Career as Pilot: How to Become, Courses, Job Profile, Salary & Scope

About Pilot

The backbone of the aviation industry are the pilots. They are the professionals who are responsible for operating the aircraft and managing and maintaining the internal systems of the aircraft. Pilots usually fly to carry passengers and goods from one destination to the other. But this is not the only work that a pilot does, he/she is also responsible for checking the management of the cockpit, keeping a keen look on the air regulation, planning flights and checking the air traffic as and when required. There are more distinctive job roles that a pilot performs apart from the ones that have been mentioned.

So, if you have ever dreamt of flying high in the sky and have an interest in subjects like Physics and Mathematics, then you can definitely strive to become a pilot and fulfil your dreams. To do so, you can go through our detailed guide on how to become a pilot.

Eligibility to become Pilot

To answer the question of how to become a pilot, candidates can check out the details given below and start planning accordingly. A basic criterion is to have a 12th pass certificate from a certified and recognized institution. For better insight read the details given below.

Subject Combination – Science Stream in 10+2 

Exam – IGRUA, ATPL, Institutions Exams, etc.

Eligibility –

• Candidates interested in pursuing different pilot courses must have a passing certificate of 10+2 from a recognised institution.
• It is important for candidates to be from Science stream with Physics and Mathematics as main subjects.
• Candidates must have at least 50% in 10+2.
• Marksheet of other qualifying examination as required by the institutions must also accompany candidates at the time of admission.

Types of Job Roles Pilot

Often, candidates find hard to decide on what type of pilots he/she wants to become. To choose a designated pilot type, candidates must understand the broad classification of pilots. There are different categories of pilots that can attract candidates with the job profile they possess. Read in detail the pilot job profiles and choose the one that suits you.

Commercial Pilots: As the name suggests, these are pilots that fly for commercial purposes. They are responsible for handling the commercial requirements of the airlines. Be it carrying passengers from one place to another or being involved in activities like aerobatics, air rallies and aeromodelling. Candidates must also know that these commercial pilots are licensed pilots and are directly and indirectly responsible for the flights they use. The commercial pilots can further be divided into three sub-categories, based on the different functions they perform. These are as follows:

a) Passenger Pilots: These pilots are responsible mainly for carrying passengers from one state/country to another state/country. Passengers along with the plane are the priorities for these passenger pilots.

b) Cargo Pilots: Cargo pilots are the ones responsible to transport goods from one place to another as assigned by the cargo agencies. These flights can easily be tracked by the cargo or the courier company and then be notified to the customer.

c) Aerosports Pilots: These pilots are involved in activities like adventure and sports activities including aerobatics, aeromodelling, ballooning, air racing, air rallies, etc.

Military Pilots: They are the considered as the backbone for the Indian Armed Forces comprising the Indian Army, Airforce and Navy. The military pilots support the Armed Forces with their air skills to engage into air-to-air combat, identifying missions and transporting army essentials and personnel. The sub-divisions are as under –

a) Airforce Pilots: Airforce pilots consist of skilled and expert airplane and helicopter pilots known for their skilled work in transporter pilots, fighter pilots and attack heli pilots. Both Airforce and Navy have Drone Pilots too. These are pilots responsible to handle Drone and its activities.

b) Army Pilots: Pilots of this section are mostly Heli Pilots with expertise in attack helicopters, mission-based helicopters, surveliance and reconnaissance.

c) Navy Pilots: Like the Airforce pilots, Navy pilots are also experts handling both helicopters and airplanes as when required by the Indian Navy. Transporting things from one military base to other is a basic function for the navy transporter pilots. The fighter pilots and attack heli pilots are responsible for the mission-based activities assigned by the officials.

Private Pilots: These are the pilots hired for corporate or personal requirements. Private jets and helicopters are flown by these private pilots. Private Pilot License is issued to these pilots under the guidance and regulations of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Private pilots can also be commercial pilots as per the needs and requirements.            

Employment Opportunities for Pilots

Candidates who aspire to become a Pilot must know the different employment opportunities available for them as Pilots. To help candidates we have prepared a list of industries were the employment opportunities for pilots are easily available. The list includes the following:

• Arline Industries
• Indian Armed Forces
• Indian Navy
• Indian Air Force
• Transportation and Logistics Companies
• Drone Providers and Manufacturers

Top Recruiting Companies for Pilots

In order to become a successful pilot, it is important for candidates to join a company or organisation where the scope of opportunities and growth are higher than others. There are a number of companies and organisations that hire pilots. Instead of getting confused about which company or organisation should be the best choice, candidates can go through the following that will help them to dig out the best company as per their requirement and qualifications. 

• Department of Civil Aviation
• Indian Armed Forces
• Air India
• Indian Navy
• Air Asia
• Indigo
• Spice Jet
• Vistara
• Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Pvt Ltd
• Skyworld Charter Services

Pay Scale/Salary of Pilot

Pilot’s salary depends on the industry in which they have been hired. Pilot salaries can vary based on their certification and their logged flying hours. Pilots are deployed by private operators, can be enlisted in the military forces or can pursue a lucrative career as a Commercial Pilot. Mentioned-below are the salary scale of the different types of pilots:

Job Profile	Starting Salary per annum (in INR)	Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)	Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)
Commercial Pilots	1,77,539	23,63,300	1,00,45,414
Military Pilots	7,00,000	10,00,000	20,00,000
Private Pilots	1,50,000 – 2,00,000	5,00,000 – 8,00,000	10,00,000 – 20,00,000

Note: The figures mentioned above are an approximate estimate and may vary from one organisation to the other organisation.

Books & Study Material to Become Pilot

To pursue this career, all you need to do is to have a good command over the subject-matters asked at the time of selection in an institution. You need to be good in Physics and Mathematics, both at the 10th and 12th level, in order to understand the theories and practicalities of a professional degree like Pilot. You must focus on your 10th and 12th course books. You need to be agile and grab every learning opportunity that comes your way to learn the tricks of the trade. Being a pilot will give you on-the-job learning experience and the more you learn & implement in your work, the chances of you becoming an expert in this field will increase, which will subsequently reflect in your pay package. However, you can go through the books of some renowned authors that focus mainly on becoming a good pilot. Enlisted below are some of these good books that can help you strive for your career.

• Air Navigation (CPL-ATPL), 2nd Revised Edition by R. K. Bali
• Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying by Wolfgang Langewiesche
• The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles A. Lindbergh
• Weather Flying by Robert N. Buck
• 50 Real-World Pilot Tips by Mark Robidoux
• You Can Be A Pilot! Answers to 25 Popular Questions About Learning to Fly by Chris Findley
• How to Fly a Plane by Nick Barnard
• Fly the wing by Jim Webb

Pros of becoming a Pilot

• By being a commercial or private pilot you get the opportunity to travel the world.
• Being a military pilot is both adventurous and prestigious for any individual.
• Unlike other 9 to 5 jobs, a pilot’s job is more exciting and interesting.
• The pay scale of a pilot is considerably good even in the primary stage of the job. The pay and perks are decent and increase drastically with years of experience and expertise.
• Unlike other jobs, a pilot’s job cannot be carried at home. Work is left at work and you are free at home with no tension and burden.

Cons of becoming a Pilot

• People who do not like traveling should not opt for this job. It is a profile that entertains uninvited flights scheduled at the odd hours.
• Finding jobs at the initial stage can sometimes be tiresome and tough even for the degree holders of a reputed institution.
• Be sure that after becoming a pilot, your personal life will suffer to a great extent as duty comes first especially for the pilots of the armed forces.
• As a pilot you will be responsible for the lives you are carrying and any mistake will land you in unbeatable troubles leading to the cancellation of your license.