Pilot courses in US cheaper than in India

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Pilot courses in US cheaper than in India

Anirban Chowdhury / New Delhi September 29, 2007

Even while 37 applications for setting up flying academies are pending for government clearance, the inexpensive fees of commercial pilot training courses in the US, South-east Asia and Australia, compared to India, are forcing aspiring pilots to go abroad.

While the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uraan Academy (IGRUA) — an autonomous flying institute under the central government — charges around Rs 19 lakh for its training course for a commercial pilot licence, a flying institute in the US charges around Rs 16 lakh for the same course.

What is more, the training period in the US academies is six months, while it can take up to two and a half years in India. According to norms laid down by the director-general of civil aviation, one can get a licence only after completing 200 hours of flying.

Even South-east Asia works out cheaper than India. Malaysian flying academies offer courses that take about a year but cost between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. The Philippines, which is one of the cheapest countries in the world for getting a pilot’s licence, charges Rs 9-10 lakh.

DEMAND SOARS
	2007	2012
Number of aircraft	350	850
Number of pilots	2500	7500

Australia offers a range of academies giving training for Rs 16-18 lakh.

Little wonder, aspiring Indian pilots are winging their way to overseas pilot schools in large numbers. According to industry estimates, more than 60 per cent of the Indian pilots inducted in the past one year have been from foreign flying institutes.

And this trend is expected to continue for at least three years. With large growth in the aviation sector, there is a need for over 1,000 commercial pilots per year for the next five years.

However, while there are 42 training institutes in the country, of which only 25 are operational (14 are state-operated and 11 are run by private entrepreneurs), they have the capacity to churn out 300- 400 pilots annually, leaving a yawning gap of 600-700 pilots.

The private flying schools in India charge about Rs 16 lakh, which is at par with what is charged in the US.

But most of them do not offer multi-engine aircraft training, unlike in foreign academies. This training is necessary to get entry into any premier airline company in the country or the globe.

State-owned flying institutes charge a little lower, in the range of Rs 10 lakh. But most of them have such limited facilities that a student takes around three years to finish his course and still gets very limited flying experience.

“Students in state-owned flying institutes get around 20 hours of flying in 10 months. We got 200 hours of flying in five months,” said a pilot of a leading airline who got his training from a US academy.

Says Arun Lohiya, deputy chief executive, Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd, one of the largest private flying schools in the country: "The higher charges in India can be attributed to three heads — higher aviation fuel costs, higher maintenance costs and instructors charging exorbitant fees."

On average, an instructor in a flying school charges around Rs 3 lakh per month. "The institute has to pay him that much, or he can easily join an airline as a pilot where he would get a salary of a much range," adds Lohiya.

Also, no flying school in India has simulator training for aircraft like the A320 and the Boeing 737. Only the airlines have their own simulators for the family of aircraft used in their fleet.

"A pilot, therefore, has to undergo further simulator training of around five months, for which an amount is deducted from his salary or he has to sign a bond for 5-6 years. Institutes abroad have their own simulators and can provide training for such family of passenger aircraft," says Jagat Bedi, a passout of the Branson Flying Academy, Canada.

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		Discussion Board / User Comments

rajkumarsah

November 07 , 2009 ,09:25 IST

sir,i want to know that how to apply for the course of pilot and its total fee and time duration? i have also heard that now pilots are not getting jobs because of the sudden crashes in the market and most of them are unemployed. why? please send me these answers at the earliest as i despirately want to know about all these things. you can send me all these information on my e_mail id as given sahsujit@ymail.com Reply Display Name Email-Id Post your comment

Reply

neo

November 06 , 2009 ,09:17 IST

i hve just completed class 10th and i would like to do cpl training....is these possible than plz reply me as soon as u can .....

Reply

rohit

August 11 , 2009 ,17:39 IST

Reply

bigyan

August 04 , 2009 ,07:44 IST

Respected sir, I am bigyan aryal from Nepal student of diploma in electronic student of 3 years engineering course. I would like to know the duration of this course and also eligibility and course fee,physical fitness required for the course of pilote.Please guide me about the course about the duration and fees i would be thankful for your reply.

Reply

prabesh

July 30 , 2009 ,08:10 IST

hi sir i want to read pilot training course in U.S.A. SEND DETAIL IN MY EMAIL ID

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Trushit

July 15 , 2009 ,12:02 IST

Respected sir, i would like to know the duration of this course and also the eligibility and course fee.Also suggest me please whether it is good doing this course abroad or India.I would like to know the physical fitness required for the course too. Since i am using spex. nd also sir i want to know courses of pilot i know only cpl but after cpl for further studies? Waiting for your rep;y i n my id.plz reply

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Prasanth

July 10 , 2009 ,15:15 IST

Sir my name is prasanth. i would like to know the duration of this course and also the eligibility and course fee.Also suggest me please whether it is good doing this course abroad or India.I would like to know the physical fitness required for the course too. Since i am using spex.Waiting for your rep;y i n my id.

Reply

james

July 02 , 2009 ,11:00 IST

sir, i have finished my 12 class with maths,physics i want to do the pilot course can u please guide me about the course about the duration and fees i would be thankful for your reply

Reply

azar

June 28 , 2009 ,14:43 IST

hi i am azar i have completed my 10th i want to become pilot pls guide me regarding eligibility,fees,etc

Reply

surendra

June 20 , 2009 ,11:14 IST

Respected Sir. i finished my 12 class in science(physics).I want to join pilot training course in U.S.A. Can u plz guide that what should I do, also tell me the education level that is required to join this cource. How much fees is required nd what is the duration of this course. Plz send me all the information. I m Waiting for ur reply Sir. Thanking you.

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sanjeev

April 15 , 2009 ,14:39 IST

sir , i pursuing my b.com final year .Am i eligible to join a piloting course in abroad..What are the entry requirements to join.which country would be favourable in terms of fees and oppurtunities.kindly let me know as soon as possible..

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	Reply by sam:	May 05 , 2009 ,18:26 IST

	hey dude ur tottaly eligible 4 dis field...........as well as in india n abroad...............both r same

Prem

April 10 , 2009 ,16:07 IST

respected sir i want to become a pilot so how much educatio is needed to be a pilot. it is necessar to do 12 or if we had done 10 it will be ok. please reply me on my id.

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deepak

April 04 , 2009 ,18:05 IST

respected sir ,i am a B.E.(fresher), i want to become a pilot , would you please tell me all the necessary information like fee, course, difficulty level, etc.. i mean wat shud i do for that. please send me mail on my id.

Reply

shahzar

March 27 , 2009 ,00:37 IST

hi sr iwanna enquire about pilot course in foreign n all necessary detals abot that so sr wud u plz call me on 9818948682 delhi

Reply

pankaj

March 17 , 2009 ,17:18 IST

Respected Sir. I want to join pilot training course in U.S.A. Can u plz guide that what should I do, also tell me the education level that is required to join this cource. How much fees is required nd what is the duration of this course. Plz send me all the information. I m Waiting for ur reply Sir. Thanking you.

Reply

nyama

March 16 , 2009 ,10:20 IST

hi i am nyamaa.I want give civil pilot licence because now i have privote pilot licence.ALSO

Reply

sohail

March 10 , 2009 ,23:41 IST

sir am sohail and i have completed my 12th nd i hav 2 become a pilot can u gimme d information about that or gimme a message from your cell on my number will call u 9821927063

Reply

johnpaul

March 07 , 2009 ,01:34 IST

i want to learn more about your program and have some Magazens through my post office box.Commonwealth college p.o box 34 Larterbiokorshie Accra Ghana.

Reply

Sukanyagupta

February 20 , 2009 ,22:35 IST

Reply

HABEEB RAHMAN

February 02 , 2009 ,01:53 IST

Respected sir, I am a mechanical engineering student. my ambition is to become a pilot. will you please give me the information about my chance for pilot course after my engineering degree. Also the information about eligibility, course duration, fee, age limit, etc... I am waiting for your reply sir Thanking you.

Reply

Nikhil

October 09 , 2008 ,13:28 IST

Respected Sir. I want to join pilot training course in U.S.A. Can u plz guide that what I do also tell me the education level that needs to join the cources. How much fees is requried for join this cource. Plz send me all the information immdiately. I m Waiting for reply yor Sir. Thanking you.

Reply



	Reply by Sandhu83:	September 02 , 2009 ,23:47 IST

	Dear Sir/Madam, I want to do Pilot course in THE USA.PLZ tell me about fees ,accommodation expenditure,duration of course,eligibility for joining this course.Plz send reply as soon as possible.