Appearing for CPL exams gets easier for Indian cadets

Mumbai: Appearing for the commercial pilot's licence (CPL) examinations in India has become a little bit easier with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) relaxing the norms for the number of flying hours needed to sit for these tests.

In what constitutes a major revision for the exam procedure for CPL aspirants, the DGCA has come up with a fresh set of criteria that deals with eligibility to appear for the written pilot exams.

Currently, a student had to complete 50 hours of flying training before appearing for the written tests. Under revised norms students would now be able to attempt certain papers without putting in any flying time at all.

To earn a CPL, a flying cadet needs to complete 200 hours of flying training, and clear four subjects - aviation meteorology, air regulation, technical (general and specific) and air navigation.

The DGCA's new rule stipulates that a student can start appearing for written tests after completing 100 hours of ground training, covering all subjects and no flying training.

In a note issued to flying training institutes a week ago, the DGCA said that the chief ground instructor shall issue a certificate to this effect and the student will be permitted to appear for the aviation meteorology and air regulation papers.

Having cleared these papers, and with a minimum of 15 hours of flying training, which can also include five hours of simulator training, a student can appear for other papers.

The other alternative before students would be to appear for written exams after completing 25 hours of flying training with a maximum of five hours of simulator training and 350 hours of ground training. Those students who have completed these can directly appear for all four papers.

Those who have a private pilot licence (PPL) can directly appear for all CPL papers.