To earn a Commercial Pilot License DGCA (CPL) in India students must complete a minimum of 200 flying hours. These hours are mandatory as per DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) rules and ensure that every pilot develops the required flying experience confidence and skills for commercial operations.
The 200 flying hours include different types of flight experiences solo flying cross country flying instrument flying and night flying. Each category helps a student pilot master various flight conditions and situations that are commonly faced by commercial airline pilots.
Here's how the DGCA CPL License flying hours are generally distributed:
Solo Flying: Around 100 hours (for confidence and independent control).
Cross-Country Flying: About 50 hours (to understand navigation and route management).
Instrument Flying: Around 20 hours (for flying in limited or no visibility conditions).
Night Flying: Around 5 hours (to gain experience flying after dark).
Additional Practice & Tests: Remaining hours are used for revision check rides and DGCAapproved skill tests.Importance of 200 Flying Hours
Completing 200 flying hours is not just a DGCA formality it's a vital part of your professional pilot training. These hours help you develop real world flight handling navigation accuracy and decision making abilities. The more you practice under varied conditions the more confident and employable you become as a commercial pilot.
A well structured flight school like those approved by DGCA ensures your training is completed smoothly and efficiently within 12-18 months depending on weather and aircraft availability.
To apply for your commercial pilot license DGCA completing 200 hours of flight training is essential. Choose a DGCA approved flying academy that provides personalized guidance modern aircraft and experienced instructors to help you achieve your DGCA CPL License and begin your dream career as a professional pilot.