As on 1 January, 2010, a total 4084 pilots, including foreign pilots are working with the airlines of the country. This information was given by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Praful Patel in Rajya Sabha.
The number of foreign pilots working in India as on 1 January, 2010 are Go Air - 4; Blue Dart - 7; Alliance Air - 23; Kingfisher Airlines - 139; Jet Airways - 137; Air India (including Air India Express) - 136; Jetlite - 3; Indigo - 41; Deccan Cargo - 7; Paramount Airways - 22; Spice Jet – 42 and Jagson - 1.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) only issues licences to the trained and qualified pilots in compliance of the requirements of Aircraft Rules. It does not maintain records of unemployed pilots in the country. The recruitment of pilots and their subsequent training is the prerogative of the individual airlines.
Under the scholarship scheme of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates are trained upto Private Pilot Licence (PPL). However, these candidates can join any airline only after acquiring a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL).
There are 17 operational flying training institutes functioning under Government/State Governments.
A premier flying institute; the National Flying Training Institute has been set up at Gondia in Maharashtra. The existing facilities at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi have also been upgraded.
The other flying clubs in the country are also supported by way of distribution of trainer aircraft through the Aero Club of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. However, recruitment of pilots is the prerogative of the individual airlines.