences are persistent in the norms of the Aviation Authorities of various nations.

After having an experience of 80 flying hours, the pilot is eligible to acquire a Private Pilot License, to enable themself on flying a Private Jet according to their type ratings.After having 200 flying hour experience in flying schools and as per the DGCA regulations a pilot in India is eligible for becoming a license holder of a Commercial Pilot – CPL (Commercial Pilot License).

History
Indian aviation began in 1911 by a French Aviator, who carried 6,500 pieces of mails on a traditional Humber biplane from the exhibition to the office at Allahabad. Which turned to be the world’s first ever official airmail service.

Unofficially in 1930’s the first Indian Pilot, J.R.D. Tata, who learnt flying from a British Royal flying academy, who in India started to fly with a consignment of mail from Karachi to Juhu Airport.

On papers it is shown that Purushottam Meghji Kabali being the first Indian Pilot as J.R.D. Tata was a French-born Indian aviator-an Indian citizen of French ancestry, born in Paris. He became the first licensed pilot in India officially.

Bombay Flying Club being the first ever flying school in India, where even Kabali was certified to fly. One of the oldest flying clubs with an aircraft ranging from the oldest Humber Biplane to the modern day Cessna-152  equipped with glass cockpit.

In the olden days a 50 hour of student flying used to be the simplest process of acquiring the pilot license. The only difficulty involved was the money involved in a 50 hour flight as the fuel cost used to be really expensive to be afforded by normal people.

After the passing of the Air Corporation Act in 1953 and making regulations for the Civil Aviation in India also involved the inclusion of the present day regulations of the Pilot certification, majority of which still persist today.

General structure of certification in India
A certified pilot is privileged to fly at one or more levels of flying, at each level has its own type rating which is to be done by the pilot after acquiring the license. Type rating mean, after getting a particular license the pilot has to go through some real-life simulations to acquire the type rating of the air crafts which is consisting under the specific levels :


 * Student Pilot :An individual who is at the stage of learning the basics of flying after the 200 hours of ground lectures and learns to fly while being under the tutelage of an certified instructor.

Aircraft type rated under this category :Cessna 152/172, Cirrus SR20/SR22, Piper warrior, and some more.


 * Recreational Pilot : An individual who has enabled himself on flying the aircraft of upto 180 hourse power and which is equipped with no more than four seats, in the daytime for the purpose of leisure flying.                                                                Aircraft type rated :Same as student pilot.
 * Private Pilot : An individual who flies chartered or fly personal flights. A pilot is certified as Private pilot after having  80 hours of flying experience.

Aircraft type rated :Cessna sky catcher, Icon A5, etc.


 * Commercial Pilot :An individual who is hired to fly the commercial aircraft and who flies for the airlines. A pilot can be certified for a commercial pilot after getting a 200 hour of flying experience logged.

Aircraft type rated : Airbus A320, Boeing 737, etc.

A student pilot certificate is endorsed by a DGCA certified flight instructor and doesn’t have any sort of class ratings but is endorsed so as to configure himself / herself with the privileges of flying in some specific models of aircraft.

A type rating is necessary for the aircraft if they weigh more than a 5 ton during takeoff or is powered by one or more jet engines. Airbus A380, Boeing 737, 747, are such examples of aircraft that need type ratings to fly.

A pilot also needs to go through some lessons of on flight instrument rating to enable itself for a private or commercial certificate, which also includes theATR (Air Traffic Control) communication lessons. The DGCA internationally is associated with the issuing of the instrument rating separately for the airplane as they need international communication skills, so they also have to go through some international based tests. There are some logged Instrument Flight Rules which are supposed to be followed and checked on every single flight, which includes the tour of the whole plane and checking the engines, rudder, stabilizers, flaps, Ailerons and everything else present at the exterior of an aircraft.

There are imposed limitations by DGCA over certain pilot certificate if the pilot has not been able to pass some specific emergency simulations during the practical test, because the pilot doesn’t need to demonstrate all skills necessarily to acquire the privileges of a particular privilege level or category or class or type rating.

Every certified pilot is supposed to be equipped with pilot logbook endorsed from a flight instructor which establishes that the license holder has received proper training in certain skills as mentioned in the logbook. Also, the pilot is supposed to log its every single flying duration in that particular logbook throughout its career.

The expiration of pilot certification in India depends upon his regular scheduled tests and mandatory simulations which happen every year during its career. If the pilot is somehow not able to clear them, then their licenses can be revoked by DGCA or expire if continues to fail. The tests include some emergency simulations, Instrument flight rules test, medical examinations.

Pilot training
The pilots in India undergo flight training as a private individual from the DGCA approved flying schools or from omnipresent government flying school IGRUA (Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi). They learn some basics about Aeronautics and flying at the ground sessions, thereafter they proceed with the flying training within the supervision of a certified instructor which has been employed by the flying institute. Some pilots are military trained and might issue a civilian certificate on their wish depending upon the military flying records and can enter into the Commercial Flying sector without going through the flying school training but just clearing few DGCA tests. The training at the flight school should be according to the approved structure of DGCA which includes a specified number of house of ground training which includes lectures on the subjects related to Aeronautics and flying basics.

Knowledge tests : The pilots in India need to pass some aptitude tests based on written examinations. These aptitude tests are periodical and mandatory to pass each time.

Practical tests : The pilots in India are required to go through a practical examination, called a check ride, examined by DGCA inspectors during the issuing of license. The check ride is divided in two halves, that is : the oral exam preceding a flying test in the aircraft. A temporary airman certificate is issued after the successful completion of the check ride.

Pilot certificates in India
The DGCA possesses a various level of pilot certificates or licenses. Every license has a distict knowledge and experience requirements and has distict limitations and privileges.

Student pilot
An individual receives the license of a student pilot as soon as he/she joins a DGCA approved flying school. The SPL (Student Pilot License) is issued by the flying schools themselves. For possessing a SPL, the candidate should be medically fit according to the class II medical, following the guidelines provided by IAF (Indian Air Force). This medical expires in 1 year and has to be renewed every year by being examined by the DGCA affiliated doctors. There is a minimum need of aeronautical knowledge requirement which is examined by a very simple aptitude test for the issuance of the SPL.

Eligibility for SPL :


 * Must be at least the age of 16 years
 * Must be a fluent English language speaker.
 * Must be medically fit according to the class II medical norms.
 * Minimum education qualification : Candidate must have completed 10th board exam from a national or any recognized board.

Recreational pilot
An individual requires less training and have fewer privileges according to the need of that particular pilot. It was originated for the wealthy people who would fly for their leisure under the supervision of a certified flight instructor.

Eligibility for RPL


 * Minimum 17 years old
 * Fluent English language speaker.
 * Medically fit
 * Passed a particular aptitude test.
 * Holding a Student Pilot License.

Private pilot
An individual who flies any of the non-commercial aircraft for non-commercial purpose or for the private business purpose, where passengers can also be carried.

Eligibility for PPL


 * At least 17 years of age.
 * Fluent English language speaker
 * Minimum educational qualification must 10th board completion from a recognized board
 * Must have class 2 medical certificate from DGCA.

Commercial pilot
An individual who is hired as a pilot-in-command of a commercial aircraft, carrying passengers or cargo for the commercial purpose of commute.A CPL training needs a higher level of certification requirements which focuses on a better understanding of aircraft systems.

Eligibility for CPL


 * At least 18 years of age
 * Holding a PPL
 * Read, speak, write and understand fluently the English language.

Other certificates and ratings in India

 * A certificate associated to flight instructing which enables the holder to provide training and endorsements for a particular certificate and also perform flight checks.
 * A certificate associated to ground classes, as a Ground Instructor, which enables the holder to provide ground lectures to the fresher pilots.
 * Multi-engine aircraft ratings, required to fly an aircraft which is equipped with more than one engine.
 * Jet engine type rating, required to fly heavy aircrafts equipped with jet engines.

Medical certification and requirements
Each individual pilot is required to maintain a particular medical certification at each stage of its flying, depending on the flying privilege they intend to play a role in and as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft.

Class 2

A class 2 medical is the basic requirement or also can be said as the first step on becoming a pilot in India. There are certain DGCA approved medical examiners who are in charge for this purpose and only they’re allowed to endorse a class 2 medical.

To qualify for a class 2 medical certificate, pilots must meet the following requirements :


 * Distant vision : 20/40 or better for each eye distinctively, with or without correction.
 * Near vision : 20/40 or better for each eye distinctively, with or without correction.
 * Be able to demonstrate the ability to of perseverance of necessary colors for safety.
 * Ability of hearing an average conversation and passing some audiometric test.
 * E.N.T. tests pass.
 * Normal blood pressure to be able withstand the g-forces.
 * Temporary illness can result to the failure of any of these tests and might be declared temporarily unfit.

According to the DGCA norms class 2 medical expires after every 48 months and has to be renewed to continue flying.

Class 1

A class 1 medical is the major part of the medical certification, a pilot has to go through system provided centralized system of appointments for class 1 medical which redirects them to the IAF centres nearby to them. As this examination is conducted on the IAF levels having rigorous checks and is also considered the toughest fitness medical for the pilots in the whole world.

To qualify for a class 1 medical certificate, pilots must meet the following requirements :


 * Class 2 certificate medical holder.
 * Passed 10+2 with Physics and Math in any recognized board.
 * Same tests as of the class 2 medical, with more difficulties and rigorousness.

Class 1 medical is valid for 12 months according to DGCA norms uptil the 40 years of age, after that it is 6 months.

Costs and ways to save money
Each individual has to meet an expensive cost of acquiring these certificates which depends upon the flying school, aircraft rental and instructor rates. Approximately these are the cost for each mentioned pilot certification.


 * Student – Depends upon the cost of class 2 medical. That is, Inr 5000 to 1000/-.
 * Private – Depends upon the rates of the flying school, that is inr 2 lakhs to 5 lakhs.
 * Commercial – Inr 20 to 22 lakhs
 * Other ratings
 * Instrument (IFR) – Included in the cost of Commercial.
 * Multi-Engine – Inr 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs.

Becoming a pilot can be expensive in India, but there are some ways to save upon the costs of it :


 * Completing stages and flight checks at once and not going for more than 1 attempt to complete them.
 * Applying for scholarship aptitude tests.
 * Choosing the correct flight school which is DGCA approved
 * Interning as a flight instructor for the student pilots might earn you something.