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 –
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.
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:
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.
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.
Pros of becoming a Pilot
Cons of becoming a Pilot