The Path To Becoming An Airline Captain — How Pilots Climb The Ranks

2023-05-17


What Should I Do After The 12th If I Want To Be A Pilot? If You Want To Be A Pilot, You Can Take A Pilot Training Course After You Finish High School Or Pass The NDA Exam To Become An Air Force Pilot. The Primary Requirement For Becoming A Pilot After 12th Is To Have Completed 10+2 In Science, But There Are Several Pilot Training Academies That Also Accept Commerce Students. In India, The Minimum Age For Students Aspiring To Be Pilots Is 17 Years, And You Must Also Provide A Fitness And Medical Certificate.

What Exactly Is A Pilot?

Pilots Are Highly Trained Professionals Who Receive Extensive Training To Fly Various Types Of Aircraft. There Are Various Specialisation Courses Available For Various Types Of Aircraft. Pilots Are Responsible For Maintaining The Internal Mechanisms Of Aircraft In Addition To Learning To Operate Various Types Of Aircraft Such As Passenger Aircraft, Cargo Aircraft, And Mail Aircraft. There Are Various Types Of Pilots Based On The Streams And Subjects That Candidates Pursue.

Airline Transport Pilots – These Are The Pilots Who Fly Commercial Planes For Private Airlines And Transport Customers.

Private Pilots – People Who Can Afford A Private Jet Prefer To Have Private Pilots Who Can Fly Them Around Whenever They Need To.

Sport Pilots – Sports Pilots Must Fly Below 10,000 Feet And Mostly Within A Certain Range.

Flight Instructors – They Work For A Training Organisation And Are Responsible For Teaching Other Aspiring Pilots How To Fly.

Air Force Pilots – Trained By The Country's Air Force, They Are Experts In Flying Armed Jets For The Defence Ministry.

Criteria For Eligibility

To Enrol In Any Of The Aviation Courses, You Must Meet The Eligibility Criteria Established By The Institute Or Academy. The Following Are The Eligibility Requirements For Becoming A Pilot In India After The 12th Grade:

  • To Begin Training, You Must Be At Least 17 Years Old. You Must Have At Least A 50 Percent Grade Point Average In 10+2, Which May Vary Depending On The Institute's Requirements.
  • You Must Have Completed MPC Subjects [Mathematics, Physics, And Chemistry] As Well As English At An Intermediate Level.
  • If You Are Not A Science Student, You Can Take The Required Subjects Through The National Institute Of Open Schooling Or As A Private Candidate Through The Respective State Board.
  • You'll Need A Medical Certificate From The Appropriate Authorities.
What Is The Step-by-step Procedure For Becoming A Pilot In India?

Before We Get Into The Specifics Of How To Become A Pilot After The 12th, Let's First Go Over The Two Routes You Can Take To Become A Pilot In India, Which Are As Follows:

Civil Aviation (Taking The Non-Military Route Through Commercial Pilot Training Programmes)

To Take This Route To Becoming A Pilot, You Must First Obtain Commercial Pilot Certification From A Certified Authority, Which In India Is The Directorate Of General Civil Aviation. As A Commercial Pilot, You Will Be Flying A Specific Aircraft For An Airline. There Are Many Training Academies Around The World That Offer Various Programmes In Commercial Pilot Training, And The Essential Eligibility Requirement For The Same Is That The Student Has Completed 10+2 With Science Stream From A Recognised Board Of Education [more On This In The Following Section]. Here Is A List Of The Best Flying Schools Around The World That You Should Look Into:

  • CAE Oxford Aviation Academy
  • Flight Safety Academy
  • Pan AM International Flying Academy
  • Singapore Flying College
  • CTC Wings, Europe

Indian Defence Forces (Air Force) If You Want To Pass The Competitive Entrance Exams For The Indian Defence Forces, The Airforce Route To Becoming A Pilot Is For You. Candidates Who Have Passed The Rigorous Admissions Process Are Trained For Three Years At The National Defence Academy In Khadakwasla. The Following Is The Procedure For Joining The Indian Defense Forces:

Pilot Entrance Exam After The 12th Grade – The NDA Exam Is India's Pilot Entrance Exam After The 12th. If You Pass The NDA Exam, You Can Join The IAF's Flying Branch. It Is A Maths-based And General Ability Exam With The Main Subjects Being English, Geography, History, General Knowledge, Physics, Maths, Chemistry, And Current Events.

SSB Interview – The Interview Is Divided Into Two Stages:
  1. An Officer Intelligence Test As Well As A Picture Perception And Discussion Test
  2. A Psychologist Administers Psychological Tests, Which Are Followed By Group Tasks And A Personal Interview.

Pilot Aptitude Test – A Written And Machine Test That Assesses The Candidate's Ability To Read Instruments As Well As Their Mental Strength And How Efficiently They Can Perform In Various Situations. This Test Must Be Passed On The First Try Or You Will Be Deemed Ineligible For The Flying Branch And Will Not Be Able To Apply Again.

Medical Exam – The Candidate's Height, Weight, And Eyesight Are All Carefully Examined.

Requirements

6/6 In One Eye And 6/9 In The Other. (Hypermetropia Correctable To 6/6)

Height And Weight: 152 Cms, With Corresponding Weight

Step-by-Step Procedure For Becoming A Pilot After 12th Grade 
Stage 1: Earn A Bachelor's Degree

A Bachelor's Degree In Any Subject Is Required For An Airline Pilot, Whereas A High School Diploma Or Equivalent Is Usually Required For A Commercial Pilot. Some Flight Schools Are Part Of 2-4 Year Colleges/universities That Offer The Desired Aviation Or Aeronautics Degree And Are FAA-approved (FAA).

Pilot Courses Following The 12th

After 10+2, Another Option For Becoming A Pilot Is To Enrol In A Commercial Pilot Training [CPL] Programme. You Will Be Required To Pass An Entrance Exam, An Interview, And A Medical Test As Determined By The Institute. The Fees For Pilot Training Courses After The 12th Grade Range From INR 15 Lakhs To INR 20 Lakhs And May Vary If You Plan To Study Abroad. The Following Are The Top Institutes For Pilot Training Courses After The 12th Grade:

  • Bombay Flying Club 
  • Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy
  • Rajiv Gandhi Academy Of Aviation Technology 
  • Madhya Pradesh Flying Club 
  • National Flying Training Institute
Through The NDA Exam 

In India, The Coveted NDA Exam Is A Once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity For Those Who Want To Become Pilots After Completing Their 12th Grade. You Must Also Attend Flying Training After Completing The Three-year Course. Following That, You Will Be A Permanent Commission Officer. 

Other Important Information On How To Become A Pilot After 12th Grade:
  • It Is Necessary To Pass The DGCA Class 2 Medical.
  • Enroll In An Aviation School.
  • At Least 200 Hours Of Flight Time
  • Pass The Exams
  • Obtain The CPL Certificate.
Stage 2: Gain Flight Experience

If You Want To Be A Pilot, You Must Complete A Certain Number Of Flight Training Hours In Order To Obtain A Licence. The Number Of Training Hours Required Is Determined By The Type Of Pilot Programme Desired. For Example, A Commercial Pilot's Licence Requires 250 Hours Of Flight Time, While An Airline Pilot Requires 1,500 Hours. A Formal Training Will Provide You With A Basic Education; However, If You Want To Gain More In-depth Knowledge And Experience, You Can Hire A Personal Instructor Or Even Join The Military For Exposure.

Stage 3: Obtain Your Pilot's Licence.

The First Step Is To Accumulate The Required Number Of Flight Hours, Which Is Followed By A Written Assessment Demonstrating Your Flying Abilities And Passing The Physical Test. The Key Is To Be Self-assured And Well-prepared. The Following Is A List Of Major Pilot Licences Issued By The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) In Each Country:

  • Private Pilot Licence (PPL)
  • Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
  • Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATP)
  • Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL)
  • Commercial Multi-Engine Land (CMEL)
  • Certified Flight Instructor (CFL)
Stage 4: Completing Additional Training And Examinations

Many Airlines Require Pilots To Pass Aptitude And Psychological Tests As A Condition Of Employment. Once Assigned, Pilots Must Complete Additional Weeks Of Training And Flight Time To Get The Hang Of An Adventure As Co-pilots. Obtaining Prior Experience With A Regional Airline Company Is Always Advantageous In The Long Run If You Plan To Later Join A Major Airline.

Stage 5: Advance Your Career As An Airline Pilot

The Promotion From Pilot To Captain Is Entirely Dependent On Seniority And Experience. To Obtain Additional Flight Ratings, You Will Need To Pass Additional FAA Written And Practical Exams. You Can Keep Learning And Exploring The Industry's Changes. The Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association (AOPA) And The International Federation Of Airline Pilots Associations (IFALPA) Provide Enriching Seminars And Webcasts For Mastery And Growth.

Indian Colleges Of Excellence

Here Are Some Of The Most Prestigious Colleges In India For Studying And Training As A Pilot.

  • Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy
  • Bombay Flying Club
  • Rajiv Gandhi Academy Of Aviation Technology 
  • Madhya Pradesh Flying Club
  • National Flying Training Institute
  • Ahmedabad Aviation And Aeronautics Limited
  • CAE Oxford Aviation Academy
  • Indigo Cadet Training Program 
  • Government Aviation Training Institute
  • Puducherry Thakur College Of Aviation
  • Government Flying Club 
  • Orient Flying School
  • Institute Of Aviation And Aviation Safety 
Required Qualifications

Aside From Academic Knowledge, Students Must Have The Following Skills To Be A Successful Pilot:

  • Technical Abilities That Are Exceptional
  • Decision-making And Critical Thinking
  • Environmental And Situational Awareness
  • Excellent Communication Abilities A Highly Focused And Disciplined Personality
  • Constantly Striving For Excellence
  • High Degree Of Adaptability
  • Mental Fortitude And Physical Fitness
  • Excellent Sense Of Teamwork
  • Leadership Ability, Either Inherent Or Learned
Important Recruiters

Your Enticing Career As A Pilot Will Begin Once You Have Completed The Necessary Education And Certification Or Licensure. Now That You're Familiar With The Path And Know How To Become A Pilot After High School, Let's Take A Look At Some Of The Major Employers In This Field-

  • Air India
  • IndiGo
  • Air Asia
  • Spice Jet
  • Air India Charters Ltd
  • Alliance Air
  • India Jet Airways
  • Air Costa
Pilot Salary In India

The Sky Is The Limit For Pilots When It Comes To Calculating Monetary Returns In Terms Of Salary! Commercial Pilots Generally Have The Best Pay Packages Of Any Job Profile. In India, After Completing 250 Hours Of Flight Time, One Can Pursue A Career As A Commercial Pilot And Earn A Jaw-dropping Monthly Salary Of 1.5- 2 Lakh. If, On The Other Hand, You Choose To Join The Indian Air Force, Your Annual Package Will Be In The Range Of 5-8 Lakh Rupees.

Pilot Positions

While All Airlines Have A Similar Definition Of A Captain, How The Ranks And Roles Are Classified Below Can Vary. Most Airlines Categorise Their Pilots As Follows.

Captain

The Aircraft's Commander And Usually The Most Experienced Pilot On The Flight Deck. The Captain Sits In The Left Seat And Is In Charge Of The Entire Aircraft And Its Passengers.

Depending On The Airline, They Should Have At Least 3,000 Hours Of Flight Time. A Captain's Uniform Shirts And Jackets Have Four Stripes.

Senior First Office 

An SFO Is A Type Of "co-pilot" Who Sits In The Right-hand Seat. A Senior First Officer Typically Has At Least 1,500 Hours Of Total Flying Experience, Though This Varies By Airline. After The Captain, The SFO Is In Command Of The Aircraft. If The Captain Becomes Incapacitated For Any Reason, The SFO Assumes Control Of The Plane.

If A New Entrant Pilot Has The Necessary Experience From Their Previous Airline, Some Airlines Will Promote Them To Senior First Officer. Other Airlines Will Make Them Wait Even Longer. A Senior First Officer's Uniform Shirt And Jacket Have Three Stripes.

The First Officer

A First Officer Is Another Rank Of "co-pilot" Who Wears Two Stripes On Their Uniform And Has Less Experience Than A Senior First Officer, Though This Is Not Always The Case. Some Airlines Assign The Rank Of First Officer To All New Pilots For The First Four To Five Years With The Company, Regardless Of Prior Experience.

As A Result, A Two-stripe Pilot May Have Thousands Of Hours As A Captain At Their Previous Airline Or Be Fresh Out Of Flight School. The Lesson Here Is That You Should Not Judge A Pilot's Experience Based On Their Stripes.

Second Officer

Some Airlines Hire Second Officers To Act As "cruise" Pilots. This Means They Only Sit At The Controls During The Cruise, Allowing The Captain And SFO/FO To Sleep So They Can Land Rested.

  
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