What is AME?

Answer: AME is Aircraft Maintenance engineering. This is related with the maintenance of aircraft. As per government rule

before flying of any a/c it must be certified for airworthiness by Aircraft maintenance engineer.

Difference between Aeronautical engineering and aircraft Maintenance engineering

Answer: Aeronautical engineering is related with designing/ manufacturing of aircraft but AME is related with maintenance of aircraft.

Is AME a Degree or Diploma course?

Answer: No, AME is not a degree or Diploma course. Basically this is a license course. In aviation if you want to do the

maintenance on aircraft person need license whereas with the degree or diploma you can not do the maintenance on

aircraft.

Is there any Job Guarantee?

Answer: The Bombay Flying Club will provide 100% Job assistance Instead of Job Guarantee. If the student is having the

basic certificate issued by DGCA

Is there any Loan facility ?

Answer: Yes we will provide Loan facility from The Saraswat Bank.

When does one become a Captain?

Answer: After gaining adequate experience as a first officer and upgrading to an Airline Transport Pilot License, one qualifies to become a Captain. Thereafter, training of 6-8 months is required to obtain a PIC (pilot-in-command) rating for that particular type of aircraft. It can take anything between 18 months to five years, depending on the aircraft, the opportunity, the airline and your own effort.

What is the salary of an airline pilot?

Answer: In India, the salary of an airline pilot varies with the carrier and are close to global scales. The gross salary for a qualified First Officer range between Rs 1,35,000 per month to Rs 2,40,000 per month and for a Captain between Rs 2,50,000 and Rs 6,00,000 per month. The salary depends on the airline you fly and the number of hours/years of service. Normally the period of transition from a First Officer to a Captain is 3-5 years.

What are the job prospects?

Answer: The job prospects in the airline industry are very bright at this point of time. With the economy growing consistently, purchasing power is driving Indians to fly. The importance of time over money is key to making a transition from the railways to airlines as a primary mode of transport. Flying however is a universal skill and once you have a few thousand hours under the belt, the world is open with opportunities.

Does one require special skills to be a pilot?

Answer: It requires a basic aptitude and good interpersonal skills to be a good pilot. It also requires one to have reasonable basic numerical abilities, apart from good reasoning and communication skills. A pilot's job requires working closely with his colleagues, so good interpersonal skills are an asset.

What is a flight like for a pilot?

Answer: Before a flight a pilot has certain pre-flight duties. He/she arrives at the airport one hour before departure time and first has to sign a pre flight medical to certify that he/she is fit to undergo the flight. This is followed by a look at the weather and other flight information. After the pre-flight preparations, one proceeds to the airplane for flight preparation. The heavy workload periods are during departure and arrival. During the rest of the flight, the airplane is flown on autopilot and the pilots basically monitor the flight progress. A critical function of a pilot is good decision making. Decisions made have to be knowledge based and require sound judgment.

How difficult is it to get a job in the Aviation sector?

Answer: A job in the Aviation sector requires you to have the right attitude and expectations. You must also be willing to put in some hard work - aviation is not an industry that provides an easy path to a high paying job. You must be willing to move to where the work is, and to accept that the industry operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Like any career - you cannot expect to walk straight from a training course into the top jobs - you will need to start at the bottom and work your way up.

How can I organize financial assistance? Does BFC have any Bank Tie ups?

Answer: We can put you in touch with Banks who can help you with the same. Please remember grant of loan is at the sole discretion of the bank.

Do you offer night flying to students at BFC ?

Answer: Yes night flying is offered to students at Nagpur, Aurangabad or Baroda.

How does CPL Start-up Course (45 days , 15 hours) help or is useful in a pilot training course?

Answer: Start-up CPL was designed after carefully analyzing students requirement and needs. In past one year of operations at BFC we realized that students wanted to have a shorter course which gave them practical exposure with actual credits (flying being accounted for in their log books) and also made them eligible to appear for DGCA exams and once that was cleared they would want to come back to finish the course with more certainty of their eligibility & competence for becoming a pilot. And all this in a cost effective and time controlled program. Start-up CPL delivers 15 hours of single engine flying over 45-60 days with introduction to ground School, issue of SPL and concludes with generation of DGCA computer number which enables you to sit for DGCA exams and all this at 1/10th the CPL cost. No other academy offers this as a structured course and hence students take 3-4 months to complete flying and with no ground studies exposure and they need to self facilitate the DGCA paperwork. Hence its a highly cost, quality & time effective package for aspiring pilots. also this course is non-binding, on completion fo same you can continue your training with any academy India or Abroad. Students in class XI/XII can also opt for this course in their summer break so that by the time they complete class XII they already have a Start-up CPL advantage. For same please remember on completion of your course you are granted the license if you are 18yrs or above .

How many CPL's can your academy train in a year?

Answer: BFC shall train 120 CPL candidates per year. We have 4 batches in a year. Our batches commence every 3 months in April/ July/ September/ December.

What is the minimum age limit for applying for any course?

Answer: Minimum age to apply for any course at BFC is 17 years.

What are the qualifications required for applying for Ab-initio to CPL and PPL courses?

Answer: For CPL:

Educational Qualification:10+2, with Physics and Mathematics, min of 50% marks

Medical:Class II Medical (Indian) with fitness certificate from designated medical practitioner.

Please note for issue of CPL License Class I Medical would be necessary

Other:Adequate competency in English Language.

For PPL:

Educational Qualification:Finished class 10 Exam, min of 50% marks.

Medical:Class II Medical (Indian) , Fitness certificate from designated medical practitioner

Other:Adequate competency in English language.

When is next course starting?

Answer: Mail us on our Email or Call Us

Does joining BFC require going overseas for any flying or any other course module?

Answer: No, BFC is self-sufficient in delivering the complete course curriculum including Single/Multi Engine flying, Ground Studies and Simulator Training.

What is the purpose of a ground lesson (briefing) before each flight at BFC?

Answer: Ground studies and briefings form an important base for you to learn how to fly.

Who conducts the flight test at BFC?

Answer: All exams for Pilot licenses are conducted by DGCA.

How many hours does one need to fly for a solo at BFC?

Answer: 12-17 hours is average.

What are the required flying hours for a PPL/CPL at BFC?

Answer: As per DGCA requirements :PPL minimum 55.

CPL - minimum 200.

What are the advantages of doing a full time diploma/certificate course at BFC?

Answer: The course is fully integrated flying and theory. This provides you with better employment prospects on completion.

What is the difference between a full time and part time course at BFC?

Answer: Full time courses of PPL & CPL are integrated courses offering full spectrum of Ground Studies, Flight Simulators, Single Engine flying (Solo/Dual, Cross country, night etc), Instrument Rating and Multi Engine (only for CPL). On completion of course a student is eligible and well prepared to appear for and successfully clear the DGCA examination to achieve the PPL/CPL License. Part- time courses only cover flying training as applied by the candidate.

What is the Course duration to obtain a PPL/CPL at BFC?

Answer: Course duration for CPL is approximately 1 year and course duration for PPL is about 6 months.

What will it take to obtain a PPL/CPL at BFC?

Answer: The first part of the PPL takes you to the General Flying Progress Test (GFPT). This normally takes about 35 hours, and at this point you can take other people flying with you, but in a limited area. You then complete around 20 hours of cross-country navigation training to obtain your full Private Pilot License (PPL). A PPL require a minimum of 55 hours flying experience. You need to pass three theory exams, and a flight test.

A CPL requires a minimum of 200 hours experience, with four theory exams and two flight tests. The PPL actually makes up the first part of the CPL.

Are the medical standards very high?

Answer: The medical standards of an airline pilot are quite normal. It is essential for one to be fit with no congenital

disorders that may interfere with flying duties. Please refer to courses page for eligibility criteria for each course at BFC

What is the reservation of seats for SC/ST Candidates?

Answer: None.

What is the syllabus for the Entrance Examination?

Answer: Knowledge of Physics, Math and English up to 10+2 standard is required along with General awareness.

Is it possible to fly if you are colorblind?

Answer: You can fly to a PPL level license with color blindness.

I wear spectacles can I become an airline pilot?

Answer: This is a misconception. So long as your vision is correctable with glasses, there are no other restrictions for people with poor eyesight for becoming pilots.

What school subjects do I need for me to pursue flying training with BFC?

Answer: To appear for the CPL exam with DGCA all trainee pilots are required to have passed 10+2 with Physics and Math as subjects.

Is Overseas training more expensive?

Answer: A CPL course consists of Single Engine flying, Multi Engine Flying, Ground studies and DGCA exams. Typically SE would constitute 70% of course fees, Multi Engine 20% and ground studies 10%. Most of the published overseas CPL training only includes Single Engine you still need to add another 30%. Add to this cost of going abroad and staying abroad. The shortest stay for CPL would be a 6 months cycle and it would cost you anywhere between 4-6 lacs for same. After you have put all this together calculate if it is cheaper to go abroad.

Is it faster for me to get a CPL abroad, or is it better in India?

Answer: Most institutes abroad promote a 6 months CPL program, which is part preparation for CPL so you need to add time for other aspects. The 6 months target is based on climatic conditions since most of these institutes are based in US/UK and Australia. Even if that was to happen please add one month of Visa time, so that is 7 months if you complete in record time of 6 months .You then return to India and study for DGCA exams after which you apply for a computer number for DGCA exam. DGCA exams happen every 3 months, so depending on when you come back it takes anywhere between 4-6 months (ground studies are tough to crack in a single attempt), so that’s 11-13 months at the best of times. This is not all - After 6 months of obtaining your flying license overseas, your FAA/JAR license needs to be renewed , since that is not done in India you need to go back abroad to do the same, so add not only one month but additional cost of going overseas for the same. By the time you get the DGCA results it is anywhere between 15-20 months depending on how lucky you were.

Does overseas training mean better placements overseas or in India?

Answer: Airlines overseas typically do not recruit fresh graduates they take mature pilots with many hours of flying. This does not improve overseas placement chances (In any case aviation industry is also facing recession). In India since this is a highly regulated domain, you need to do a lot of study and checks for your license. As a result airlines look at the license and don’t give additional weight age to overseas academies; they might give it to the better academies whether in India or abroad.

How do you maintain safety standards?

Answer: A world-class maintenance facility equipped with all the requisite tools and test equipment has been setup in a modern 11000 sq ft hangar at the Academy. This augmented with our staff of highly qualified engineers & skilled technicians provides us the capability of conducting all servicing and maintenance schedules required for safe and efficient operation of our fleet.

Is there any Hostel accommodation available?

Answer: BFC has tied up with a local Hotel/ Flats facility at Dhule. The self contained and modern rooms are available as Single & Double accommodation. The same is on a paid basis on nominal charges. Boarding and lodging in the hostel is mandatory for all students during training. Dining facility will be available for the students at the hostel.

How many airplanes do you currently have?

Answer: BFC has 2 brand new Cessna 172R’s, 1Cessna 152's and one Piper Cub

What type of aircraft does BFC use for Initial training?

Answer: We have the latest Gamin 10000 Glass Cockpit aircraft being used across the world to provide world-class training. Integrated courses at BFC not only provide training on single engine aircraft but also on the latest Glass cockpit brand new Multi Engine aircraft.

How many minimum flying hours are required to appear in the CPL exams?

Answer: For a CPL the applicant should have :

a) Passed 10+2 standard examination with Physics and Math subjects from recognized Board/University or its equivalent examination.

b)i) The applicant should have PPL OR

ii) Have completed 100 hrs of ground training covering all subjects of CPL in an approved flying training institute for which the CFI shall issue a certificate to this effect and The applicant shall be permitted to appear in Aviation Meteorology and Air Regulation papers and thereafter on being successfull in these exams and on completion of a minimum of 15 hrs of flying training which may include a maximum of 5 hours of simulator training, the applicant shall be permitted to appear in other subjects of CPL ie . Air Navigation, Technical General and Technical Specific on the aircraft type; OR

iii)An applicant shall be permitted to appear in all papers of CPL provided he has acquired a minimum of 25 hrs of flying training experience which may include a maximum of 5 hrs of simulator training and completed 350 hrs of ground training as specified on CAR Section 7 Series 'D' Part 1

c) Attended the ground training classes with DGCA approved Flying/Ground Training Institutes or Defense Establishments on the subjects of a category of license in which the applicant desires to appear.

I have done my PPL and Instrument Rating in US, over here we log IFR as PIC , my question is can we log IFR as PIC in India.

Answer: In India all IFR time is not taken as PIC. It depends on the nature of flight like IFR solo or IFR with check examiner for the purpose of checks. We should be able to calculate the acceptable PIC time in India once you provide us your flight log and nature of flights.

I am not fluent in English can I still get admission?

Answer: Since English is the language used in aviation, it is necessary that you improve your English speaking skills to pursue a career in aviation.

Do you provide assistance with Class 1 or Class 2 medical Exam?

Answer: We would provide you with information on where you can have this done. You may log on to the DGCA website and go to the ‘medical’ section for information on the same.

What should I keep in mind when selecting a flying school?

Answer: When selecting an academy you may want to take into consideration a few things like High Quality training, fully integrated and fast track course : This can be achieved with Appropriate location, large Infrastructure , new fleet of planes, experienced faculty and good boarding and lodging facilities.

WHAT IS THE SALARY OF AN AIRLINE PILOT?

Answer: The salary of an airline pilot may be anywhere between Rs 60,000 to Rs 4lacs per month approximately. It all depends on your position and years of service.

What is Garmin - 1000? What is the total fee of the CPL course?

Answer: The Garmin G1000 is an integrated flight instrument system manufactured by Garmin typically composed of two display units, one serving as a primary flight display, and one as a multi-function display. It serves as a replacement for most conventional flight instruments and avionics. The CPL- IR course at BFC costs a total of Rs 18,10,000 and takes one year to complete. This includes 200 hrs of flying training in the Cessna 172R (with garmin glass cockpit),500hrs of ground studies and 20 hrs of simulator training.

I want to be trained as an Airline Pilot. Is it available at BFC? As a girl is this stream better for me? Is there any fixed percentage one needs in 10+2 ? Is there an entrance exam for admission to the CPL course?

Answer: Yes,BFC trains pilots to get their PPL and CPL license. We also conduct other courses like renewals, conversions etc. Being a girl or boy does not matter, It all depends on your ability and skills. A candidate needs to have pass marks in 10+2 with Physics and Math. To get admission to the CPL course you do require to pass an admission test with BFC.