Commercial Pilot Training in India

With recent cases of fake CPL holders coming up, my take on commercial pilot training-

For a long time, flying was an exclusive arena in India. Commercial flying as a career option was also a far cry for most of the aspiring students. Feasible or not, it was a professional field always less talked about. However in past decade or so, commercial flying has taken everybody by storm. As India is an growing economy the need to be able to travel by flights has increased tremendously. With India being the second most populous country in the world the demand for pilot trainers as well as pilots in this country is extremely high. Suddenly there was surge in number of airlines and dearth of qualified pilots. Notwithstanding the attraction of IT and MBA and working with an MNC, flying has its own charm which attract people from every walk of life. Right from the graduates to even air hosts and hostess who started enrolling themselves to become a pilot, if not for anything else but for the attractive pay package.

Pilot training in India is not just a academic exercise; it involves high level of on ground studies and a good amount of flying experience of get your commercial pilot license, i.e. CPL. Around 40 hours of least amount of flying experience is needed to attain the private pilot license, which differs in a large amount if you require a commercial pilot license. Also unlike many other countries, the rules defined for becoming a commercial pilot in India are far more stringent.

Commercial flying is a highly focused job which requires gen of air navigation, understanding of meteorological reports, operations of sophisticated electronic and mechanical controls, leading the aircraft under hostile circumstances, and being a lead to the flight crew and passengers under climatic and other emergency situations. Thus an aspiring pilot should possess good psychomotor skills, good hand to eye coordination, keen sense of observation and judgement, confidence in his approach to do things, good leadership qualities, keen mind to learn, understand and retain what is taught.

The schools which provide flying training are pivotal to any pilot’s life because they provide the entire training and the necessary skills that are needed to fly an aircraft which may include proper direction and control, understanding weather forecasting, etc. To impart flying training, today there are scores of private and government owned flying schools under the recognition of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), spread across the country. Among them some of the noteworthy are – Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) in Fursatganj, Uttar Pradesh, Chimes Aviation Academy, in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Yash Air, in Indore Madhya Pradesh, Nagpur Flying Club, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, HAL Rotary Wing Academy in Bangalore, Karnataka among many other.

However what most people don’t perceive is the fact that these flying institutions vary a great degree in their standards and infrastructure. While the basic requirement could be an exclusive airfield for the institution, there are many details which can make a lot of difference in a flying student’s career. As Gp Capt (Retd) Karl Bhesania, Flying Instructor with the IGRUA explains, “There are many basic infrastructure requirements which are often unheeded. A flying institution at any level should have well trained flying and ground instructors, good training facilities like simulators, computers, aviation library, well maintained aircraft, adequate pupil grooming, commercial and airlines training and the most important of all - job placement after completion of the course”.

However going beyond such qualitative requirements there are many other minute details which should be looked into. For example, while most of the prestigious flying institutes have their own runway and airspace they lack of advance infrastructure, like VOR, which provides controlled airfield environment and provides an airspace elevation up to 4000ft, compared to mere 5 nautical miles airspace defined by DGCA in an uncontrolled airfield. Similarly airfields should possess other navigational aids such as DME, ILS and PAPI.

Another obviously important but often overlooked infrastructure are the aircrafts. It’s important to consider the fact that any aspiring commercial pilot is bound to fly modern and contemporary aircrafts like Airbus A-330 and Boeing 737-800 in his or her span of career, in contrast to older generation aircrafts which most of the flying clubs still possess and train their students on. Current generation aircrafts have glass cockpits, which have an entirely digital flying deck. To give an idea, IGRUA at Fursatganj, make use of latest generation Diamond DA-40 aircrafts. Similarly Chimes Aviation Academy, in Sagar, trains their students in Cessna 172R aircrafts, both of which possess a glass cockpit. Thus training aircrafts should have a glass cockpit to provide up to date and hands on flying experience for the students.

Though not a very crucial aspect, the type of training aircrafts also do make a difference, especially so when it comes to multi engine certification. Most of the flying institutes make use of the most smallest and the efficient multi engine aircrafts they can find, however some, like IGRUA do impart training in heavier class aircrafts like Beechcraft C-90A.

Nonetheless at the end of the day, it’s the placements which make the end difference. Contrary to what is advertised, placements in flying sectors are still less organised in India. As Gp Capt (Retd) MK Devnath, who has served as CFI and Flying Instructors in some of the prestigious flying institutes, states, “There is no doubt in the fact that flying schools in India, are among the best in the world, however lack of coordination with airlines and insufficient experience creates a problem of placements. Even the best of the best institutions find it difficult to have 100% placement, especially more so in post-recession years”.

In India a course for obtaining a CPL will cost about Rs. 26 lakh approximately, which includes 190 hrs Single Engine + 10 hrs Multi Engine flying. India currently produces a very large number of pilots in the country. Some of these have done their flying training courses abroad where as others have done it through pilot training institutions in the country itself. Pilot training in India has surely come a long way; however it’s still a nascent stage at best. As Gp Capt (Retd.) Bhesania remarks, “The current status of flying training can definitely be improved. Schools which lack training facilities like simulators, computers assisted teaching, nav aids/ infrastructure should invest in it. Training would be better served if airlines would also participate in the later stages to align the orientation of the pupil/cadet towards commercial/ airlines aviation”.

Rahul Devnath

Dhruv - Night Shots

Some pictures, which I took during my internship with HAL. There are tons of pictures of this magnificent chopper, but none during night flying. For those who aren't aware about Dhruv, the definition from Wiki : The HAL Dhruv (Sanskrit: ध्रुव, "Pole Star") is a multi-role helicopter developed and manufactured by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is being supplied to the Indian Armed Forces, and a civilian variant is also available. The helicopter was first exported to Nepal and Israel, and is on order by several other countries for both military and commercial uses. Military versions in production are for transport, utility, reconnaissance and MedEvac roles.

Indian Motorcycling -

Dawn of a New Era

Indian two wheeler industries have predominately been focussed to the common man or the 300 million people who constitute the middle class of India. Of course for the fact two wheelers have been the preferred mode of transportation of the urban middle class and their families since their inception, but surprisingly it has nothing to do with purchasing power of a developing economy.

The romance of scooters with Indians has been cherished for decades until the sudden socio economic change which made way for motorcycles. Automotive pioneers like Bajaj, produced legends like Chetak, a synonym for maintenance free, cost effective solution to personal transport. It was somewhere in late 80’s when motorcycles were looked upon as a family vehicle rather than the “Bad boy” images it used to carry. Scooter making companies were caught unaware, while it happened, and few survived. I still remember the amusing adverts on Doordarshan, depicting TVS Luna as best family transport for the Indians, back then in 1990. Mind you by this time most of the citizens of developed nations were already enjoying litre class super bikes.

It could all be dismissed, with a blink on the bleak future of the two wheelers in our country. As even today, the majority of two wheelers sales amount to commuter oriented 100CC bikes, and of all the decades old Indian automotive industry we haven’t gone beyond developing a 250CC, single cylinder engine.

But wait, while we were riding our puny, so called “Sports Bikes”, there was a revolution going in our backyard. Back in 1980’s when Bajaj Chetaks were the craze; nobody would have admired your foresight, if you were to tell him that India would be an economy super power and a catalyst of automotive industry in just next three decades.

Coming back to 2009, though the great divide between the East and the West has narrowed, we still crave for true affordable sports bikes. 250CC motorcycles are conceived as beginner’s bikes and city commuters in developed countries. So why haven’t our automotive giants like TVS and Bajaj haven’t produced or more precisely haven’t thought of developing a big capacity engine? Incapability, lack of R&D, technology or funds, you may say, but sadly and fortunately it’s not so. The companies claim, there’s no market in India for such bikes. Few takers do not justify the cost of R&D and production. In fact to an extent, I fear, they are true. It’s a Catch 22 situation, they want the numbers and we want the bikes, but who’s going to take the plunge into unknowns, especially when most of the profits of two wheeler companies come from commuter class bikes.

So what’s in store for those few who have the pockets and the passion for big bikes? Well, at least they are a happy lot, for now; legally they can own the big Busas or CBRs here; what if it comes through CBU channel, or if it costs as high as a small house.

The government have opened doors to importing 1000+CC bikes, by levying a modest (pun intended) 300 to 500% custom duty! Cheaper options remaining include buying a second hand bike from overseas, with just over 100% tax.

There have been some amusing government bartering over legendry Harley Davidson, making inroads to India. “Mango in exchange of motorcycles”, discussions in 2007 led to the government of India, ostentatiously allowing Harley-Davidsons to retail in India in exchange for its US counterpart allowing imports of Alphonsos, the mango variety prevalently called the "king of fruits". It sometimes forces me to ponder over the “Democratic” status of our country!

But while all these rich’s toys were sorted out, we lost trail of the important, so called - “middle class”. So, what happens to young lads in the colleges who dream of enjoying a moderately performing motorcycle, which can be categorised as sports bike without committing a sin?

Well, if you are cash stripped, which most of us are, even with the uttermost priority given to performance, it’s difficult to forget the great Indian question of “mileage kitna milega?” (What’s the mileage?), as well the upfront cost. 200+CC bikes, with at least 20+BHP on tap, are fewer if not totally absent. Bajaj Pulsar 220, remains the most cost effective option, with the new Hero Honda ZMR following suite. Of course in the similar performance range Yamaha offer’s the track tool, known as the YZF-R15, but well at a much higher price.

Closer to the, I might dare say the “Sports Bike”, category, today the only option remains, the Kawasaki Ninja 250, a 33Ps, Fuel Injected bike, capable of speeds in excess of 170Kmph from Bajaj. It’s a step in right direction, but still costs almost 3 lakhs, making it unreachable to the masses. The paragraph would be incomplete without mentioning the Hyosung Comet 250, a competent Korean motorcycle, which gave Indians taste of true biking, well almost!

Motorcycling has created a cult, and if I were to justify that statement, Yamaha RD350s will take the top position. If the wheels spins corded with the bald tyres were not enough, the poor braking will make the rest of this insanely mesmerising machine, these 2-storkes, I say! But the point in question is when an Indian manufacturer will look forward to providing cost effective sports bikes to Indian consumers?

There have been rumours of Bajaj developing a 4 valve, 250 to 300CC mill competent of putting the established 250CC bikes in the world to embarrassment. Whatever the case may be, two wheeler industries are going through a paradigm shift; similar to what happened to cars, a decade back. From the lone Maruti 800, that changed the way Indians looked at four wheelers. The upsurge in the car market changed the mindsets of automotive companies enough, to have their R&D centres in India. Can we expect the same with bikes as well?

The poor state of two wheeler industry can be attributed to part Government, part companies and part “We” the customers. The saving grace is the fact that India remains the second largest market of two wheelers after China and the proactive bikers in our country. It’s a sport, a passion, a method of burning fossil fuel or carrier of “five member family”, it’s here to stay, and only the logic of economics will pave the way ahead.