NEW DELHI: October 1, 2025 — The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a landmark initiative to rank all its approved Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) across India. This new system, effective from October 1, 2025, is designed to bring greater transparency, accountability, and better safety standards to pilot training for aspiring aviators.
The rankings, which will be published bi-annually (next on April 1, 2026), will serve as a crucial guide for students and parents looking to choose a quality flying school.
Key Takeaways from the First Ranking 🚨
The inaugural ranking reveals that no FTOs have yet achieved the top two ‘A+’ or ‘A’ categories. This indicates a strong need for overall improvement in the sector.
| Category | Score (%) | Status | Number of FTOs | Action for FTOs |
| A+ | 85% and above | NIL | 0 | Top Tier |
| A | 70% to less than 85% | NIL | 0 | High Performance |
| B | Less than 70% to 50% | Moderate | 13 | Self-analysis towards improvement |
| C | Below 50% | Underperforming | 22 | Receive notice for self-analysis and improvement |
- Top Categories Empty (A+ & A): No Flying Training Organization achieved the top rating of ‘A+’ (85% and above) or ‘A’ (70% to less than 85%).
- ‘B’ Category:13 FTOs are placed in Category ‘B’ (50% to less than 70%). These institutions are considered to be performing satisfactorily but have room for improvement.
- Top B-Category FTOs include: Chimes Aviation Academy and SVKM’s NMIMS Academy of Aviation Shirpur.
- ‘C’ Category: A Wake-up Call: 22 FTOs fall into the lowest Category ‘C’ (Below 50%). Institutions in this category, which include prominent names like Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), will receive an official notice from the DGCA to conduct a self-analysis for performance improvement.
How Your Flying School Is Graded 📝
The DGCA evaluates FTOs based on five key parameters with maximum weightage on operational efficiency:
- Operational Aspects (40% Weightage): Focuses on resources like the Student-to-Aircraft Ratio, Student-to-Instructor Ratio, fleet size, and availability of DGCA-approved ground schools and simulators.
- Safety Standards (20% Weightage): Evaluates the number of accidents and incidents in the preceding 12 months. Crucially, non-reporting of an accident or incident will attract a penalty of -5 marks from the FTO’s overall score.
- FTO Performance (20% Weightage): Assesses the average time taken by cadets to complete the required 175 flying hours and the utilisation of each training aircraft.
- Compliance Standards (10% Weightage): Covers the number of significant safety concerns (Level-1) raised during DGCA inspections and the number of Breath Analyser (BA) positive cases among staff and trainees.
- Assistance to Students (10% Weightage): Checks for transparent payment/refund policies, trainee placement support, financial assistance/scholarships, and the effective resolution of student grievances.
Why This Matters for Aspiring Pilots ✈️
The DGCA’s ranking system provides objective, quality-based criteria for comparing flying schools, moving away from relying only on reputation or marketing claims. This step is a firm commitment from the regulator to enhance the quality, safety, and efficiency of pilot training in India to meet the growing demands of the aviation sector.
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