@synthia331
Prior to undergoing flight training abroad , there are a couple of things you need to do first .
1. Class 1 Medical from the Indian DGCA . Different countries have different medical standards . While you might be capable of obtaining a class 1 medical abroad the Indian standards are quite strict .
You would not want to find yourself in a situation where you do your CPL abroad and then wont be able to convert it when you come back because you are unable to pass the medical .
You will need to get an DGCA class 2 medical first . Once that is received you can obtain a Class 1 medical . On the DGCA class 2 medical a file number will be given .
This number will be used by the DGCA whenever you deal with them for medicals , apply for a CPL , FRTOL etc .
2. Get a Computer Number . This number is used to write the DGCA exams . Its permanent number issued once by the DGCA .
You will need to be 10+2 Pass with Maths and Physics as subjects in order to apply for the computer number and get an Indian DGCA CPL as well .
3) Once that is done give all your DGCA exams as well as radio license exams .
Once you get the radio license apply for the FRTOL . This will save you a lot of trouble once you back with the foreign CPL
4) After you obtain your foreign CPL you will have to come back to India and give a skill test at one of the flight schools in India . Only then can you apply for the Indian DGCA license .
A few tips when selecting a flight school abroad .
1) A good rule of thumb is to go to a DEVELOPED country ( eg US , Canada , Australia , New Zealand etc ) especially ones that have a large amount of General Aviation involved .
Developed countries are also easier to deal with when you have to submit things like Verification of License to the DGCA
Developing countries have a lot of bureaucracy and corruption involved just like the Indian DGCA when having to deal with problems , verification , lost licenses etc .
2) See whether the license has an expiry date . Certain countries have an expiry date on the license including the Indian DGC . The DGCA requires a valid license at the time of conversion and in some countries can be very expensive to renew .
The US and Canada are examples of licenses that dont have an expiry date .
The US , Canada and Australia also have their appointed doctors in India and other countries where you Class 1 medical can be renewed .
That way you wont have to go back to the foreign country every year when your medical expires .
3) Make sure the flight school has the same aircraft that is available with the flight schools in India . The DGCA has a rule thats says the aircraft you want endorsed on your DGCA license has to be registered in India and should have a valid Certificate of airworthiness .
The C172 , C152 are popular options for single engine . Piper Seneca , DA 42 and P68 C are the popular options for multi engine
This of course also helps seeing that you will have to come back to India and give as skill test on the same aircraft .
4) Some schools ( infact most of them ) require that you pay all the fees upfront . In the US you can negotiate with flight schools and tell them you will be PAY AS YOU GO i.e you will pay for the flight after its flown , instead of them having your money in an account and then subtracting after each flight .
This helps a lot if the school is facing financial difficulties . I know way too many students ( 100+ ) who have lost a lot money at flight schools around the world . They paid the entire fees upfront and the flight school shuts down after some time .
In one particular case the flight school took 30,000$ from a student and shuts down the next day .
They might tell that you we will offer big discounts if you pay the money upfront , but once they have your money they will act very arrogant as you will be in a binding contract that prevents any refunds
5) Some schools advertise that you will finish in 40 hours for private training , 35 hours for IR and 200 for CPL . This is usually the bare minimum required and very few candidates are capable of passing the skill tests at the minimums . Hence depending on your skill you should expect to budget a lot more than the advertised minimums .
I cant comment on the flight school in Maldives , But for the price they offer you can get a better Deal in countries like the US and Canada .
Moreover its a brand new school and probably the only one in the Maldives . I would wait and see for a few of their students to successfully convert to an Indian DGCA license before you start your flight training there.
Its better to go to a school that has been around a few years in the business
You show your location as Malaysia . If you have permanent residency right or a work permit in Malaysia then you should consider the option of converting and obtaining a Malaysian license as well .
Last but not the least , I hope you are aware that there are close to 7000 unemployed DGCA CPL holders in India with another 2000-3000 in various stages of training and conversion .
You should ask yourself what happens after i get my DGCA CPL ?
Is anyone hiring at present ?
Getting called for an airline written exam ( whenever it happens ) seems to be the luck of the draw ( or what connections you have ) as they dont have the place to accommodate or interview everyone .
Lot of airlines also demand a type rating ( ever since a lot of unemployed CPL holders decided to get one
) on the aircraft they fly before applying for the job . This costs an additional 20,000-40,000$ depending on the aircraft .
Then again getting called for the assessment depends on your luck......
If you dont have a college degree I strongly suggest you get one first prior to any flight training so that you can have an alternate career/backup plan incase during or after your training or somewhere down your career you fail the Class 1 medical test and made permanently unfit .