Indigo is the biggest Indian airline currently, having an amazing fleet size and has both domestic and international flights. It is growing at a very fast pace, since 2013. With its expanding fleet size, it will require more number of ground staff, cabin crew, and pilots to function and keep up in the competition with other airlines.
Indigo Cadet Program
As Indigo Airline is growing, the consistency in the quality and safety standards must be maintained. For the same purpose, Indigo has initiated the Indigo Cadet PilotProgram, where aspiring pilots will be trained according to the airline’s standards and expectations from the pilots, by the airline’s officials, and the flying training will also be conducted by the airline. After the completion of the course, the Commercial Pilot Licence will be given to students and the students will have a contract of a certain number of years in the airline, as a pilot. The Indigo Cadet Program is presented with L3 Airline Academy.
Eligibility criteria
- The candidate should be having a valid passport.
- The candidate should be between 17 and 32 years of age.
- The candidate must have proficiency in English language.
- The candidate should have cleared Class 1 and Class 2 medical tests, from DGCA approved medical centres.
- The candidate must produce a Criminal Record Check Basic Disclosure Certificate.
Admission process
The admission process includes three stages, i.e. the entrance test, the pilot aptitude test, and GDPI (interview).
The entrance test consists of basic questions from Physics and Mathematics from 12th standard, and general knowledge.
The Pilot Aptitude test will check the candidate’s ability to multitask and handle pressure and stress.
The third stage is interview where they will check basic knowledge of the candidate pertaining to Physics. The candidate will be selected once he/she manages to clear all the three stages.
Ground classes, flight training and type rating
Selected students will have to undergo 615 hours of ground training of theoretical knowledge. This will take place in their academy in Gondia, Maharashtra. The UPRT, i.e. the Upset Prevention and Recovery Training will be completed before the type rating. The candidates will obtain their CPL, after which they will propel towards the type rating on the airbus A320. The type rating process will be held in Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid or Dubai. Type rating will make the candidate qualified for the position of the co-pilot.
Duration of theIndigo Cadet Program
The CPL training lasts for 17 months where theoretical knowledge training and flight training is done. UPRT and type rating takes another 3 months. The other factors which may alternate the duration are weather, licencing process, and performance of the cadet.
Fee structure
The whole cadet program costs up to 1 Crore. This includes ground training, flying hours, licence conversion type rating and all other facilities like uniform, meals, accommodation, study material , IELTS coaching, Wi-Fi, laundry, etc. The facilities like meals, accommodation, Wi-Fi and laundry are not provided when in India, but only when out of India for flying training and type rating.
Agreement with the airline.
Once, the candidate is done with all the training and type rating, he/she will be required to sign a Specialized Training Agreement, where the student will commit to the airline to serve them for specific number of years. The candidate will be paid during the contract as a pilot, but the job guarantee in not 100%, thought the candidate will be kept on a safer side.
Conventional or Cadet Pilot Program?
In the opinions of most of the pilots, who have knowledge of the cadet program, conventional CPL is more convenient and affordable. A candidate going for CPL from a private flying school can finish off the course in 30 lakhs and the type rating will cost additional 15 lakhs, so the whole process, with other expenses will cost him/her up to 50 lakhs. Cadet program will cost minimum 95 lakhs. It is definitely a good option, only if the candidate is ready to face humongous expenses.
