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    Pilot Training in the Maldives: What Indian Candidates Should Check First

    Written by Flying Star Aviator Academics Team · Last updated

    Can an Indian candidate train for a pilot licence in the Maldives?

    Yes, but the licence you earn is a Maldivian one, and it must be converted before it permits commercial flying in India. The Maldives Civil Aviation Authority lists its approved flight training organisations publicly, and there are very few of them — verifying that a school appears on that list is the first thing to do.

    Sources: Maldives Civil Aviation Authority — approved flight training schools, DGCA CAR Section 7, Series 'G', Part I (Issue II, Rev 4, 9 Sep 2019)

    Last updated:

    Verify the school against the regulator's own list

    The Maldives Civil Aviation Authority publishes its list of approved flight training organisations on its own website. As of September 2026 that list names the Asian Academy of Aeronautics, based at Gan International Airport, Addu Atoll, and EAS Barcelona in Spain.

    Check the regulator's page yourself before paying anything, and check it on the day. A school's own marketing is not evidence of approval; the regulator's list is. This is the same rule we would give you for a school in India.

    The licence you earn is Maldivian, not Indian

    Training in the Maldives produces a licence issued under Maldivian regulation. To fly commercially in India it must be converted to an Indian DGCA licence under CAR Section 7, Series 'G', Part I.

    Conversion means DGCA written examinations through the Central Examination Organisation, a skill test with a DGCA-approved examiner in India, medical fitness under Schedule II of the Aircraft Rules 1937, and a current rating on the foreign licence — at least 10 hours as Pilot-in-Command in the preceding 24 months.

    What to work out before you commit

    • Is the school on the MCAA's published list of approved flight training organisations, today?
    • What licence and ratings will you actually hold at the end, in writing?
    • What is the total cost including accommodation, and what happens to it if weather or aircraft availability stretches the timeline?
    • Have you cleared, or planned, the Indian DGCA theory papers? They are needed for conversion regardless of where you fly.
    • Will you still meet the 10-hours-PIC-in-24-months currency rule by the time you apply to DGCA?

    Our honest position

    Flying Star Aviator does not own a flight school in the Maldives and we are not going to describe one we have not inspected. What we do is the Indian half — DGCA ground classes and theory-paper preparation from Dwarka, New Delhi — which you will need whether you fly in Addu Atoll, Arizona or Amethi.

    If you want a second opinion on a school's paperwork before you sign, ask us. We would rather answer that than have you find out later.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which flight schools are approved in the Maldives?
    The Maldives Civil Aviation Authority publishes the list on its own website. As of September 2026 it names the Asian Academy of Aeronautics at Gan International Airport, Addu Atoll, and EAS Barcelona in Spain. Check the regulator's page for the current list before enrolling.
    Can I fly for an Indian airline on a Maldivian licence?
    Not directly. The licence must first be converted to an Indian DGCA licence under CAR Section 7, Series 'G', Part I, which requires DGCA written examinations and a skill test in India.
    Do I still need the Indian DGCA theory papers?
    Yes. Conversion requires passing written examinations through DGCA's Central Examination Organisation. Hours flown abroad do not substitute for them.
    What currency does DGCA require on the foreign licence?
    At least 10 hours as Pilot-in-Command in the twenty-four months preceding the date of application, for the type of aircraft.

    Related

    Ask before you commit

    We run DGCA CPL and ATPL ground classes from Dwarka, New Delhi. If you want the sequencing checked against your own papers, medical and budget, tell us where you are and we will map it out.

    Contact us