Introduction:

In this piece, we’ll talk about DGCA CPL ground training in India. Most importantly, you will also get an overview of what you need to study in these CPL subjects. You will learn what aviation subjects you need to pass as well as how many CPL subjects you need to study in order to become a pilot.

So buckle up because you’re getting ready to take off.

One of the most exciting and rewarding career options if you’re thinking about becoming a professional pilot. With the aid of our cutting-edge commercial pilot training program, our expert can assist you in achieving that goal. The Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) program combines theoretical aviation knowledge with hands-on flight instruction.

A skills test with an examiner is the last step in obtaining a CPL Pilot License, which calls for at least 200 hours of flight time, including solo flights. Your overall general handling and navigational skills are tested in the DGCA CPL exam.

We are outlining the most effective method for obtaining a successful Commercial Pilot License by preparing for the CPL exam. 

Subjects For DGCA CPL Ground Classes:

DGCA CPL Ground Class Subjects:

We will be describing the CPL ground classes or subjects needed to become a pilot to you in this article if you are an aviation enthusiast and are interested in learning how to become a pilot. The six subjects that you must learn in order to become a pilot are the main topics covered in DGCA CPL Ground classes for pilots.

To obtain a commercial pilot license from the DGCA, you must pass the following 6 subjects:

1. Air Navigation
2. Technical General
3. Aviation Meteorology
4. Air Regulations
5. Technical Specific
6. RTR(A)

Air NAGIVATION  For CPL :

One of the two extremely broad subjects in DGCA CPL ground classes where you’ll be studying in great detail how to get from point A to point B is air navigation. Describe graticules. How do latitudes work? How do longitudes work?

For instance, you learn how to read and use maps and charts while navigating an airplane, as well as magnetic directions.

In order to fly and monitor other parameters that you would study in instrumentation, an aircraft needs instruments as well. You would research their construction, the underlying theories, data interpretation techniques, and flying navigation techniques.

We need to learn about radio equipment that is installed on the ground, such as a VOR, DME, and ILS. We also need to learn about radio waves and how they behave on the ground and in the air. In addition to these, there are numerous other unique aspects of air navigation. You now have a solid understanding of what studying for the CPL air navigation entails.

TECHNICAL GENERAL For CPL:

Technical general is the next subject we need to learn for the commercial pilot license. As the name implies, this is the other extensive subject in aviation. In this subject, you study the technical aspects of aircraft, including their structure, airframe, and, most importantly, their redundancy.

You next examine flight control surfaces. Give it a hydraulic system, because there are surfaces to change the aircraft’s direction or altitude. These control surfaces also need a lot of hydraulic pressure to deflect against the strong airflow passing over them.

You must also learn about other systems, such as landing gears and how they extend and retract, as well as aircraft air conditioning and how the temperature is managed. 

You learn about fire extinguishers, emergency fire situations, and fuel systems. All of these make up the structure of an aircraft, but you must also learn the fundamentals of aerodynamics and the laws of flight, such as how the lift produced by the wing surface propels us into the air.

AVIATION METEOROLOGY For CPL:

           

Aviation meteorology is the third topic covered in DGCA CPL ground classes. Now that we are in charge of a flying machine, we are constantly exposed to nature and the atmosphere. As a result, we must learn about the atmosphere, clouds, and the various types of clouds in order to identify and avoid the dangerous ones.

In meteorology, we also look at how the seasons and weather change over the course of the year. We also look at thermodynamic values like pressure, temperature, and altitude changes. You research things like fog visibility and wind patterns. 

       

In addition to these, we research flight hazards, which include things like thunderstorms, lightning, icing, and many others that pose numerous threats to and dangers to flying. Since we live on the Indian subcontinent, we also have to study Indian climatology, which examines how the weather and seasons change throughout this lovely nation over the course of a year. We study the causes of these hazardous flight hazards as well as how to avoid them.

Finally, you will learn how to interpret this coded information so that you can accurately predict the weather on your route or at your destination airport. All of the data mentioned above are specified in a coded format known as a METAR or TAF. The DGCA CPL meteorology subject is now complete.

AIR REGULATION For CPL

Air regulations are currently the fourth topic covered in DGCA pilot ground classes. We have established rules up in the air that must be adhered to, just as we are required to follow certain traffic laws on the ground. If we take India as an example, we use the left lane for driving while the majority of other countries use the right lane. Some countries may have their own traffic laws. The second part is an oral exam, also known as a viva, in which you will be questioned by two different examiners. One of them will be from the WPC and will ask you questions about radio components like what superheterodyne is, how amplifiers work, etc. The other person will be from the DGCA, and they will question you about things like flight details, geographical areas, and airspace.

In this case, knowing the phrases and terminologies of radio telephony language is crucial. The most important thing is knowing when and how to use them. For instance, a pilot in distress or in an emergency should say mayday mayday mayday.

But because there are so many international flights, it would be chaos if the same thing happened in the air. For a pilot, learning the various regulations of all the nations he will be flying to will be very stressful, so the way to avoid all of this mayhem is to: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its member nations developed a set of regulations, which are followed by all of the organization’s contracting and member states. For your information, the ICAO currently has 193 member states, so among other things, we research international treaties like the ones mentioned above and research international organizations like the ICAO.

AIR REGULATION | AIR REGULATION For CPL

We also study the 19 annexures that the ICAO has specified and mandated. we study air law rules of the air that we need to abide by Another important point here is that the countries can make a change to the ICAO specified and suggested rules but they can only do it more stringent than rule the strict banners they can’t loosen and relax these rules.

Apart from this, in, we study aviation terminologies, aircraft lighting, airport lighting, the rules of flying in visual flight rules or VFR, and instrument flight rules or IFR.

We also study human performance which is what all activities of humans can affect and how can they affect human performance or human health for example how can smoking affect human ability.

To interpret data and fly an aircraft is also the subject where the guidelines are specified regarding which departments have what roles and responsibilities post air crashes.

TECHNICAL SPECIFIC For CPL:

The next subject in DGCA ground classes for CPL is technical specific, as name wise this is very similar to technical general which is specified above but here also we study technicalities in general which can be applied to any aircraft out there but in this, we study technicalities of a particular specific type of aircraft that is known as technical specific.

Now you don’t need to study all the different types of aircraft but rather you just give examinations of those specific aircraft that you are going to fly and do training on.

It is a comparatively very short subject because here we only study the dimensions of aircraft and the engine types. Is it a propeller aircraft or a gas turbine aircraft What type of fuel does it require to fly and what aircraft’s limitations like weight limitations, maximum speeds, and other very basic specifications of the aircraft?

All the above examinations that are specified here are conducted by the DGCA or Directorate General of Civil Aviation which is the governing body of civil aviation in India.

RTR(A) Exam: 

RTR or Radio Telephony Restricted exam is conducted by WPC or wireless planning and coordination which is a body under the Department of Telecommunications.

This exam is considered to be one of the toughest and why is it, let’s look at the pattern of examination:

This examination is more of a practical-oriented examination wherein your skills of communication over radio and radio telephony language are tested, this examination consists of two parts.

Part one is the transmission part wherein you sit with the headphones on with your examiner behind you you have a question paper and you have to answer the questions and you have to use the perfect phrases according to the situation in the examination.

So you talk along with the examiner behind and you have to answer him verbally and also keep listening to him and simultaneously also have to keep writing the answer down on the answer sheet. So it’s understandable why this examination is considered to be one of the toughest.

RTR And Radio Telephony Restricted Exam

The second part is an oral exam, also known as a viva, in which you will be questioned by two different examiners. One of them will be from the WPC and will ask you questions about radio components like what superheterodyne is, how amplifiers work, etc. The other person will be from the DGCA, and they will question you about things like flight details, geographical areas, and airspace.

In this case, knowing the phrases and terminologies of radio telephony language is crucial. The most important thing is knowing when and how to use them. For instance, a pilot in distress or in an emergency should say mayday mayday mayday.

The six subjects listed above are what you must study in order to become a pilot in India. The point being made here is that there are various different scenarios if you are flying from outside of India and want to become a pilot in India. More information on these situations is available here.

DGCA CPL Ground Classes Fees:

It doesn’t matter whether you study on your own or take classes for the DGCA subjects as long as you don’t put your heart into it. Once you decide to work hard in order to gain the knowledge you most certainly will start getting positive results.

If you study on your own, chances are that you might not understand the topics in one go, and you will take a little longer to grasp the subjects. But as long as you stick to hard work, you’ll be successful, there is no doubt about it.

Now on the other hand, if you join a ground school, you’ll be spending some money on tuition but then again you’ll be gaining knowledge at a faster pace through experienced people who teach aviation students according to the DGCA syllabus on a regular basis. So joining a ground school would definitely provide you with an edge. The fee for DGCA CPL ground classes may vary from institute to institute between 1.5 lakh to 2.2 lakh.

Duration Of DGCA CPL Ground Classes:

You could spend as much time as you want in order to clear the DGCA exams. But if you pour your heart and soul into it and study day in and day out it doesn’t take any longer than 3 months to clear all the subjects. But again, it depends on your CPL ground school, because you have to follow their schedule. Sometimes your ground classes institute takes more than 6 months to complete your CPL ground classes.

Today’s era is full of technology and you can take advantage of it as some ground schools provide DGCA ground classes online. It will not only reduce your course duration but on the other hand, it is also cost-effective. So again it all depends on which institute you choose for ground classes for dgca exams.
To clear all your DGCA exams in one go, you will have to put everything else aside and just focus only on your goal with guidance from the experts in the industry to help you with your studies. To prepare for the DGCA exams and to make sure that you understand every single topic to the core. You have to study hard on your own then you can manage to clear all the exams in one attempt.
Clearing the exams with self-study is possible but you will need some guidance maybe you won’t need it. But joining a good ground school definitely makes things easier to absorb if you do not have any prior experience with aviation. So choose wisely!

How To Choose The Best DGCA CPL Ground School:

There are many ground schools in India for coaching for DGCA exams, which we can call the best in terms of quality of education and other factors. Because when you compare, most of them have a difference in terms of results, passing percentage, and students appearing. So how to choose the best? Our job is to choose the one that suits us, or which we find better than others at a personal level. Here are some factors that can be considered while choosing the best Ground School for DGCA exam preparation.

Talk to a lot of ground schools for DGCA exam preparation, so that you have a lot of choices to choose from.
Ask for their legit previous year results, to check how much their students are scoring in the past few exams.
Check that, what is the number of students they keep in one batch. Do not choose ones that keep a lot of students in one batch, since they will not pay any attention to you, and that’s sure harm! Ask about their teaching faculties, their qualifications, and work experience. The more experienced they are, the easier they will make it for you.
When you are visiting their premises, clear all your doubts.
Ensure that the ground school you are applying for is a legit one.If you are taking recommendations from your seniors please check if the same teachers are teaching. It is more on the teacher and less on the name of the ground school.

The last factors are fees and other things which are your own choices.
Never go for names, explore yourself, that will be more satisfactory.
Study always to learn new things and improve your skills and in the process clear your exams.

Read our more blog:- How to Become a Pilot in India? Complete Guide

Conclusion:

DGCA Exams are not any entrance exams these are exams that every student pilot needs to pass for the issuance of CPL and you need to score a minimum of 70 marks in each subject.
To appear for DGCA exams a candidate first has to apply for a computer number for which he needs to have a valid class 12th mark sheet with physics and maths or diploma mark sheet. You need to sign up on the DGCA Pariksha portal.
Once issued with a computer number you can apply for the exams on the same website whenever the portal for exams is opened. Generally, it remains open for a period of 7-10 days.

Best of luck future pilots.

Happy Landings!