A career as an airline pilot is one of the most enviable professions. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 22: If you are dreaming of becoming a pilot, sky’s the limit for you. A career as an airline pilot is one of the most enviable professions. Apart from being a prestigious and highly paying job, the thrills and adventures of flying an aircraft is unparalleled. The Telegraph tells you more about giving wings to your dreams.

lInstitute: The Government Aviation Training Institute, popularly known as Gati, is the only pilot training institute in the state, which is run by the government. It is located on the premises of Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneswar.

lCourse: It offers two programmes – Private Pilot License and Commercial Pilot License, and runs three batches per year with a maximum of 30 trainees in each batch. The next batch starts from October. Interested candidates can start applying.

lImportant: A medical fitness certificate from a director general civil aviation (DGCA)-approved doctor is mandatory for admission.

lPrivate Pilot License (PPL): It is a six-month course and the fee is nearly Rs 6 lakh. The minimum qualification is matriculation. PPL involves 50 hours of flying.

lCommercial Pilot License (CPL): The course lasts for 18 to 22 months and costs around Rs 19 lakh. The minimum eligibility is Plus Two with pass marks in physics and mathematics. Aspirants from non-science background can take provisional admission and appear for the two subjects through open school exam. CPL involves 200 hours of flying.

lCommon features: For both courses, 350 hours of compulsory ground classes precede the flying. The classes include theoretical lessons in air regulation, air navigation, aviation meteorology, technical general and technical specific. After attending the required hours of ground classes, a trainee earns a Student Pilot License (SPL) and Flight Radio Telephony Operating License (FRTOL) for solo flying. Candidates, who wish to attend only these classes and pursue flying at any other institute, have to pay a course fee of Rs 1.35 lakh.

lFlying training: There are four aircraft – two each of Cessna 152 (two-seater) and Cessna 172 (four-seater). There are three runways for flying operations in Bhubaneswar, Hirakud (Sambalpur) and Gopalpur (Ganjam).

lReservation: Applicants belonging to SC/ST categories can avail 100 per cent scholarships provided by the central government. Fifty per cent seats are reserved for domicile candidates but the share of students from the state is low. “Youngsters here still prefer the conventional doctor or engineer courses. Some hold themselves back because flying courses are expensive or probably because they consider it risky,” Prabir Chakraverty, chief manager, Gati, said.

lLoan and accommodation: Applicants can avail bank loans easily for studying at Gati. The academy also helps the pilot trainees find accommodation in nearby areas.

lScope: After completing the course, one has plenty of opportunities at hand to get employed in the areas of airlines, corporate charters, coast guard, paramilitary, state government / public sector units and so on. To add to their experience, they can become instructors at flying schools. Those who have done the private pilot license course can fly privately owned aircraft. The institute is also in touch with several corporate houses for placement opportunities.

lSeniors say: Flying instructor Captain Mrinalini Devi says one has to have a passion for flying if he/she is keen to join the aviation sector.

“The motivation should come from within. Flying involves lot of hard work and entails a great deal of responsibility,” she says.

Mrinalini adds that the economy has bounced back after the global downturn and prospects in the field are gradually growing.

“The worst is over and now the job market is improving. There are two categories of pilots – pilots and good pilots. The second group never remains unemployed,” she added.

Madhusmita Murmu, a pilot trainee from Mayurbhanj who is on a full scholarship at Gati, said more girls should come forward to take up flying training courses.

“Aviation is a field where one can start earning well from a young age,” she said.