Asia · Authority: DGCA India
33 researched schools and 51 verified programs so far. This is the research done to date, not a complete list of every provider in India.
State:Andhra PradeshDelhiGujaratHaryanaKarnatakaMadhya PradeshMaharashtraOdishaPunjabRajasthanTelanganaUttar Pradesh
33 schools
Professional flight academy · Baramati, India
Private DGCA-approved flying training organisation operating from Baramati, Maharashtra, training CPL cadets on Cessna 172 and a Partenavia P68C twin with in-house simulators and ground school.
Professional flight academy · Ahmedabad, Mehsana, India
Ahmedabad flight school with hangars at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and Mehsana, offering CPL, PPL, instructor rating and hours building.
Flying club · Karad, India
Flying club operating from Karad Airport in Maharashtra, offering PPL, CPL, conversion, multi-engine and instructor ratings on Cessna 152 and 172 aircraft.
Professional flight academy · Hyderabad, India
Private flying training organisation operating from Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and Begumpet and from Kalaburagi, training CPL cadets on Diamond DA40 and DA42 aircraft.
Professional flight academy · Kishangarh, India
Rajasthan-based flying school offering a DGCA-syllabus CPL and a PPL on Piper Archer DX and Diamond DA 42 NG aircraft with an Elite simulator.
Professional flight academy · Mehsana, India
General aviation organisation operating exclusive hangar facilities at Mehsana Airfield, Gujarat, providing pilot training (PPL, CPL) on Cessna 172 and Piper Seneca aircraft plus aircraft maintenance.
Specialist training provider · Bengaluru, Gurugram, Greater Noida, India
CAE's India airline type-rating offer for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 NG/MAX, delivered in simulators at centres in the Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR area.
Professional flight academy · Dhana, Neemuch, India
Private flying academy with air bases at Dhana and Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh and a ground school in Gurugram, offering a CPL (IR/ME) programme and an airline cadet programme with IndiGo.
Professional flight academy · Bhavnagar, Bhilwara, India
Flying school operating from Bhavnagar Airport in Gujarat and Bhilwara Airstrip in Rajasthan, with ground classes in Ahmedabad; offers CPL, PPL and related courses.
Professional flight academy · Faizabad, India
Flying academy with an airfield at Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, listing a CPL with multi-engine instrument rating on Cessna 152, Piper Seneca and Robinson R44 pages. The site footer reads 2013-19, so currency is unclear.
Professional flight academy · Nagarjuna Sagar, India
Hyderabad-based aviation academy offering student, private and commercial pilot licence training on Cessna 152/172 aircraft, with flight training at Nagarjuna Sagar in Andhra Pradesh and a Telangana campus at Gurramguda.
Professional flight academy · Bhiwani, Narnaul, India
Haryana flying school with flying bases at Bhiwani (Chaudhary Bansi Lal Airport) and Narnaul, offering CPL, PPL, a cadet pilot programme and foreign licence conversion.
Professional flight academy · Kanpur, India
Kanpur-based flying training organisation (established 1995) at the Civil Aerodrome, Cantonment, offering PPL, CPL, multi-engine rating and instructor courses on Cessna aircraft.
Professional flight academy · Birasal, New Delhi, India
Odisha-linked flying training programme with a ground and simulator school in Delhi and flight training at Birasal, Odisha; its First Officer Programme leads to CPL with multi-engine and instrument ratings.
Ground-school provider · New Delhi, India
Delhi-based aviation training brand (Kramate Private Limited) running DGCA CPL ground classes and subject-wise theory courses.
Flying club · Amreli, Vadodara, India
Long-established Gujarat flying club operating from Amreli Airport and Vadodara International Airport, offering a CPL with instrument and multi-engine rating plus instructor and conversion courses.
Flying club · Karnal, India
Haryana government flying institute that publishes hourly trainer rates for PPL and CPL flying on Cessna 152 and 172 aircraft, with a hostel.
Specialist training provider · Bengaluru, India
Bengaluru helicopter simulator training centre operated by CAE Flight Training (India) offering type-rating and recurrent courses on the Bell 412, Dauphin and HAL Dhruv.
Professional flight academy · Khajuraho, India
Flying academy at Khajuraho Airport in Madhya Pradesh offering PPL, CPL with multi-engine and instrument rating, licence conversion and an integrated CPL plus type rating programme on Diamond aircraft.
Professional flight academy · Raebareli, India
Government of India flying academy in Uttar Pradesh that runs a DGCA-approved ab-initio to CPL course on Diamond aircraft, plus a multi-crew conversion course and a drone pilot course.
Flying club · Indore, India
Flying club based at Devi Ahilyabhai Holkar Airport, Indore, with an enquiry office in Bhopal, offering PPL, CPL, multi-engine rating, ground classes and simulator training.
Flying club · Nagpur, Chandrapur, India
Maharashtra government flying club founded in 1947, training from Nagpur and Chandrapur (Morwa) on Cessna single-engine aircraft for SPL, PPL and CPL.
Professional flight academy · Mysuru, India
Private flying academy with training bases at Mysuru (Karnataka) and Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), offering CPL, PPL, instrument and multi-engine ratings and DGCA ground training.
Flying club · Patiala, India
Punjab government flying club at the Patiala civil aerodrome with a five-aircraft fleet; the public site shows flying charges last updated in 2018.
Results are listed alphabetically; there is no price ranking because prices in different currencies, price types and bases are not comparable. Schools marked Sponsored are paid placements and never change approval status or order.
Indian pilot licences are granted by the DGCA under Rule 38 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, whose Schedule II sets age, educational qualification, medical fitness, examinations and flying experience for each licence. CAR Section 7 (Series B, C, D, G and others) adds examination eligibility, medical standards, training organisation approval and foreign licence validation. The flying experience for private and commercial licences must be acquired at an FTO approved or recognised by the DGCA and follow the DGCA syllabus. Foreign trainees need security clearance before training begins. Theory examinations are administered through the DGCA's Pariksha system.
Private pilot
Student Pilot's Licence, then training at a DGCA-approved FTO, written examinations and a skill test lead to the Private Pilot's Licence.
Commercial pilot
A commercial pilot's licence requires a Class 10+2 education with Physics and Mathematics, Class 1 medical, DGCA examinations and minimum flight experience gained at an approved FTO.
Names and privileges are local to India. Similar names in other countries are not interchangeable.
| Code | Official name | Minimum age | Regulatory minimum flight time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPL | Student Pilot's Licence (Aeroplanes/Helicopters/Gliders/Light Sport Aircraft/Gyroplanes)Allows supervised flying under a flight instructor, VFR only, within Indian territory; issued through an authorised flying club or government flying school. | 16 | n/pNo hours minimum for issue; cross-country flights need a minimum of ten hours of solo flight time. | official |
| PPL(A) | Private Pilot's Licence (Aeroplanes)Allows acting, but not for remuneration, as pilot-in-command or co-pilot of an aeroplane entered in the aircraft rating, and carrying passengers. | 17 | 40 hNot less than forty hours of flight time as a pilot of an aeroplane, including ten hours solo and five hours solo cross-country with a flight of at least 150 NM. | official |
| PPL(H) | Private Pilot's Licence (Helicopters)Private-level licence for helicopters under Schedule II Section F. | 17 | 40 hNot less than forty hours of flight time as a pilot of a helicopter, including fifteen hours solo and five hours solo cross-country. | official |
| CPL(A) | Commercial Pilot's Licence (Aeroplanes)Commercial licence for aeroplanes under Schedule II Section J; applicant needs Class 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. | 18 | 200 hNot less than 200 hours of flight time, including 100 hours PIC, 20 hours cross-country PIC, 10 hours instrument time and 5 hours by night. | official |
| CPL(H) | Commercial Pilot's Licence (Helicopters)Commercial licence for helicopters under Schedule II Section K. | 18 | 150 hNot less than 150 hours as pilot of helicopters, including 50 hours PIC, 10 hours cross-country PIC and 10 hours instrument instruction time. | official |
| ATPL(A) | Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (Aeroplanes)Airline transport licence for aeroplanes under Schedule II Section M. | 21 | 1500 h1500 hours of flight time as pilot of an aeroplane, with sub-minimums including 500 hours cross-country, 100 hours by night and 75 hours instrument time. | official |
| ATPL(H) | Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (Helicopters)Airline transport licence for helicopters under Schedule II Section N; applicant must hold a helicopter CPL. | 21 | 1000 h1000 hours as pilot of a helicopter with sub-minimums including 200 hours cross-country, 50 hours by night and 40 hours instrument time. | official |
| IR(A) | Instrument Rating (Aeroplanes)Rating under Schedule II Section O allowing flight under instrument flight rules. | n/p | 40 hNot less than 40 hours of instrument time (up to 20 may be instrument ground time), plus 100 hours as pilot-in-command including 50 hours cross-country. | official |
| NR | Night Rating (private pilot, aeroplanes)Entitles a private pilot licence holder to carry passengers at night. | n/p | 50 hAt least 50 hours as PIC and sole manipulator including at least 5 hours by night, plus 5 hours of dual instrument instruction. | official |
| ME-endorse | Endorsement training on multi-engine non-jet aircraft (up to 5700 kg)CAR Section 7 Series B Part XVIII sets the procedure for endorsing a licence on single-engine and multi-engine non-jet aircraft with an all-up weight not exceeding 5700 kg. | n/p | n/pHours are set per aircraft type in the CAR table and were not extracted as a single minimum. | official |
| AFI | Assistant Flight Instructor's Rating (Aeroplanes/Helicopters)Entry-level instructor rating under Schedule II Section Q. | 18 | 100 hAt least 100 hours as PIC of an aeroplane (50 hours for helicopters), plus 20 hours of instructor training. | official |
| FI | Flight Instructor's Rating (Aeroplanes/Helicopters)Full instructor rating under Schedule II Section R; applicant holds a current commercial or airline transport licence and completes an approved instructor course. | 20 | n/pExperience is stated as instruction hours as an Assistant Flight Instructor (for example 200 hours on aeroplanes or 100 hours on helicopters), not as a total-hours minimum. | official |
A regulatory minimum is a legal floor for the qualification. It is not the number of hours most students need, and not a guarantee of cost or completion time.
The DGCA's CAR Section 7 Series C sets medical standards: Class 1 for commercial and airline transport pilots (and private pilots using instrument privileges), Class 2 for private and student pilots. Official medical information
Pilots must be proficient in English for radiotelephony, with at least ICAO Operational Level 4 endorsed on the licence before privileges can be used.
Languages of instruction among researched schools: English.
For foreign trainees the DGCA requires security clearance from the competent authorities before flying training begins, following a procedure published on its Pariksha portal; foreign nationals and OCI/PIO holders also need clearance from the competent authority for computer number generation. Visa matters are outside the DGCA sources read and should be checked with Indian visa authorities and the chosen FTO. Nothing here promises clearance, a visa or admission.
Training approval does not establish immigration permission or international-student eligibility. Verify current rules with the official sources above.
Under Rule 45 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, a foreign licence may be validated for a specific purpose and a limited period through a Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA), described in CAR Section 7 Series G Part II. The CAR sets licence and experience requirements. Series G Part I covers issue of Indian licences and ratings to holders of foreign licences.
Country information last reviewed 16 October 2026. 6 official sources consulted.