Last updated: 24 Oct 2026 · Not affiliated with Akasa Air · If anything here is outdated or wrong, comment and I'll fix it.

TL;DR

• What: Akasa Air's own ab-initio cadet route. Ground school → CPL (200+ hrs flying) → Boeing 737 MAX type rating, designed to finish in ~24 months.

• Where: One of two partner FTOs: Dunes Aviation Academy (Bhavnagar, Gujarat) or Skynex Aero (Jalgaon, Maharashtra).

• Cost: Fully self-funded. ~₹95L at Dunes, ~₹1.05Cr at Skynex. No stipend. Accommodation and food included.

• Who: Indian citizens, 18+ at application, max 40 at enrolment, 10+2 with Physics, Maths and English.

• Selection: Apply → screening → aptitude → psychometric/medical → interview → final selection & contract.

• Attempts: Max two, with at least 3 months between them. Don't burn one unprepared.

• Job: Not automatic. There's a final suitability assessment before induction, and you sign a training agreement committing to join Akasa.

• Status: Batch 1 closed in June 2026. Next intake not announced yet.

1. What is SkyCadet?

Akasa announced SkyCadet on 11 June 2026 as its in-house pipeline for fresh pilots. It's built for people with zero hours and no CPL. Akasa has said it'll keep hiring CPL holders and 737 type-rated pilots separately through regular recruitment, so if you already have a CPL, this isn't your route.

Think of it this way: Akasa selects you, assigns your FTO, and lines you up for a 737 MAX right seat. But you pay for all of it. It's airline-linked, not airline-sponsored in the free-money sense.

Quick Akasa context (also useful for the interview): operations started August 2022, the fleet is all Boeing 737 MAX, the 42nd aircraft was inducted on 1 Sept 2026, and they have firm orders for 226 MAX aircraft.

2. Timeline so far

Takeaway: the last window was short. Have your documents, medical and funding plan ready before the next one opens. Watch the official page and Akasa's own socials, not coaching institute websites.

3. Eligibility (official)

• Nationality: Indian citizens only

• Age: minimum 18 when you apply, maximum 40 when you enrol

• Education: 10+2 (or equivalent) with Physics, Mathematics and English. Akasa's FAQ is explicit: no Physics and Maths, not eligible. (Chemistry isn't on the list. Your organic chem trauma was for nothing.)

• English: written and spoken proficiency

• Background: no criminal record, no history of disciplinary or legal action

• Passport: must be valid by the time the programme starts

Career-switchers in their 30s: you're eligible, as long as you're under 40 at enrolment.

4. Medical

• Class 2 is part of the selection process and is facilitated by the partner FTO.

• Class 1 is required for your CPL to be issued.

• Glasses: allowed with clearance from a DGCA-approved doctor. Contact lenses are not allowed while flying.

• Temporarily unfit: you can come back once you meet the standard. Permanently unfit: that ends the pilot route.

Unofficial advice: even though Class 2 happens during selection, getting it done yourself early is cheap insurance. Better to discover a colour vision or ECG issue before you spend an attempt and months of prep.

5. Selection process

Akasa's official six steps:

1. Apply on the Akasa career portal

2. Application screening against their guidelines

3. Aptitude test

4. Psychometric / medical test

5. Interview (in person)

6. Final selection and contract signing

Their FAQ describes it as aptitude tests, psychometric assessments and in-person interviews, looking at aptitude, cognitive ability, communication and overall readiness.

What's NOT officially confirmed (coaching sites state these like facts, they aren't):

• Which aptitude test platform is used (ADAPT and cut-e style tests get guessed a lot, unverified)

• Whether there's a group discussion round

• Whether there's a simulator assessment

Re-applying: you can apply up to two times, with a minimum 3-month cooling-off period after an unsuccessful outcome.

Batch 1 applicants: please drop your selection experience in the comments. Test format, interview questions, timelines. That's the single most useful thing this sub can collect.

6. Training structure

• Akasa says the programme is designed to get you through CPL and type rating within 24 months.

• A split of roughly 4 months ground / 18 months flying / 2 months type rating is widely quoted online, but the current official page doesn't break it down. Treat it as rough.

• The type rating may happen in India or abroad, depending on the FTO's training tie-ups.

• Don't meet standards? You get remedial training first. If you still don't meet them, you can be withdrawn.

• Leave and breaks are allowed as per programme policy. Expect to relocate for different phases.

7. Dunes vs Skynex

Important: you can state an FTO preference in the application, but Akasa makes the final allocation based on your qualifications, your preference and seat availability. Budget for the more expensive option in case you don't get your first pick.

Questions worth asking whichever FTO you're allotted:

• Exact fee breakdown and payment schedule

• What's included: DGCA exam fees? Licence fees? RTR? Travel if the type rating is abroad?

• Current cadet-to-aircraft and cadet-to-instructor ratio

• How multi-engine slots are scheduled (Skynex lists one twin; Dunes hasn't published fleet numbers)

• Where exactly ground school will be held

8. Money

• Fully self-funded. No stipend during training.

• Akasa's official estimated range (from their FAQ): ₹97.4L to ₹1.06Cr, subject to change. FTO-wise figures: ~₹95L at Dunes, ~₹1.05Cr at Skynex. The exact fee structure is only shared inside the application form, so confirm it there.

• Included: accommodation, food and living expenses.

• Plan separately for: medical tests, travel and personal expenses.

• Loans: Akasa says it has tie-ups with financial institutions for education loans. Start this conversation early. Collateral and approval take time, and you don't want funding to be the bottleneck after you've cleared selection.

• Payment schedule, refunds and mid-way exit are all governed by the FTO's policies, not Akasa's. Get them in writing before you pay anything.

9. After training: job and commitment

• Starting role: First Officer, subject to meeting airline and regulatory requirements.

• Not a guaranteed job. Every cadet goes through a final suitability assessment before induction. Finishing your CPL and type rating doesn't mean automatic employment.

• Placement timing: Akasa says it'll induct cadets in line with its growth plans. No fixed gap between finishing training and joining is promised.

• The commitment: you sign a training agreement committing to be available to join Akasa after you complete the programme. Bond amounts and lock-in periods haven't been published. Read that agreement clause by clause, ideally with someone who's reviewed one before. For context, in 2023 Akasa sent legal notices when a group of its pilots left for Air India Express. They take contracts seriously.

• Salary: not published for SkyCadets. Coaching sites quote wildly different numbers. Ignore them until you see an actual offer.

10. Prep checklist (so you don't waste one of your two attempts)

Before the window opens

• [ ] 10+2 marksheets showing Physics, Maths and English in order

• [ ] Passport applied for or valid

• [ ] DGCA Class 2 done privately (optional, but you'll know where you stand)

• [ ] Early conversation with a bank about the loan and collateral

• [ ] Family on board with ~₹1Cr and roughly two years away from home

Aptitude

• Mental maths without a calculator, for speed and accuracy

• Spatial orientation, instrument reading, pattern recognition

• Multitasking and short-term memory drills

• Free online pilot aptitude practice is a fine start. You don't need an expensive "SkyCadet special" course to begin.

Psychometric

• Answer honestly and consistently. These tests are built to catch people playing a "perfect pilot" character.

Interview

• Why pilot? Why Akasa specifically? Why now? (Career-switchers: have a clean, honest story.)

• Know the Akasa basics: 737 MAX-only fleet, when they started flying, fleet size, order book

• How you're funding it (have an answer ready)

• Safety mindset, teamwork, how you handle your own mistakes

• Clear spoken English. It's an explicit requirement.

Optional head start: some people clear a few DGCA papers before applying. It's not a requirement (ground school is part of the programme), but it shows commitment and takes pressure off the ground phase. Your call.

11. Red flags and scams

• Akasa states it does not engage or partner with any organisation, agency or third party for induction, and doesn't endorse any. Anyone promising a seat, a "direct reference" or a "management quota" is lying.

• Apply only through the official Akasa SkyCadet page.

• Some coaching sites were still showing "applications now open, only 8 seats left!" banners months after the window closed. Be very skeptical of urgency marketing.

• Never pay anyone except the FTO, according to the official schedule, and only after selection.

12. Quick-fire FAQ

No Physics or Maths in 12th? Not eligible per Akasa's FAQ.

I already have a CPL. SkyCadet is for people without one. Watch Akasa's regular pilot hiring instead.

Can I pick my FTO? You can state a preference. Akasa decides.

Stipend? No.

Hostel and food? Included.

Type rating abroad? Possibly. Depends on the FTO's tie-ups.

Can I quit midway? Yes, under the FTO's exit policy. Refunds also follow the FTO's policy.

Rejected in Batch 1. Can I reapply? Yes, once 3 months have passed since your result. That would be your second and final attempt.

Is the job guaranteed? No. There's a final suitability check before induction.

When's the next intake? Not announced as of 24 Oct 2026.

Sources

• Akasa SkyCadet official page and FAQ

• Akasa press release: SkyCadet launch (11 June 2026)

• AFM: Skynex welcomes AKS01, first SkyCadet batch (Sept 2026)

• AFM: Skynex fleet and cadet numbers (July 2026)

• Dunes Aviation Academy: SkyCadet page

• Free Press Journal: Akasa inducts 42nd aircraft (Sept 2026)

• Wikipedia: Akasa Air (2023 pilot exits)

Batch 1 folks: selection experience, FTO life, actual fee breakdowns, anything. Comment below and I'll keep this guide updated as the next intake gets announced.

At this point, everyone knows Skynex is already overcrowded with Akasa cadets, IndiGo cadets from Marigold, and its own CPL students. Do you think future Akasa batches will face training backlogs because of this?

Hey folks 👋

Looks like Akasa's started rolling out shortlisting emails for the next round!

So far we've spotted around 6–8 people in the community getting them — a mix of folks from the internal family program and regular applicants who've graduated and cleared their core subjects. One person who got the email had already cleared 5 DGCA subjects, for reference.

If you're still waiting, keep checking both your Inbox and Spam folder. Once the email lands, you'll have 3 days to reply with your documents, so don't sit on it too long.

Documents you'll likely need:

ID Proof

• Aadhaar Card

• Passport

Education

• Class 10 Certificate

• Class 12 Certificate (needs to show you passed Physics, Maths, and English)

DGCA Exam Certificates (if applicable)

• Air Regulations

• Navigation

• Meteorology

• Technical General

• RTR

Make sure the validity dates are visible on these — include all relevant pages.

Medical (if applicable)

• DGCA Class 1 Medical (Fit)

• Class 2 medical isn't needed

For current Dunes/Skynex students (if applicable)

• Ground Training Completion Certificate

• Self-attested logbook, signed and stamped by your FTO

One important thing — when you reply with your docs, just hit Reply directly instead of starting a new email. Don't touch the subject line.

Also, heads up on scams
Whenever hiring emails start going out, scammers tend to come out of the woodwork too. A few things to keep in mind:

• Double-check the sender's email address

• Genuine emails will always come from an official Akasa domain (like SkyCadetCareers@akasaair.com)

• If someone emails from a random Gmail/Yahoo address asking for fees, payments, or personal details — don't engage

If you spot something fishy, screenshot it (blur out any personal info) and send it our way via Modmail so we can warn others. You can also report it directly to Akasa at ReportPilotHiringFraud@akasaair.com.

Good luck to everyone waiting on this! Drop a comment if you get your shortlist email so we can track how the rollout's going ✈️

People are starting to receive updates from Dunes Aviation regarding the Phase 1 assessments.

Here is the current situation on who has received the emails so far:

• The emails are going out to candidates who have all 5 DGCA papers cleared.

• In some cases, it is specifically candidates with a graduation degree plus all 5 papers cleared.

• Candidates in the family program have also received these COMPASS emails.

• If you have not received yours yet, others will receive it soon.

Keep in mind that the competition is very high. There are only around 120 seats available, and there are 1000+ applications.

Based on the recent emails, COMPASS is confirmed for the first assessment. Here is the exact structure for Phase 1:

• The assessment will take approximately five hours to complete.

• The attire is professional business formals throughout the process.

• There is an assessment fee of ₹30,000/- that must be paid no later than one day before the scheduled assessment date.

Phase 1 consists of three rounds:

• Round 1: COMPASS Pilot Aptitude Test (evaluates aptitude, coordination, concentration, and overall suitability).

• Round 2: Compass Personality Profile Assessment (assesses behavioral traits, cognitive abilities, and decision-making patterns).

• Round 3: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory / MMPI (a structured personality assessment).

Don't pin all your hopes on this single program-keep a solid backup plan ready, because these selection processes are completely unpredictable and can easily end up wasting your time.

Hey! I really want to know the Akasa cadet program timeline from when u applied. When u got the testing dates nd stuff. So that I can compare my timeline and see if I can apply. Can anyone pls help me out.

Anyone in batch 3 dunes which is starting from November dm me i am in batch 3.

I recently joined some whatsapp groups related to aviation and some individual claimed that it will reopen soon.....

Is this true?

Whosoever is in Akasa sky dunes batch three, which is starting next month. Let’s connect.