Once upon a time, there were just Air India and Indian Airlines lording it over the Indian skies. Then Sahara, Jet Airways and low cost airlines like Air Deccan flew into aerospace. And with the take-off, in the last couple of years, of other players like IndiGo, Kingfisher, and Spice Jet, it seems that the list of commercial airlines that are flying Indian skies is getting longer by the date.

So what does it take? There are about 40 government and private flying schools in the country. Of the government-run ones, the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy at Rae Bareli, which was started by Rajiv Gandhi, is one of the most popular. In the eastern region, there are flying clubs in Bhubaneswar and Jamshedpur.

Once you have completed your 200 “flying hours” of training, you are eligible for the Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL).

Captain M.K. Singh, commander, Indian Airlines (which now goes by the name ‘Indian’) says it is not difficult to get the CPL, “once you meet all the criteria”. Other than the flying hours requirement and medical exam, you have to clear five exam papers on subjects such as air navigation and air regulation and cover the technical aspects of flying with such tests as the radio and telephonic exam.

Captain Singh agrees that the cost of training (mainly the cost of flying hours) has gone up since he got his pilot’s license in 1987 — then the training cost around Rs 70,000 for the 250 minimum flying hours required and now the cost is around Rs 15 to 17 lakh for the 200 flying hours required. He says that people usually come up with the money — by taking loans or other means — because they know that commercial pilots are paid so much that they can soon recover the money.

The minimum educational qualification required is Plus Two or its equivalent, with mathematics and physics as mandatory subjects. An added advantage would be to have a chemistry background but this is not an absolute must. If you meet the above qualifications — the rules determined by the director-general of civil aviation (DGCA) — you are eligible to apply. The minimum age for applying for a CPL is 17. You must also have 6/6 vision.

At the time of applying for a CPL, you will have to pass a rigorous medical examination conducted by the Central Medical Establishment of Indian Air Force in Delhi or the Indian Institute of Aviation Medicine in Bangalore. A commercial pilot has to renew this physical fitness certificate every year. But for those over 40, the certificate has to be renewed every six months. Capt. Bagchi says, “This is one of the hazards of this profession. If you fail this test, you cannot fly any more. After all, the safety of so many passengers depends on the level of your fitness.”

Besides, a pilot has to invest a lot of time in this profession. The wife of a senior Indian Airlines pilot says, “If you are the type for whom spending a lot of time with your family and friends is important, this is not the right career choice for you.”

But as an Air Deccan pilot points out, “There is more than adequate compensation, thanks to the fat salaries that we get.” Adds an insider, “Earning a salary of several lakh a month is not unusual at all.” Even a co-pilot can expect salaries of around one lakh a month. When you become a pilot, you can expect a pay cheque of at least Rs 2 lakh. As a Boeing commander, your salary could be as high as Rs 2,50,000. The pay for flying small aircraft is much less.