What is the salary of a helicopter pilot? The decision to mandate two pilots is being contested.

DGCA has made it mandatory to have two pilots in every helicopter flying on Chardham Yatra route. Along with this, the ability to fly in hilly areas has also been made mandatory for co-pilots. Helicopter operators are protesting this decision. 11 out of 13 operators providing services on Chardham route have sent a joint letter warning to suspend services from November 2. Operators say the decision will increase their costs and affect operations.

This decision has been taken after the helicopter accident near Joshimath while returning from Badrinath to Dehradun. All 6 people including the pilot died in this accident. In such a situation, the question is what is the salary of a helicopter pilot, what are the required qualifications and how much will the cost of the operators increase by hiring another pilot?

How much does a helicopter pilot get paid?

According to Pawan Hans Limited, the salary of a helicopter pilot is determined based on his experience and flying hours. A junior helicopter pilot will be paid Rs. Gets a CTC of 12 lakhs. At the same time, a pilot with 1,000 hours of experience is paid an annual CTC of Rs 21.48 lakh and a pilot with 2,000 hours of experience is paid an annual CTC of Rs 22.44 lakh. For the post of Captain, the salary is Rs. 23.64 lakh to Rs. reaches 25.56 lakhs. That means a captain with 5,000 hours of flying experience gets more than double the CTC of a junior pilot. However, these are average CTC figures given in Pawan Hans recruitment. This cannot be considered as the fixed pay scale of all helicopter companies in the country.

What are the standards to become a helicopter pilot?

Commercial Helicopter Pilot License (CHPL) from DGCA is required to fly commercial helicopters in India. For this the age of the candidate should be at least 18 years. Physics and Mathematics in 12th is compulsory as an educational qualification. Apart from this, the prescribed medical fitness and flying training conditions have to be fulfilled. A minimum of 150 hours of flight training is required for a license. This also includes flight experience as pilot-in-command. After this, relevant exams and skill tests have to be passed.

Just getting a license is not enough. Different models of helicopters may require special training and support from the pilot. For example, helicopters like the Bell 407, Bell 412, Dauphin and Mi-172 require different experience and qualifications. That’s why during recruitment companies look at the pilot’s total flying hours and what model of helicopter he has flown and what kind of experience he has.

How much will the operator’s costs increase?

The biggest reason for the opposition of operators is the additional salary of pilots and operating costs. According to a report by The New Indian Express, the operators currently working on the Chardham route have around 70 pilots. After the new rule, they may have to increase this number to around 110. This means that around 40 additional pilots will be required. Operators say that it is not easy to arrange qualified pilots with experience of flying in mountainous areas in such a short period of time. Apart from this, the pilot’s working hours are also limited. Each pilot can fly a maximum of 90 hours in a month. In such a scenario, availability of sufficient pilots can be a major challenge for them.

A helicopter ticket is estimated to reach Rs 4 lakh

According to a report in The New Indian Express, a helicopter operator, who did not wish to be named, said that passengers are currently charged between Rs 2.25 lakh and Rs 2.50 lakh for the Chardham route. In the current system, a helicopter can carry a maximum of 5 passengers apart from the pilot. But with the appointment of a second pilot, the number of passengers will come down to 4. This will reduce one passenger seat per flight and affect operators’ earnings. Along with this additional salary of the pilot will also have to be paid. According to the operator, a helicopter ticket can reach up to Rs 4 lakh for both these reasons. However, this is not a new fare announced by a company, but an operator estimate.

Apart from the salary, the living and commuting expenses will also increase.

The operators, in a joint letter sent to the DGCA, said that deploying two pilots on each flight would not only increase the salary cost, but also incur additional costs on crew availability, accommodation, transport and other logistics. He says that at current charter rates and limited operating margins, it will be difficult to bear these costs. At the same time, it is not commercially feasible to impose a complete additional burden on passengers. Operators have also raised questions about the lack of adequate consultation and economic impact assessment before implementing the rules. He has demanded that such a viable alternative should be found without compromising security so that the helicopter service can also continue.