PILOT CET 2025

The required flying hours differ significantly depending on the license level and whether you're training in an airplane or a helicopter.

License Type	Approximate Minimum Flight Hours*
SPL (Student Pilot License)	Airplane: 10 hours Helicopter: 15 hours
PPL (Private Pilot License)	Airplane: 40-50 hours total including 20 hours solo Helicopter: 45-50 hours
CPL (Commercial Pilot License)	Airplane: minimum 200 hours including cross country and instrument time Helicopter: 150 hours
ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License)	Airplane: 1500 hours total flight time; Helicopter: 1200 hours

Note: These are regulatory minimums. Actual training time can be longer depending on weather aircraft availability student progress and additional instrument or simulator hours required.

? A few important caveats

Minimum vs. realistic hours
Just meeting the regulatory minimum doesn’t always suffice. Many students take extra hours to master instrument flying emergency procedures night flying and cross country navigation. In practice completing a CPL might require closer to 250–300 hours especially if some of the experience needs to come from cross-country and instrument rated flying.
Aircraft type matters
Helicopter training tends to require slightly fewer hours for a CPL but it can be more variable depending on the helicopter model training syllabus and weather constraints.
Progress depends on individual pace
A faster learner might complete SPL or PPL training more quickly, while others may need more dual instruction or supervised solo hours to meet proficiency standards even if the minimum flying hour threshold is reached.
Experience counts when progressing
The flying hours you log during earlier licenses (for example your PPL hours) build toward the totals required for higher licenses like the CPL or ATPL. So efficient training early on can shorten subsequent training phases.
Regulatory differences
Though the figures above reflect Indian DGCA requirements (per the PilotCET source), actual hour requirements can vary by country (FAA, EASA, etc.) or airline training programs. Always check the specific aviation authority s regulations for your region.

? A few important caveats

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How many hours of flight training are needed for each type of pilot license?

? A few important caveats

Commercial Pilot License (4)

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Private Helicopter Pilot License (3)

pilot (344)

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