PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Help me with my career
View Single Post
Old 30th Mar 2015, 00:13
  #2 (permalink)  
cyrilroy21
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Cochin VOCI , India
Age: 35
Posts: 1,605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
@Heamhaji

Here is your first lesson in Aviation

THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES

1. By going to IGRUA or any other flight school you will only be part of the thousands of unemployed pilots in India . IGRUA is a good school no doubt but you will still be at the mercy of the airlines and the state of the aviation industry at the time of graduation when it comes to job scenario

2. The CAE IndiGo cadet pilot program is pretty good . The best part is that you will earn a stipend during training and after obtaining the CPL straight away head for type rating and join the company .
You wont have to sit for written exams and go through interviews like normal CPL holders do

The cost of attending IGRUA / NFTI as a normal student and then joining IndiGo costs more or less the same amount of money

In such a scenario the 2nd option is definitely the best because you wont have to worry about looking for a job ( which trust me today is very hard to find in India )

3. While ATP is a nice flight school you will have to face the hassle of conversion once you come back and again you will join the thousands of unemployed pilots in India

Working as an instructor is kind of not guaranteed as it will depend upon the American Visa policies at the time and whether the flight school will even hire you . Even if you do build some hours you will have to leave the USA once the visa expires because technically you will be working on a University Student Visa and the flight instructor is considered work experience or practical training
The airlines in India dont value thousands of piston engine hours like they do in well developed aviation countries

Then once you come back you will join the thousands that of pilots still looking for jobs

4. Just like airlines in India are only allowed to hire Indian citizens as FO's the same applies to airlines in the EU and pretty most of the countries around the world including the U.S , Canada , Australia etc
So this option is out of the question

Middle eastern countries typically hire foreigners as they are short on applicants from their own citizens


One last word of advice . This is something I say to to pretty much everyone who wants to become a pilot straight out of high school

Becoming a pilot at the most will take maybe 1-2 years of you life ( if you plan well and work hard it can be done in 6 months ). Also remember that pilots earn licenses and not college degree means your education level will be 10+2 . You had mentioned that B.Sc Aviation degree from IGRUA .
From my understanding that will be a distance education degree not a regular one

I strongly recommend you go and attend a regular college and if possible earn a 4 year degree ( engineering is not a bad idea ) . Or something like B.com so that you can have a backup career should you fail your medical or the economy tanks and no more jobs are available

A pilot career is a good one but there is no need to miss out on the best parts of your life chasing it

You can fly all the way to 65 for an airline

Attending a regular college life from the ages of 18-22 and the friends you meet there will most likely be with you for lifelong . The life lessons and skills you learn there will be useful as well

If you earn B.E or B.Tech degree you can apply to the Indian AirForce / Navy as well and get your pilot training for free in addition to it being an excellent career choice . Retired defence pilots are much in demand in Indian Aviation because of their experience

Etihad and Singapore airlines had come in past to India to recruit cadet pilots and they too preferred candidates with a 4 year technical degree

You can always begin your pilot training by the time you finish college . Infact during the final college year you can attempt the DGCA exams and obtain an RTR A License ( you need one to operate an aircraft radio )
If you can clear the DGCA exams before joining the cadet program you training will be fastracked and in 8-10 months you might be even start flying for Indigo

Take this advice from someone who 9 years ago just graduated high school and wanted to become a pilot .

You can't change the past....choose wisely...
cyrilroy21 is offline