Airline cadet pilot program guides
A cadet program is a very different commitment from a self-funded CPL. You're selected before you train, the airline (or its training partner) shapes your ab-initio and type rating path, and you're bonded to that airline for several years after you start flying the line. The core funnel, application, aptitude test, interview, medical, is broadly similar across carriers, but training partners, fleet type and bond terms differ enough to matter. Pick an airline below.
01Online ApplicationApply through IndiGo's cadet pilot programme page when an intake opens, drives run periodically rather than year-round.
02Aptitude & Psychometric TestNumerical, verbal, spatial and abstract reasoning, plus a pilot-specific aptitude battery testing multitasking and situational awareness.
03Panel InterviewHR and a senior line or training captain assess motivation, communication and CRM-style judgment.
04Medical ScreeningInitial medical check ahead of the full DGCA Class 1 medical, which is completed once training begins.
05Ab-initio TrainingSelected cadets train toward a CPL and the DGCA ground exams at a partner flying academy, typically 18 to 24 months.
06Type Rating & BondOn successful completion, cadets receive an A320 family type rating and join IndiGo under a multi-year service bond.
Age at application
Typically 17 to 24 years, varies by intake
Education
10+2 with Physics and Mathematics, minimum aggregate around 50–60%
Fleet / type rating
Airbus A320 family (IndiGo's sole fleet type)
Training model
Partnered flying academy for ab-initio, cadet typically bears or part-finances training cost
Bond
Multi-year service bond post type rating, exact tenure set per intake's agreement
Process style
Periodic intake drives, not a year-round rolling application
What makes IndiGo's program distinct: as India's largest carrier with an all-A320-family fleet, a cadet joining IndiGo trains toward one aircraft family for the entire tenure rather than juggling multiple type ratings later, and the sheer scale of IndiGo's operation means more captain upgrade opportunities over a long career than at a smaller carrier.
01Online ApplicationApply via Air India's cadet pilot programme listing when open, part of the airline's post-privatisation pilot pipeline expansion.
02Written Aptitude TestReasoning, numerical and verbal sections plus an aviation-oriented psychometric component.
03Panel InterviewIncludes a senior captain, tests motivation, communication and decision-making under scenario prompts.
04Medical ScreeningInitial fitness check, full DGCA Class 1 medical required before or during training.
05Ab-initio TrainingTraining toward CPL and DGCA ground exams at a partnered academy, generally 18 to 24 months.
06Type Rating & BondType rating assigned based on fleet need (A320 family or wide-body, depending on intake), followed by a service bond.
Age at application
Typically 17 to 25 years, varies by intake
Education
10+2 with Physics and Mathematics required
Fleet / type rating
Mixed fleet, A320 family and wide-body (A350, B787, B777), type rating depends on where the airline needs capacity
Training model
Partnered flying academy for ab-initio, sponsorship structure varies by intake
Bond
Multi-year service bond post type rating, tenure set per intake's agreement
Process style
Expanding pilot pipeline post-Tata acquisition, intake sizes have grown year over year
What makes Air India's program distinct: it's the only major Indian carrier with a genuinely mixed narrow-body and wide-body fleet, which means a cadet has a realistic long-term path toward long-haul wide-body flying without changing airlines, something IndiGo and Akasa's single-type fleets can't offer.
01Online ApplicationApply through Akasa Air's cadet pilot programme listing, drives have run alongside the airline's rapid fleet expansion since its 2022 launch.
02Aptitude & Psychometric TestReasoning and pilot aptitude assessment, structured similarly to other Indian carrier cadet programs.
03Panel InterviewHR and a training captain assess motivation and CRM-style judgment.
04Medical ScreeningInitial fitness check ahead of full DGCA Class 1 medical.
05Ab-initio TrainingTraining toward CPL and DGCA ground exams at a partnered academy.
06Type Rating & BondBoeing 737 MAX type rating (Akasa's sole fleet type), followed by a multi-year service bond.
Age at application
Typically 17 to 24 years, varies by intake
Education
10+2 with Physics and Mathematics required
Fleet / type rating
Boeing 737 MAX (Akasa's sole fleet type)
Training model
Partnered flying academy for ab-initio training
Bond
Multi-year service bond post type rating, tenure set per intake's agreement
Process style
Newer, fast-scaling airline, intake frequency has tracked fleet growth closely
What makes Akasa's program distinct: as the newest of the three and still scaling its fleet quickly, a cadet joining now has an unusually fast path to command upgrade purely because of how young the pilot seniority list is, worth weighing against the other two carriers' larger scale and more established route networks.
Compiled from published cadet pilot programme structures and general industry knowledge of Indian carrier training pipelines as of this guide's writing. Specific age limits, bond tenures, fees and fleet assignments change between intakes and are set by each airline's current official listing and cadet agreement, always confirm directly against the live listing before applying or signing anything.