If you are a young Indian who’s always dreamed of a career as an airline pilot, there’s no better time than now!

Growing demand and a looming shortfall

Airlines around the world are facing a dilemma: a global pilot shortage. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of air travellers are expected to double to 8.2 billion by 2037. This means that demand for qualified pilots continues to rise in tandem with that increase. Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook for 2020-2039 estimates that over the next two decades, the global aviation industry will need an additional 763,000 new pilots.

This reasons for this vary:  an ageing pilot population in the developed world combined with an unprecedented increase in air travel in the developing world. However, the growth is nowhere more pronounced than in India, which is witnessing a boom in air travel, leading to Indian carriers expanding their fleets and routes, thereby creating a strong demand for  pilots. Indigo made headlines recently with the largest ever single aircraft order placed for 500 Airbus aircrafts in June 2023.

The Indian government and the private sector are collaborating to implement solutions to address this. Initiatives like the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016 aim to make it easy to train and find employment for pilots by creating a favourable environment. The policy even goes on to encourage the setting up of more flying schools while providing incentives for investments made in aviation infrastructure.

What does this mean for aspiring pilots?

One factor that often deters young pilot aspirants from considering this career path is the uncertainty over career prospects. You may be aware of the time, not so far in the past, when there were more pilots than jobs available in India, and  many newly certified pilots were unable to find jobs and struggled to repay the cost of training. Those days are now history.

In 2024 and for the foreseeable future, any young person who dreams of taking to the skies and possesses drive to succeed during the rigorous training process is almost automatically assured a career as an airline pilot.

Challenges to navigate

While the future looks promising for aspiring pilots, some challenges remainChoosing the right flying school, navigating the extensive red tape that surrounds the DGCA and other regulatory requirements, and securing a type rating can easily become hurdles that add to the stress of training.

This is where a Cadet Pilot Program comes into the picture. A training program like this handles the whole process for you – from a ground school for the DGCA exams, a flight school for your CPL, foreign license conversions and a training organisation for the required type rating – so you can concentrate on what is truly important: studying and logging your flight hours.  And there’s more – all Cadet Pilot Programs are linked to an airline, so you are assured of a job with that airline at the end of the training period.

Marigold Aviation is one such institution that aims to revolutionise pilot training in India with its world-class training facilities and the expertise of its management and advisory team. marigold is also proud to be a partner in the IndiGo Cadet Pilot program, linkings it’s world-class offerings with Asia’s strongest airline.

Conclusion

India’s budding pilots have a better chance than ever to take flight to new altitudes. There’s no better time than now to reach for the skies.