DGCA Approved Flying Schools in India
How to find an approved school, what to check before paying, and how India compares with training abroad.
Quick answer
DGCA publishes the official list of approved flying training organisations (FTOs) on its website. Before choosing, compare fleet size, instructors, weather, completion times and the written fee schedule. A CPL in India costs about ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh and takes 18 to 24 months.
Where is the official list of flying schools?
DGCA maintains the official list of approved flying training organisations (FTOs). It shows each school's location and approval status.
Only train at a school on DGCA's current FTO list. Search for "DGCA approved FTO list" on the DGCA website and check the date of the list.
Well known flying schools in India
These are some well known names. Inclusion here is information only and not a ranking.
| School | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) | Fursatganj, Uttar Pradesh | Government backed, own entrance exam |
| Air India Flying Academy | Amravati, Maharashtra | Air India cadet route. DGCA approval listed as pending, so check its current status |
| Garuda Aviation Academy | Gurugram, Haryana | Ground school partner in the IndiGo cadet programme |
| State flying clubs | Various states | Often lower fees, check waiting times |
Source: DGCA FTO list, IndiGo and Air India programme releases. Fees not listed where not published. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Fees are not shown because most schools do not publish them. Ask each school for a written quote.
How do you choose a flying school?
- DGCA approval: on the current FTO list.
- Fleet: number of working aircraft per student.
- Instructors: enough to fly every good weather day.
- Weather: how many days are lost to monsoon or fog.
- Completion time: how long recent batches actually took.
- Fee schedule: stage wise payments and the extra hour rate.
- Refund policy: what happens if you leave or fail a medical.
- Lender acceptance: whether government banks and NBFCs fund this school.
India or abroad: how do costs compare?
| Country | Licence | Total cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | DGCA CPL | ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh | 18 to 24 months |
| South Africa | SACAA CPL | ZAR 849,000 to ZAR 995,000 (₹49 lakh to ₹58 lakh) | 12 to 15 months |
| New Zealand | CAA NZ CPL | NZD 80,000 to NZD 120,000 (₹43 lakh to ₹65 lakh) | 15 to 20 months |
| Canada | Transport Canada CPL | CAD 30,000 to CAD 55,000 (₹20 lakh to ₹37 lakh) | 18 to 24 months |
| Australia | CASA CPL | AUD 62,000 to AUD 140,000 (₹42 lakh to ₹94 lakh) | 12 to 18 months |
| USA | FAA CPL | 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.
Training abroad
Schools like 43 Air School in South Africa train many Indian students. On return you need a DGCA licence conversion.
10 questions to ask every flying school
- Is the school on DGCA's current FTO list?
- How many aircraft are flying today, not just owned?
- How many students per instructor?
- How long did the last batch take to finish 200 hours?
- Is multi-engine training done here or elsewhere?
- Are instrument and night flying available on site?
- What is included in the fee, and what is extra?
- What is the rate for extra hours?
- What is the refund policy if I leave or fail a medical?
- Which lenders have funded students here before?
Is the cheapest flying school the best value?
Not always. A lower fee can come with long waits for aircraft.
| Lower fee school | Faster school | |
|---|---|---|
| Training time | 30 months | 20 months |
| Extra living costs | 10 more months | None |
| Loan payments during training | For 30 months | For 20 months |
| Start earning | Later | Earlier |
Source: An example to show the trade-off, not figures for any named school.
Compare the total cost including living costs and what you pay on the loan during training, not only the headline fee. See pilot training cost in India.
Picked a school? Check the loan for it
We confirm whether lenders fund your chosen school and what you would pay each month during training.
Red flags when choosing a school
- Not on the DGCA FTO list, or suspended recently
- Pressure to pay the full fee up front
- No written fee schedule
- Vague answers about completion time
What to check on a campus visit
- See the aircraft on the line, and ask how many flew that week.
- Talk to current students about waiting times.
- Check the hostel, food and distance to the airfield.
- Look at the maintenance hangar and simulator.
- Ask to see the written fee schedule and refund terms.
A short visit can save months of delay later.
How flying school fees are usually structured
| Component | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Admission or registration | Seat booking |
| Ground school | Classes for DGCA papers and RTR(A) |
| Flying fee | Aircraft hours, often charged per stage |
| Multi-engine training | Twin engine hours, sometimes billed separately |
| Exams and licence | DGCA fees, skill tests |
| Living costs | Hostel, food, uniform |
Source: Common fee structure at Indian flying schools. Ask each school for its own schedule. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Stage wise fees match stage wise loan disbursal, which keeps interest lower during training.
Will a lender fund your chosen school?
Lenders check the school before sanction. They prefer DGCA approved schools and well known foreign schools with a clear fee schedule.
- Share the school name and fee letter early
- Ask whether fees can be paid in stages
- Keep the refund policy in the loan file
Key takeaways
- Only consider schools on DGCA's current FTO list
- Compare completion time and total cost, not just the headline fee
- Get the fee schedule and refund policy in writing
- Confirm early that your lender funds the school
- Visit the campus and talk to current students about real waiting times
- If you train abroad, budget for DGCA conversion on return
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.