Is it better to get your pilot’s license in India or abroad? Many Indian aspirants have asked this question. Many of you expect multiple answers to this single question. Training costs, job opportunities, exam accessibility, and rating accessibility are the main concerns while choosing an Aviation Academy.
Here are a few things you need to know :
Training expenses
Many countries, including South Africa, the Philippines, and the USA, offer cheaper pilot training. However, the advertised fees usually only include flying costs. Food, lodging, travel, and local transportation are extra costs in the USA, Canada, and the UK. Before signing up, make sure the package includes all of these. Flight, documentation, and other fees are usually not included, so pay attention.
When comparing flight prices, compare packages in India and abroad with similar aircraft and features. Charges vary greatly depending on aircraft type, age, the airport used (prefer busy airports with passenger traffic over private airstrips), simulator type, and the fuel used (diesel are less expensive).
The number of hours needed to obtain a licence varies by country. If you can get your licence in 150 hours in your chosen country, you will need another 50 hours to get your Indian CPL. So, pay for the 200 hours of flying required by Indian law. If you no longer wish to work in India, you may follow the standards of another country.
Training effectiveness
Check the school’s aircraft availability before committing to a flight training programme. Inquire about the number of instructors and aircraft. Moreover, the student-instructor and student-aircraft ratios are lower than in India, allowing you to fly more frequently and quickly increase your flight hours.
Training duration
Compared to India, it takes 18-24 months to complete CPL training, including DGCA exams, flying training, and license conversion.
Job and career opportunities
Almost every student who wants to be a pilot wants to work for an airline. Pilot jobs are not just for airlines. Jobs include instructor, chartered, and private jets. To entice students, some academies guarantee jobs. Don’t expect to be placed immediately after receiving your CPL. You will be hired as a safety pilot or an assistant flying instructor in their academy for low pay. If you are skilled enough, you can find work in a lucrative airline cockpit shortly after graduation. It depends on your ability to learn and respond.
Jobs are now available in India as our airlines continue to add new aircraft to their fleets. Many flying instructors from many academies have already been placed in airlines, so instructor vacancies exist. Instructors make a fifth of what flight attendants make. Their salary can range between 50,000 and 80,000 Rs per month in India.
Exams for pilots
Many students believe exams in other countries are easier than in India. Is this true? There is a catch. A pilot must be very knowledgeable in aviation topics taught in almost every country. If one passes out easily, they either have limited knowledge or are learning well. If the former is true, it will affect you later in your career. So better learn everything on the syllabus, and there will be no difference in exams in India or abroad.
Conversion of license
Foreign licenses must be converted to Indian licenses (CPL-CG). This is for those who want a foreign CPL but want to work as a pilot in India. Exams are identical or nearly identical to CPL-G exams. If you want to work abroad, don’t worry about conversion. Many Indian pilots work all over the world without an Indian license. Moreover, you do not need an Indian license to fly a foreign international aircraft over India.
Excess logging and blocking
Some schools in some countries offer all-inclusive pilot training packages for dirt cheap. It appears that pilot training is less expensive than an MBA. Where is the trap? Over-logging. Only 200 hours of actual flying will be recorded in your logbook. Some Philippine academies were notorious for over-logging. Recently, airlines were reluctant to hire students who obtained their CPL in the Philippines. The DGCA closely monitors every academy in India, preventing over-logging.
As you can see, choosing Aviation Academy in India or a foreign country is not an exact science. An Indian license may not help you settle in a foreign country. Foreign licenses are roughly the same price, so comparing training quality is difficult. Having relatives or friends abroad who can arrange food, lodging, and transportation is also an option.
