What is Commercial Pilot Licence(CPL)?

If you love the open skies, then a career as a commercial pilot is a calling. Commercial Pilot Licence is a type of pilot licence that permits the holder to fly an aircraft for remuneration. Commercial pilots have the world’s best job in terms of pay and allowances, job security and social status. A commercial pilot is a highly skilled professional who flies aeroplane for business purpose which may include transportation of passengers, cargo etc.

Career as a Commercial Pilot:

Choosing a career as a commercial pilot is not only a challenging task but also a rewarding one. Being a commercial pilot comes with a lot of responsibility. You will be responsible for hundreds of live in a single aircraft, taking them from departure point to destination point in the safest way possible. A career as a commercial pilot not only offers high salaries but also thrilling experience and exposer. Piloting has always been considered to be one of the most exciting career choice and many students aspire to become pilot from very young age. Before gaining a CPL, a candidate has to undergo, medical examinations, ground training, flying training and skill tests.

Study and ground classes for Commercial Pilot Licence(CPL)

Towards the CPL course you will have to demonstrate a sufficient level of theoretical knowledge. To pass the written examination conducted by DGCA you need to achieve a score of at least 70% which is the minimum passing score. We at CAPTESSAR AVIATION help you to pass the written examination conducted by DGCA in easy manner. The sole focus of CAPTESSAR AVIATION is the development of master aviators with the advance knowledge, skills and abilities required for success in various competitive airlines and DGCA exams. Our greatest asset is our experienced instructors. These peoples are seasoned Professionals.

Flying Training guidance for Commercial Pilot Licence(CPL)-

CAPTESSAR AVIATION assists career minded students in clearing the all theoretical papers of PPL, CPL and ATPL. We also provide the best guidanceto candidate for choosing the flying training schools in India or abroad.  We have been fortunate in that the academic reputation has been built over the years by virtue of the competence and professionalism of our instructors.

DGCA exams to be cleared to getCommercial Pilot Licence(CPL) issued

A trainee pilot need to pass a written examination in following subjects:

1. Air Regulations,
2. Air Navigation,
3. Meteorology and
4. Technical General
5. Technical Specific; and
6. Signals (practical) examination for interpretation of aural and visual signals, as per the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General

Provided that the holder of a current Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters) shall be required to pass an examination in Aircraft and Engines and Instrument Rating only.

DGCA requirements/eligibility criteria to join CPL course?

Eligibility criteria for CPL is as given below:

1. Age– He shall be not less than Eighteen years of age on the date of joining flying training.However a candidate’s age should be minimum 18 years on the date of application to get CPL issued.
2. Educational Qualification – He shall have passed Class 10+2 or an equivalent examination with Physics and Mathematics, from a recognized Board/University.
3. Medical Fitness – He shall produce on a prescribed proforma a certificate of physical fitness from an approved Medical Board after undergoing a medical examination during which he shall have established his medical fitness on the basis of compliance with the requirements as notified by the Director-General under Rule 39B.

Flying experience required to get Commercial Pilot Licence(CPL)

A trainee shall produce evidence of having satisfactorily completed not less than two hundred hours of flight time, which shall include –

1. not less than 100 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command out of which not less than 30 hours flight time as Student Pilot-in-Command which shall include not more than 20 hours of cross country flight time and not more than 10 hours circuits-landings with minimum ten landings;
2. not less than 15 hours flight time as Pilot-in-Command flight time within a period of 6 months immediately preceding the date of application;

• not less than 50 hours cross-country flight time as Pilot-in-Command including a cross-country flight of not less than three hundred nautical miles in the course of which full stop landings at two different aerodromes shall be made;

1. not less than 50 hours of instrument time of which not more than twenty hours may be on an approved simulator, out of which minimum of 5 hours of instrument time shall have been completed within a period of 6 months immediately preceding the date of application for the Instrument Rating; and
2. not less than 5 hours flight time by night including a minimum of 10 take offs and 10 landings as Pilot-in-Command carried out within 6 months immediately preceding the date of application for licence:

Provided that in case of an applicant who is in Possession of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters) and who has satisfactorily completed not less than 1000 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command of a helicopter, the above experience requirement of two hundred hours as pilot of an airplane shall be reduced to hundred hours.

1. Skill – He shall have demonstrated his competency to perform the procedures and manoeuvres on the type of aeroplane to which the application for licence relates, within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application. The competency shall be demonstrated in –
2. general flying test by day;
3. general flying test by night;
4. a cross-country flight test by day consisting of a flight of not less than 2 hundred fifty nautical miles in the course of which at least one full stop landing at an aerodrome other than the aerodrome of departure shall be made;
5. a cross-country flying test by night consisting of a flight of not less than 120 nautical miles returning to the place of departure without landing elsewhere; and
6. Instrument rating test is desired, solely with the aid of instruments by undergoing an instrument flying test within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application for the rating.

Requirements for renewal of CPL

Commercial Pilot Licence shall be valid for a period of 5 years. Requirements for renewal of Commercial Pilot licence are as given below

1. having undergone a medical examination in accordance with Rule 39B
2. having satisfactorily completed not less than 10 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command(Fifty percent of flight time as Co-Pilot may be counted towards the requirement of flight time as Pilot-in-Command) within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application for renewal, or

• in lieu thereof, having satisfactorily completed the general flying test by day and night; and

1. having a current FRTOL for operation of radio telephone apparatus on board an aircraft, issued by the Director-General.

Privileges of CPL

The privileges of the holder of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) shall be:-

1. to exercise all the privileges of Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes);
2. to act as Pilot-in-Command of any aeroplane having an all-up-weight not exceeding five thousand seven hundred Kgs. and which is entered in the aircraft rating of his licence provided that when passengers are to be carried at night, he shall have carried out within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of the intended flight not less than ten take-offs and ten landings by night as Pilot-in-Command.

• to act as Co-Pilot of any aeroplane where a Co-pilot is required to be carried and which is entered in the aircraft rating of his licence.

For more information please visit:

https://dgca.gov.in/digigov-portal/?dynamicPage=aircraftRulesContent2Req/1/3055/viewDynamicRuleContLvl2&mainaircraftRules1937/1/0/viewDynamicRulesReq