Flying Hours for CPL
What the 200 hours are made of, what they cost, and why the timeline is often longer than schools promise.
Quick answer
A DGCA CPL needs 200 hours of flight time, including at least 100 hours as pilot in command, with minimums for cross-country, instrument and night flying set in DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements. Weather and aircraft availability often stretch the timeline, so plan cost per hour and buffer months.
How are the 200 hours made up?
The 200 hours are not all the same. DGCA sets minimums for different types of flying.
| Type of flying | What it means |
|---|---|
| Total flight time | 200 hours |
| Pilot in command (PIC) | At least 100 hours flying as the pilot in charge |
| Cross-country | Flights between airfields, including a long qualifying cross-country |
| Instrument time | Flying by instruments, part of it allowed on a simulator |
| Night flying | Night take-offs and landings as pilot in command |
Source: DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 7, Series H. Check the exact minimums in the current CAR. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
The exact hour split for cross-country, instrument and night flying is set in DGCA's CAR. Ask your school for its syllabus mapped to the current CAR.
What are the stages of flying training?
- Dual flying: you fly with an instructor and learn the basics.
- First solo: you fly alone for the first time.
- Solo and cross-country: you build PIC hours and navigate between airfields.
- Instrument and night: flying by instruments and at night.
- Multi-engine: training on a twin engine aircraft.
- Skill tests: checks with an examiner before the CPL.
What do flying hours cost?
Flying is the biggest part of the CPL cost. Here are total training costs by country, which mostly reflect flying.
| Country | Training fees | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| India | ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh | 18 to 24 months |
| South Africa | ZAR 849,000 to ZAR 995,000 (₹49 lakh to ₹58 lakh) | 12 to 15 months |
| New Zealand | NZD 80,000 to NZD 120,000 (₹43 lakh to ₹65 lakh) | 15 to 20 months |
| Canada | CAD 30,000 to CAD 55,000 (₹20 lakh to ₹37 lakh) | 18 to 24 months |
| Australia | AUD 62,000 to AUD 140,000 (₹42 lakh to ₹94 lakh) | 12 to 18 months |
| USA | US$60,000 to US$90,000 (₹57 lakh to ₹86 lakh) | 12 to 18 months |
Source: FMS Aviation Academy and Maverick Aviation (India), Airship Aviation (South Africa, New Zealand, USA), flying school fees (Canada, Australia), 2026. Training fees only. Living costs, DGCA licence conversion and type rating are extra. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
What to ask every school
- Per hour rate for single engine, twin engine and simulator
- Is fuel included
- Instructor and landing fees
- What happens if you need extra hours
Why does training take longer than planned?
- Weather: monsoon and fog cancel flying days
- Aircraft: few trainers, or aircraft down for maintenance
- Instructors: shortages slow progress
- Exams: pending DGCA papers can hold up flying stages
Each extra month adds living costs. Build a buffer of 3 to 6 months into your plan and your loan.
Where should you fly?
You can fly at a DGCA approved flying school in India, or abroad and then do a DGCA licence conversion. Compare full costs on pilot training cost in India.
Key flying milestones explained
| Milestone | What happens | Typical point in training |
|---|---|---|
| First solo flight | You fly a circuit alone | After early dual training |
| Solo cross-country | You fly alone between airfields | After RTR(A) and solo practice |
| Instrument rating training | You fly by instruments only | Middle to late training |
| Night flying | Take-offs and landings after dark | Middle to late training |
| Multi-engine rating | Training on a twin engine aircraft | Near the end |
| Skill tests | Checks with an examiner | Final stage |
Source: Typical DGCA CPL training sequence. Your school's syllabus may differ. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
PPL vs CPL: why hours matter
- PPL: fewer hours, flying for leisure, no pay
- CPL: 200 hours, all five DGCA papers, flying for pay
Some students earn a PPL first, then continue to the CPL. Others go straight into an integrated CPL course. Both end at the same 200 hour standard.
Budget your 200 hours
Tell us where you will fly. A counsellor will show you the loan that fits and what you pay each month during training.
How to finish your hours faster
- Pass DGCA papers early so exams never hold up flying.
- Choose a school with enough aircraft and instructors per student.
- Avoid starting just before the monsoon at weather affected schools.
- Stay near the airfield so you can fly on short notice.
- Keep your Class 1 medical valid throughout.
Common mistakes with flying hours
- Comparing schools only on the per hour rate
- Not asking how long the last batch took to reach 200 hours
- Paying for many hours in advance with no refund terms
- Forgetting to log hours carefully. Your logbook is checked for the CPL
A month by month flying plan
| Months | Flying stage | Approx. hours by end |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Dual training and first solo | About 30 |
| 4 to 8 | Solo circuits and cross-country | About 90 |
| 9 to 12 | Instrument and night flying, more PIC time | About 140 |
| 13 to 16 | Hour building and long cross-country | About 185 |
| 17 to 18 | Multi-engine and skill tests | 200 |
Source: An example plan. Actual progress depends on weather and aircraft.
How to keep a clean logbook
- Log every flight the same day
- Split time correctly into dual, PIC, cross-country, instrument and night
- Get instructor signatures where required
- Keep a digital copy as backup
DGCA checks your logbook for the CPL and any conversion. Gaps cause delays.
Matching loan disbursal to your hours
Ask your lender to release fees in stages that follow your flying plan, such as after each block of hours. You only pay interest on what has been drawn.
Try amounts on the pilot loan EMI calculator page.
Key takeaways
- 200 hours in total, with at least 100 as pilot in command
- Cross-country, instrument and night minimums are set in DGCA's CAR
- Plan a buffer of 3 to 6 months for weather and aircraft delays
How to pay for pilot training
Most families use an education loan. There are three ways to do it, and the right one depends on two things: whether you have property for collateral, and whether a sponsoring airline has given you an LOI.
| Government bankWith property as collateral | NBFC, with an airline LOINo property needed | NBFC, without an LOINo property needed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest rate | Around 9.5%, linked to the RBI repo rate. Around 8.5% if you pay simple interest during the course | Around 11% to 13%, based on income | |
| During training | Nothing to pay (full moratorium), or monthly simple interest for the lower rate | A fixed partial EMI each month | The full EMI on the amount paid out so far |
| After training | Full EMI starts | The same EMI continues | |
| How much is funded | 85% of the fees. You pay 15% yourself (the margin) | 100% of the fees, up to ₹1.5 crore | |
| Processing fee | 1%, refunded later apart from about ₹10,000 | About 1% | |
| Loan insurance | About 1% to 2.5% of the loan | About 2% to 8% of the loan | |
| Co-borrower income | Checked by the bank | A minimum yearly income, set by the loan amount | Monthly income about ₹30,000 more than the EMI |
| Speed | Slow (weeks) | Faster | |
What is an LOI, and why does it matter?
An LOI (Letter of Intent) is a conditional pre-employment letter from a sponsoring airline. It promises you a future role with that airline once you finish training and meet its conditions.
Because a job is lined up, lenders see the loan as low risk. So they offer a partial EMI without collateral: a fixed amount each month during training, with the full EMI only after you finish. Without an LOI, the full EMI starts from the first payment to the school.
Not every government bank gives a full moratorium on pilot training loans, and government banks are usually slow because of property checks. If you need a fast sanction and an easier process, talk to the FundMyCampus team first.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what students and parents ask us about pilot training
Plan your pilot training loan
Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will call you with the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
FundMyCampus is a loan facilitation platform. Loans are sanctioned by the lending bank or NBFC at its discretion. Rates are approximate and change with the RBI repo rate and your profile. We never promise approval or a rate.