Introduction to Pilot Podcast

➤ Introduction
➤ Life of an Airline Pilot in the early days of a Pilot Career
➤ Winged Engineer’s First Week of Airline Training
➤ Meeting Pilots from all over India
➤ Diversity in Aviation
➤ When do you actually start to fly an Aircraft?
➤ Are you an international pilot or a domestic pilot?
➤ How much time does it take to complete ground training?
➤ Feeling of getting an Airline Job
➤ How does moving to a different city feel like?
➤ Expansion of Indian Aviation
➤ Career progression of an Airline Pilot
➤ Live Pilot Podcast
➤ Conclusion

Key Points

  • Joining Process

    Post-interview (3-6mo), submit docs (police verification takes longest); airline books staff tickets/cab to hotel; Day 1-2 = contract signing, company intro.

  • Ground Training

    2-3mo classroom (formals mandatory); meet diverse cadets from USA/Australia/India (C172/DA42/Techs); Northeast/Punjab cultures mix.​

  • No Instant Flying

    Post-CPL, expect 9-12mo more: ground school → sims/IR refresh → STL (low-vis/RNP/Cat II/III) → base check → supervised line flying (SLF) → release.

  • Diversity Boom

    Tier 2/3 city pilots rising (vs old Mumbai/Delhi only); shows aviation growth, pan-India awareness.

  • Lifestyle Shift

    Fixed ground schedule → chaotic roster (red-eyes/layovers/no festival leaves); pack nutrition/formals; pride in uniform/badge.​

  • Career Progression

    1yr to FO release; 3-5yr bond; Captain/350 transition = 6-12mo retraining; safety redundancies ensure competence.

Summary

Winged Engineer details cadet onboarding at major Indian airline: docs hassle → luxury hotel/cab/staff perks → 2-3mo ground school with pan-India diverse batch → 9-12mo sims/STL/SLF to fly; frustrating "when flying?" queries normal—safety layers build real pilots amid booming aviation.

Conclusion

Airline entry thrills (uniform pride, cabs, diversity) but demands patience (1yr+ training post-CPL); Indian aviation's Tier 2/3 influx signals massive growth—embrace redundancies for safe, rewarding cockpit life.

FAQ

  • How long after CPL to fly airline aircraft?

    9-12 months: 2-3mo ground school + sims/IR/STL + base check + SLF/route check; safety ensures competence.

  • What docs delay airline joining?

    Police verification (govt depts/appointments); medicals/licenses/IR must be current; airline emails joining date post-submission.

  • First week airline experience?

    Staff ticket/cab to hotel; Day 1-2 contracts/company seminar; formals daily; meet diverse cadets sharing flight school stories.

  • Why so much training post-type rating?

    Airline-specific: low-vis takeoff/RNP/Cat II/III + supervised line flying (STL/SLF); refreshes lapsed IR.

  • Pilot diversity in India now?

    Pan-India (Northeast/south/Tier 2/3 cities) vs old metro-only; reflects aviation boom/awareness.

  • Roster reality for new FOs?

    No fixed schedule/festival leaves; red-eyes/layovers; 3-5yr bond before transitions.