Introduction to Pilot Podcast

➤ Introduction
➤ Life of Airline Pilot
➤ Guidance by Captain Neha
➤ Which subjects are there in DGCA exams?
➤ Air Navigation – DGCA
➤ Tips to clear Air Navigation
➤ Aviation Meteorology – DGCA
➤ Tips to clear Aviation Meteorology
➤ Air Regulation – DGCA
➤ Tips to clear Air Regulation
➤ Technical General – DGCA
➤ Tips to clear Technical General
➤ Technical Specific
➤ Tips to clear Technical Specific
➤ Is joining DGCA ground school a must?
➤ How does Captain Neha train aspiring Pilots for DGCA exams?

Key Points

  • 5 DGCA Subjects (India training)

    Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulations, Technical General, Technical Specific (aircraft-specific POH details).

  • Air Navigation (Vastest):

    6 subtopics—General Nav (lat/long, PN R), Radio Aids (VOR/ILS/GPS), Flight Instruments (altimeter/gyro), Mass & Balance (CG limits), Flight Planning (fuel policy), Aircraft Performance (takeoff/climb limits).

  • Aviation Meteorology:

    Weather hazards (icing/thunderstorms), decode METAR/TAF/SIGMET, pressure systems/fronts/cloud types (cumulonimbus avoidance)—clearable in 1 month.​

  • Air Regulations

    Memorize rules (Rule 25 smoking ban), licenses (CPL 100hr PIC), Jeppesen charts, ATS (separations/wake turbulence), human factors (hypoxia)—revision key.​

  • Technical General

    Aerodynamics (lift/stability), Engines (jet/piston cycles), Systems (pressurization/hydraulics/anti-ice), Electrics—conceptual understanding essential.​

  • Prep Strategy

    Medicals first, concepts > question banks, structured ground school (CNTAA: 5min videos + 30-40 Qs/chapter + quizzes), start Meteorology for confidence.

Summary

Pilot Podcast EP52 breaks down DGCA ground exams for Indian CPL: detailed coverage of Navigation's 6 topics (instruments/performance/planning), Meteorology (weather decoding/hazards), Regulations (rules/ATS/human factors), Tech General (aerodynamics/systems/engines), Tech Specific (POH for training aircraft like PA28)—Capt. Neha (16yrs experience) stresses concepts over rote, CNTAA's structured on-demand course (videos/questions/quizzes from scratch), common pitfalls like weak basics in vast subjects.

Conclusion

DGCA exams build lifelong pilot foundation—prioritize medicals, conceptual ground school (CNTAA recommended), sequential study (Meteorology first), consistent revision for 1st-attempt passes (95% success rate).

FAQ

  • What are the 5 DGCA subjects for Indian CPL training?

    Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Air Regulations, Technical General, and Technical Specific.

  • What 6 topics cover Air Navigation?

    General Navigation, Radio Aids, Flight Instruments, Mass & Balance, Flight Planning, Aircraft Performance.

  • How does an altimeter work simply?

    Static pressure expands an aneroid capsule calibrated to feet above reference datum (QNH/QNE).

  • Why study mass & balance?

    Ensures CG within limits—aft CG risks stall/spin, forward CG hinders flare/landing.

  • Common Navigation pitfall?

    Relying on question banks without concepts—exams now use custom questions.

  • Is ground school mandatory?

    Not mandatory but essential investment—structured courses like CNTAA teach from scratch, save time vs. self-study.