Active Indian Pilots: What was your flight plan?
 

I trawled Pprune for quite long for a similar topic, but didn't find any. So here goes. The reason this thread is South East Asia section is because I'm looking for India specific information. But if the moderators feel it is in the wrong place, I apologise for the extra workload. You guys do a good job. Alright coming to the point.

There are a lot of wannabe pilots out there and more so in India. Not all are attracted by the money (which I'm lead to believe isn't that big an attraction anymore) but there are loads of others who are really passionate about the profession.

I'm a wannabe myself and have always been fanatic about flying for as long as I can remember. I'm 25 years old, a bit late to start, but finally have got it all together to take the plunge.

I've done my research, I know there are barely any jobs out there. But I also know that an airline is not the only place to fly. I'm investing in an instructor's rating too and going the modular way to avoid loans. I have a perfectly good job which I will probably end up keeping while I fly. But the ultimate goal is to fly day in and day out. And with your help and if everything goes well, I'll be able to guide many more wannabes into this fantastic way of living in the future.

I've started this thread so that active pilots in India can help some hopefuls about how to go about their training. It would be very helpful if those who are currently flying tell us how they did it? Where did they train? What should be the right approach? What hardships did you face? Are Indian institutes no good, I'm not too bothered about time taken as long as the end result is good. I don't qualify for IGRUA. So it has to be one of the private institutes. If anybody can reccommend a good one, I'd be highly grateful. If you can't I'd be grateful for any other advice.

So will anyone oblige for this wannabe and a lot others? Thanks in advance for your comments.


MKS

MKS
 

I am based in London but originally from Bombay. Just completed my PPL in the UK and now very keen on setting up a GA related business in India. There are about 26 Flying schools in India but apparently none of them are operational, from what I hear. I feel that the GA potential in India is vast and untapped. the target audience is typically people like you who want to hobby fly and have the resources available but don't know where to go.

i am not going to kid myself by thinking it is going to be easy but sure I can generate enough momentum for investors to sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, the flying bug has bitten me and I cannot go back to the normal world anymore.

In so far as flying training in India is concerned, I wouldn't touch any of schools with a very, very long barge pole. My cousin has been doing a lot of research on training schools in India and the outlook is dismal.

Let me know what your long term objectives are and I can possibly help.

Thanks for the inputs Spitfireace. Appreciated. Yes the outlook is dismal as far as flying schools go. But I can't afford flying training abroad and that way I won't be able to keep my current job. I'm looking at Yash Air with a magnifying glass for the past few months. Does your cousin have any idea about them?

EDIT:
Long term objective is to fly for a living. I think I can keep my job while I train. After which I have the instructor rating to bank upon.

MKS

Will ask him about Yash air and let you know. Have you done your Medical yet BTW? NOt trying to put you off but that is the first and BIGGEST hurdle you will need to overcome. Once you have passed your CPL initial issue it's quite easy.

Don't knock flying training in the US or OZ as the all told cost in India can work out to quite a bit in the end due to non-availability of instructors/aircraft etc. The nearest school to Bombay is Carver Aviation in Baramati and their costs seems quite reasonable but unsure about their ability to provide training on a sustained basis.

From your standpoint, do you see a potential for flying schools targeted towards recreational flyers?

I'm going for my medicals soon. But I believe I should have no problems. I know it is the biggest hurdle, but I should get through.

I've not heard good things about Carver. They've been in the news lately for the wrong reasons.

From what I can see in India, recreation flying is for the rich and famous and the ones who have money go out of the country and do it. But the number isn't great. But I do feel any kind of affordable flying does have a lot of scope.

MKS

Good luck with the medical. Will get some gen on Yash Air and let you know although their web site seems quite impressive.

Yeah but inquisitive me wasn't satisfied. I went to the training base to check and find out. Aircrafts are there and so are the trainers. But what I want to know if they live up to the promises they make. Thanks for all the help Spitfireace.

MKS

*bump*

Is there anybody else who can help?

MKS

The best people that you should be asking for advice are the people who are currently flying at any school at that given time .

Chances are that if they are happy then you too mite be .

Just dont base your decision on any particular persons or two people's view cause they might have got used to the bad conditions and might think its ok enough or then there might be the few who we call ' Champcha's ' if you know what I mean .

Go to the places , talk to the guys . Nothing much here . Face to face is real ..

Good luck ..

Thanks for the insight ninja turtle. But its not only about Yash Air. I hear you on the so called 'chamchas'. What I'd like to know is how a pilot who is currently flying in our country do it? Which school did he take up? May be emulating him would have more chances of success.

MKS

since boom started many pim+++ps are on the street looking to make quick buck.
take care of your hard earned money+ job in hand.

steps to go forward as below
1. do class 1 medical.
2. pass PPL papers +R/T
3.prepare and STUDY all CPL Exam sylabus.
4. do 60 hrs+ in india if you can. it will save lot of money and time.
(since you have 60+ hrs and studied CPL save on instructor cost and time
just pick the a/c and get airborne & will understand commercial flying better while completing CPL hrs )
5. go abroad to do rest flying hours requirment.
6. return and finish CPL Exams.

believe me NO SHORTCUT to hard work.

when you go abroad for Flying check with DGCA list of recognised flying schools.
from time to time DGCA blacklists some schools.

no need for chamchas/pim++ps etc



good luck

where is this "DGCA list of recognised flying schools" ?

LIST OF FLYING CLUBS/SCHOOLS/INSTITUTES


LIST OF FLYING CLUBS/SCHOOLS/INSTITUTES ETC. COVERED UNDER SUBSIDY SCHEME


Hope this helps...:ok:

@ Schumi thx , but I know that list.

I was referring to this statement from Captaan

Where is this list for approved schools abroad ?

Captaan saab very nice of you. Thanks. You say that I should do majority of the flying abroad. Any particular reason? What are the cons of doing it from here? Apart from the additional time that it might take me here, is there something else wrong about flying in India itself?

You see if I fly abroad, I can't keep my job which will partly pay for the training. It would be nice if I don't have too much debt on my head.

MKS

@flankerpilot

I don't think that theres anything like recognised DGCA flying school abroad... It is the local civil aviation regulator who certifies the flying school in it's area (Like in Australia they are certified by CASA, UK by CAA)

I cannot say about DGCA but the airlines in India do have the flying school's blacklisted in their books...

It might be that captaan was referring to that list... If not then it would be really nice of captaan to give the list...:ok:

Aviation in India is a nightmare, GA even more so.

Commercial training aside, who in their right mind would want to fly for fun in India?

There is no fun.

Just imagine taking your family for a spin. You have to file a passenger manifest and issue a boarding pass to your wife and kids.:ugh:

Patel is missing out on a billion dollar business:ugh:

MKS

Emulating him will not have more chance of success .. Rather I would say it is a receipe for disaster ..

What he / she did will not apply today ..

Requirements change , demand and supply changes , conditions change .. in short everything changes ..

Think about the most challenging outcomes that you could be faced with and work out how you will survive it ..

If you can work that out , then , only something better than your expectations can happen to you ..

And while you do all that .. Be conservative ..

Thats the only sensible approach you can take .. If this approach doesnt give you a positive plan , then you need to work on things which will allow you to take this approach , before working on the plan itself ..

Hope this makes sense .. Good Luck

your list is incomplete , you forgot to add JAPAN CIVIL AVIATION.
do not delist other countries.

[QUOTE]@ Schumi thx , but I know that list.

I was referring to this statement from Captaan


Quote:
when you go abroad for Flying check with DGCA list of recognised flying schools.
from time to time DGCA blacklists some schools.

Where is this list for approved schools abroad ?[/QUOTEcus]

i think DGCA Is short on staff to look in to others yard.

recognised schools list is on DGCA website.