If you dream of becoming a commercial pilot in India, picking the right flying school could be a pegasus of a task. But now, the Centre’s latest ranking system is there to help you.
On Friday, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu released the second phase of DGCA’s Flying Training Organisation (FTO) rankings, covering all 35 DGCA-approved flight training institutions across the country.
And for the first time in either phase of this ranking system, a single FTO has broken into the coveted Category 'A', Avyanna Aviation Pvt Ltd. In the first phase, published October 1, 2025, not one of the 35 ranked institutions managed to achieve Category A.
Below Avyanna, 17 FTOs are in Category 'B', including the Centre’s own Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), which moved up from Category C to Category B, along with established names like National Flying Training Institute, Flytech Aviation Academy, The Bombay Flying Club and The Gujarat Flying Club. The remaining 17 institutions are in Category 'C'.
Since the ranking system was launched, training flying hours at FTOs have risen sharply from 32 per cent to 50 per cent, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The number of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) issued has more than doubled, up 2.5 times over the last eight years, with record issuance in 2024 and 2025. In the last 18 months alone, six new FTOs have been permitted, with six more in the pipeline, revealed the ministry.
India is projected to need around 30,000 more pilots over the next decade, with Indian carriers set to induct roughly 500 more aircraft in five years and 50 new airports being added.
The aviation minister also flagged policy measures, such as liberalised FTO regulations, abolished airport royalties, rationalised land rentals, digitised CPL exams, and a single-window system for CPL and Radio Telephony Restricted (RTR) licences under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam.
DGCA FTO rankings
Category A: Avyanna Aviation Pvt Ltd
Category B: Academy of Carver Aviation, FSTC Flying School Pvt Ltd, National Flying Training Institute Pvt. Ltd, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, Flytech Aviation Academy, Skynex Aero Pvt Ltd, Garg Aviation Ltd, Chetak Aviation Pvt Ltd, Chimes Aviation Academy, Dunes Aviation Academy, Ekvi Air Training Organisation Pvt Ltd, Jet Serve Aviation Pvt Ltd, Alchemist Aviation Pvt Ltd, Ambition Flying Club, Orient Flight Aviation Academy, The Bombay Flying Club, The Gujarat Flying Club
Category C: Sha Shib Flying Academy, Indian Flying Academy, The Madhya Pradesh Flying Club, Wings Aviation Pvt Ltd, Asia Pacific Training Academy, Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology, Telangana State Aviation Academy, Nagpur Flying Club, Banasthali Vidyapith Gliding & Flying Club, Bihar Flying Institute, Patiala Aviation Club, SVKM NMIMS Academy of Aviation, BlueRay Aviation Pvt Ltd, Pioneer Flying Club Academy Pvt Ltd, Govt. Aviation Training Institute, Redbird Flight Training Academy