With the annual 8% economic growth in the country and the increase in the purchasing power of the middle class Indians, aviation is becoming one of the fastest growing sectors. In fact during the year 2010, airports all around the country received about 140 million passengers, according to a report published by an aviation industry consulting firm. The report also predicted that the number of passengers will increase to 450 million by 2020. A career in the aviation field is considered glamorous and exciting because of the opportunities for travel. Also there are many career options in aviation industry, from working as a flight stewardess to flying the air plane to even designing one. If you have good reasoning skills, smart and charming personality, and passion to fly high, you can expect to achieve great success in this industry.
Courses in Aviation
The aviation industry is huge and requires people with varied skills in its different departments. Therefore, you have a number of choices for courses in this sector. Pilot training, air hostess training and aeronautical engineering are the popular courses in aviation. Here is a list of courses that you can consider pursuing in aviation:
| Certificate Courses | Pilot Training (Commercial, Special, Private)
Airline Ticketing Air Safety Training |
| Diploma Courses | Flight Attendant Services
Airline Ticketing Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Aviation Safety Training Aviation Law Air Traffic Control Air Rescue Services Air Fire Fighting Services Air Cargo Management |
| Undergraduate Courses | Aeronautical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering |
| Post Graduate Courses | Aviation Law
Aeronautical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Airline Marketing Aviation Management |
Eligibility Criteria for Aviation Courses
Students who wish to pursue a course in aviation can begin just after the 10th standard (Pilot Training Courses in some colleges). But there are also a number of courses that require higher degrees or diplomas. The eligibility criteria for aviation courses at each level are given.
Undergraduate level:
- Must be between 16 or 17 to 24 years of age (depending on college)
- Must have a pass in the 12th standard board examination (at least) (in some pass colleges a pass in 10th standard is the minimum eligibility)
- Must have at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in the qualifying examination
Post Graduate level:
- Must be between 20 and 27 years of age
- Must have completed graduation in any or a specific discipline (depending on course)
Also note that a career in the aviation industry requires you to be fit and without any medical problems. A medical test is a must during admission to aviation colleges in India. Therefore, one of the major eligibility criteria at all levels is medical fitness.
Top Colleges in India offering Aviation Courses
Colleges offering programs in aviation are regulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. There are 43 flight training institutes in various parts of the country that are approved by the DGCA. Depending on your preferred course, you can select one of the following top colleges for aviation study:
| Name of College | Location | Courses Offered | Entrance Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) | Mumbai | Undergraduate: B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering Post Graduate: M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering |
Undergraduate: IIT-JEE Post Graduate: GATE |
| Indian Institute of Aeronautical Science | Kolkata | Undergraduate: Aircraft Maintenance Engineering | Undergraduate: Admission test conducted by the institute |
| Institute of Applied Aviation Management | Calicut | Post Graduate: Post Gradute Diploma in Aviation Law and Air Transport Management (PGDALATM) | Post Graduate: Merit based |
| Cochin International Aviation Services Ltd (CIAL) Academy | Kochi | Undergraduate: Certificate Programme in Ramp Handling, Certificate Programme in Rescue and Fire Fighting Post Graduate: Advanced Diploma in Air Cargo Management, Advanced Diploma in Airport Operations Management | Undergraduate and Post Graduate: Admission tests conducted by the academy |
| Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi | Rae Bareli | Undergraduate: B.Sc in Aviation (degree awarded by Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur), Pilot Training Courses and Licenses | Undergraduate: Written Entrance Exam conducted by the institute |
| Bharat Institute of Aeronautics | Patna | Undergraduate: Aircraft Maintenance Engineering | Undergraduate: Admission Test conducted by the institute |
| Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (IIAE) | Dehradun | Undergraduate: BEngg in Aircraft Engineering, B.S. Aeronautical / Aerospace Engineering, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, Diploma in Aeronautical and Aircraft Engineering, Pilot Training, B.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering | Undergraduate: Merit based |
| Frankfinn | Centers all around India | Undergraduate: Diploma in Hospitality, Travel and Customer Service, Diploma in Aviation, Hospitality and Travel Management Post Graduate: Post Graduate Diploma in Airport Ground Services, Post Graduate Diploma in Aviation and Hospitality Services | Undergraduate and Post Graduate: Merit based |
| Flytech Aviation Academy | Hyderabad | Undergraduate: Pilot Licenses Training (Private, Commercial), Aeronautical Engineering, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering | Undergraduate: Merit based |
| Air Hostess Academy | New Delhi | Undergraduate: Diploma in Aviation and Hospitality Management Post Graduate: Fast track Aviation & Hospitality Diploma Management | Undergraduate and Post Graduate: Written test conducted by the academy |
Entrance exams for Aviation Courses
Aviation colleges in India usually select candidates through group discussion and personal interview. Some colleges conduct entrance tests. Popular aviation courses entrance tests are:
| Exam Level | Name of Exam | Conducting Body | Last Month for Form Submission | Month of Entrance Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate level | Written Test for Ab-Initio to Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) Training | Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi | May | June |
| IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology – Joint Entrance Examination) | IIT | October | April | |
| Post Graduate level | GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering) | GATE Committee (comprising professors of IIT and IISc) | September | January – February |
How to prepare for the Aviation Entrance Exams
Entrance examinations for pilot training courses usually test the aspirants knowledge of Mathematics and Physics, logical reasoning and verbal ability. You can study your 10th to 12th standard textbooks for this. Question Bank: 500 Questions And Answers For The CPL And APTL Examinations: Aircraft Technical V. 1 (Pilot Training) by Pilot Training Centre is a good book that can help you with your preparation.
Aviation or Aeronautical Engineering aspirants will need to sit for engineering entrance exams like IIT JEE and GATE. There are a number of books available that will help you in preparing for the tests, including:
- Problems In Physics For IIT And Other Engineering Entrance : Examinations by S. K. Srivastava
- Chemistry For IIT-JEE And Other Engineering Entrance Examinations by Raman KV
- Aerodynamics for Engineering Students by Houghton and Carpenter
- Aeronautical Engineer’s Data Book by C.Matthews
Career prospects in Aviation Industry
Colleges offering degrees and diplomas for a course in aviation usually provide placement. According to your aviation study program, you can start your career in a public or private organization at the trainee or junior level. For instance, a commercial pilot licensee can start his / her career as a First Officer. Top aviation companies are Indian Airlines, Air India, Airports Authority of India, Air Deccan, Qatar Airways, Air France, British Airways, Jet Airways, Indigo, Go Air, Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd and SpiceJet. The various divisions for job openings in the aviation sector are flight deck crew, in flight services, aviation management, airport maintenance, air traffic control and booth board services. Aeronautical engineers work in airport maintenance and as a part of the ground staff. If you have studied a program in airline ticketing, you can work in a travel agency as well as airline companies. In terms of salary, you can expect a handsome pay package with several perks. For example, a First Officer (pilot) can expect a salary of about 1.3 to 2.4 lakhs per month, depending on the hours of flying. What matters in this round the clock industry is the dedication and attitude you show in your work.