General guides
General pilot training guides for Indian students
These guides cover the questions every student pilot from India faces, whichever country they train in. Start here if you're still deciding where and how to train.
You'll find plain-language answers on the route to a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL): who is eligible, the DGCA Class 1 and Class 2 medicals, the DGCA theory papers and the RTR(A) radio exam, and how a licence earned abroad is converted to an Indian DGCA licence when you come home.
We also explain how families plan the money side: what training fees cover, what living costs add on top, and how education loans for pilot training work, subject to lender approval.
When you're ready to compare countries, see our pilot training abroad guide for country-by-country fees and timelines, or read how to become a pilot for the full step-by-step route.
Not sure which path fits you? Book a free 20-minute call with our team in India or Cape Town, South Africa, and parents are welcome to join.
Helicopter pilot training: CPL(H) routes and costs for Indian students.
PAQuick answers
Quick answers
What are the general guides?
The general guides cover topics that apply to every route, whatever country you plan to train in. They explain how pilot licences are structured, what the regulators look at and how to read a training school offer. Each guide shows the date it was last updated and links the official source it relies on.
Who writes the general guides?
The guides are written by the Pilots Assist Team, which is the same group that advises students and parents. Each guide cites official regulator pages such as the DGCA and ICAO, and shows the date it was last updated. Where a figure could not be confirmed from an official page, the guide says so.
How should you use the general guides?
Read them before you compare countries or schools, because they explain the terms that every offer uses. Then move to the guides for your country, or to the programme pages that match your plan. If something is unclear, you can ask the Pilots Assist Team on a free 20 minute call before you decide.