Pilot -  Career Option   

Provided by:

 Mehul Patel (Maddy)

• Pilot- is the mind of aircraft.
• Pilot- thinks (and predicts) a step ahead of what aircraft is going to face or going to behave.
• Pilot- is the only person in the world who often does 10 to 15 jobs at a time.
• Pilot- is  trained to work in the worst possible conditions.
• Pilot- is on alert for any emergencies.
• Pilot- has the responsibility of aircraft, crews and hundreds of passengers sitting behind.

It's not a joke to multitask many jobs at the same time. Thus airlines have stringent test for their pilots. 

• They have to give exams twice in a year.
• Every year, they have to give 10 route checks
• Every 6 months up gradation course
• Every 6 year, emergencies practice
• Every 6 months, instrument rating test.

In short, pilot tries to keep him/her self fit for flying all the time.

Of course pilots get 6 digit salary, plus perks like free airline tickets for family etc.

Just relax for sometime and think about every thing to be sure that you want to venture into this career because there is no U-turn. The moment you falter and decide to quit you might end up losing allyour  investments. Once you become pilot, you are just pilot. You don't know anything about other subjects. You cant work as clerk in any office. You might not like that life. I hope you are getting my point. In short, carefully weigh your strength and determination before you go for a training to be a pilot. When I started my course  estimated expense was 7 lakhs and today I have spent 22 lakhs, so this field can put all your calculations wrong.

A:  Class 2 medical test

After clearing it, you will get your SPL (Student Pilot Licence). 

Class-2 medical includes: ECG, Audiometry, Physical check-up, blood test, urine test, chest X-ray, ENT test, eye check up (Don't worry if you wear specs with numbers. It's just a check up but even so you should have at least 4/6 vision of your eyes. 6/6 is perfect vision) & last and final your family's medical history.

To get the address of class 2 medical examiners visit DGCA's class 2 medical corner http://dgca.nic.in/medical/class2-ind.htm you will find Dr.Pujari in Vadodara (by the way, he is really nice person and he will guide you to what to do further for class 1 medical examination) and you will find more Doctors all around india. So just go through above link. After completion of your class-2 medicals, you will need to send your medical reports (which are done with class-2 medical examiner) to DGCA's headquarter (by post or personally, depends on you but if you will send it by post then it will take up to 2 to 3 months of it and if you will submit it personally then you might get your SPL soon)

B: Class 1 medical test

 It includes the same tests of class  II medical but it has one more test and its EEG. You might get cleared in your class 2 medicals but class medical is really strict so please be careful at the time of class 1 medical. Try to do your own private tests personally, so you will come to know that what kind of problems do have and if its necessary then you can cure it by any treatment before your medical test. Try to do your mock class 1 medical tests with your class 2 medical examiner. Probably you should ask Dr.Pujari for it.

Now the major part of class-1 medicals is an appointment because you can not get any easy and early date for it. Mostly it takes minimum 3 to 4 months of it. (Longest one is like may be more then a year).

 To get an appointment for class-1 medical - First you will have to get to know about the available dates at the medical centers by calling them and then they will tell you available dates for an appointment. Then you will have to send them a form (you can get this form from DGCA's web or medical examination center's web) with your details and PMR number (your SPL number) after it they will give call or send you your appointment  letter.

After completion of your medicals with DGCA, you should proceed for your Pilot training.

1.  Air Navigation.
2. Aviation Meteorology.
3. Air Regulation.
4. Technical.
5. Radio Telephony.
6. Technical has 2 parts.

• General Technical
• Specific Technical.

Some other facts about Pilot training -

There is no age limit for flight training  in India as well as in USA and Philippines.
 
If you want to do your training in India -
Rs.1600000/- ( This is an approx amount but amount is not less than it. Flying fees is about Rs.7000 per hour, which is included with this amount but it can be increase if fuel rate increases in India) + lodging and boarding and there is no guarantee for the completion time.

If you want to do you r training in USA -
$36500/- (Including flying fees and it also can be increase if fuel rate increases in USA + lodging and boarding for 7 months)
 
If you want to do your training in Philippines -

About Rs.1400000/- (Including flying fees and it also can be increase if fuel rate increases in Philippines + lodging and boarding for 6 months) but Philippines is not recommended by other pilots as well as the airlines because DGCA (a government body, which controls aviation sector in India like FAA in USA and JAA in Europe) does not trust about flying hours from there.

Information on one training school in USA (the others would be more or less same)

• The Professional Pilot Course includes, Private , Commercial, and the instrument rating for airplane single and Multi-engine Land Pilot
• Certificates - This course can be completed under FAR 141 or FAR 61.
  The main deference between the FAR141 and FAR 61 is the amount of flight time required.
  FAR 141 requires 205 Hrs to complete and FAR 61 requires 250 Hours of flight time.
  Also as you noticed FAR 61 is more expensive.
• The approximate course duration is between 6 to 8 months. This course can be started anytime. They have a new course starting on the first Business day of the week.
• The average monthly living expenses for room and board is $850.00 based on
  double occupancy per apartment.
• The enrollment fee is $750.00. This fee covers the I-901 student visa fee of $ 100.00 which is a required fee for the USA embassy at the time of the visa interview.
• An amount of $1500.00 as a deposit toward the flight training is also required before the issue an I-20 student visa.
• If your visa application for the M-1 visa be rejected by the USA embassy in your country, an amount of $2100.00 will be refunded to you.

The required information for the enrollment application are:

• The student First, Middle and Last name.
• The student date and place of birth, Month, Day, Year.
• The student home address and phone number with country code and city code.
• The student nationality.
• The student gender.
• The student 's passport number and the expiration date.
• The student' so father or guardian name and address with phone number.
• The course the student wish to enroll with.
• The approximate date of arrival into the USA.
• Name of friend or relative in the USA and their phone number.
• Any amount of flight training you already have. Solo or Dual and your
• Pilot in Command flight time.
• Any other vital information.

The course fee is $30500.00. It covers up to 205 hours of flight time off which 15 hrs in airplane Multi-Engine and the rest which is 190 hours are in single engine airplane. This course is completed under FAR 141. (recommended for Indian students)
The same course under FAR 61 will cost $ 34500 and it consist of 250 hours of flight time.

The FAA required flight and written tests and the books, are also
included in the above mentioned price.

The fleet consist of Cessna 150, 152, 172, 172RG, and Cessna 310 for
Multi-Engine.