Tough flight for aspiring pilots

For all those aspiring to be pilots, the going is getting tougher. Earlier, a simple commercial pilot’s licence (CPL) and a multi-engine rating was enough for a candidate to qualify for an interview in an airline. Once selected, he would be trained by the airline for type rating, i.e, to learn to fly the specific type of plane it had. Now, some airlines want only type rated pilots. Sadly, this extra training and expenditure still doesn’t guarantee a job.
Amar Saroj, a second year student of BSc Aviation from Mumbai, has already got his fingers burnt this way. He got his CPL and multi-engine rating in 2007 and his type rating from Germany in 2008. He then gave an exam in AI Express.
Out of 25 candidates, two were selected. He wasn’t one of them. But he still has to go to Germany every six months to keep his licence current. He says, “I wish airlines wouldn’t make us take exams as we are already qualified.” His plea is unlikely to be heard at a time when supply outstrips demand. There are over 4,000 unemployed pilots in India, says a member of the All India Unemployed Pilots Association (UPA).
A type rating means an additional 40-45 hours in a simulator. At a conservative estimate, it costs Rs 30-35 lakh to be a pilot — Rs 11 lakh for a CPL, Rs 5 lakh for a multi-engine rating and Rs 15 lakh for type rating.
Indigo Airlines prefers type rated pilots, says an insider.Outsiders who are type rated stand a chance only if they meet Indigo’s standards.
19/01/10 Shobha John/Times of India