Pilot training in India has emerged as a fascinating and financially rewarding activity that offers all the pleasures of aeroflying, a global lifestyle, and a lucrative wage. However, there is one main challenge which is the cost of training, which is a big put off many of the young and passionate pilots. This leads to a pertinent question that can be asked at this stage – Is pilot training in India worth it or is not a wise investment for undertaking? In today’s blog we shall look at what the would-be pilots stand to spend, what they stand to earn, and I shall also try and give an overall outlook on the return on investment for any pilot.
An examination of pilot training cost in India
Commercial Pilot training and licensing process in India:
There are many stages or phases of training for a local commercial pilot along with the costs associated with these processes. For those starting with a Private Pilot License (PPL) course before progressing to a Commercial Pilot License (CPL), the expenses can add up. The approximate expense needed for CPL in India can cost a budget of ₹3lakhs- ₹5lakhs on an average. It includes expenses on ground school, flight training, examinations, mandatory simulator training, accommodation, medical examination, and other training kits. Considering this enormous initial expenditure, it is imperative that the consumers know more about their chance for a return on their investment in the future.
Aid and Scholarship
To reduce the exponential costs some aviation academies and the government grant scholarships and financial assistance to those who qualify. Although these options effectively minimize the burden, they are quite competitive and may only offer partial funding of the training costs. Some of the other scholarships that many interested pilots also use as a source of funding include education loans which are offered especially for AS training. While loans allow one to ‘meet the difference’, these come with a new layer of financial risks and responsibility, as well as a guaranteed future income to meet them.
Labour Market and Employment Provision
The aviation industry in the Indian context has shown constant development due to the rising passenger traffic and government’s effort towards enhancing regional connectivity under Regional Connectivity Scheme- UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik). IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara are some of the carriers adding more airplanes to their fleets, and fresh operators come to the market in India – implying more jobs for pilots. But job competition is high and anyone aspiring to join a reputable airline must go through more training and undergo further tests after obtaining CPL sometimes at their own cost, where many also prefer going for PPL (Private Pilot License). Still, for those who managed to find a job with a full-fledged airline company the employment opportunities and wages are quite promising.
Pilot Wages and/or Income Outlook
The first commercial pilots in India get paid between ₹ 1-1.5 lacs per month, provided with domestic airlines. As they graduate to co-pilots or captains, some even earn between ₹6-8 lakh per month, and this is in the domestic airlines. Foreign based airlines normally pay their pilots even far better, chances are there could be made to earn a good amount of money and therefore, training to become a pilot is a wise business proposition for the future.
Work Promotion and Geographical Transfers
One of the special features of an aviation career is that is very mobile Internationally. Some qualified pilots are often able to secure jobs in other countries which include countries within the middle east, southeast Asia and Europe where there is high demand for pilots commercially. This global provision is to absorb Indian pilots with the opportunities to secure better paying jobs in other countries than in India hence, being an advantage on the return on investment for those willing to relocate.
The Return on Investment
Vast training expense, pilot remunerations and provisions for promotion indicates that while trading-off as a pilot in India has a potential for profitability for individuals with genuine passion for pilot training. The initial costs are relatively high but can easily be paid back within a few years of stable employment, freeing one to enjoy other employee perks such as being promoted to senior positions or even getting employment with international airlines. That is why every pilot’s job seems secure considering the stable increase in the aviation market in the coming years.
For anyone who wants to become a pilot and have passion for flying and embracing the challenges of flying, then pilot training investment in India can be worthwhile. However, there are definitely high possibilities of increased salaries, job availability and perhaps the international job market, and thus it is a worthy investment. Half-baked planning, no pre-feasibility and no preparatory knowledge of the obstacles are key pitfalls that need to be avoided to turn pilot training in India into a fruitful and wise career investment.
