CEO Insights Magazine

With middle-class people taking to the skies and switching to flights for travel, the Indian aviation market has grown drastically over the last decade. This growth in the industry has resulted in an increase in demand for trained commercial pilots, and quality pilot training institutes in the country. Identifying the massive growth and the bright future of the Indian aviation industry and its potential to be the largest market globally, Gokul Sudarsan established Felix Pilot Training Institute in 2016.

An Aeronautical Engineer,flight dispatcher, and flight operations & ground handling instructor, Gokul has 12+ years of experience in the aviation industry with highly established networks with reputed airlines and other aviation-based companies. He is known for being adept in conducting pilot ground classes and has trained more than 1500 professionals throughout his career. At Felix, he is leveraging his knowledge, expertise, and experience to shape the training and pilot skills of his students and enable them to have fulfilling careers in aviation. Moreover, he is formulating new approaches to learning and taking care of the good quality of the training and helping students to obtain appropriate qualifications to perform independent flights as a pilot in command.

Felix Pilot Training Institute has grown to be the most reputed pilot training institute in Chennai and as the CEO, Gokul is striving to keep up the quality standards of the institute by placing a strong emphasis on his students’ holistic development rather than just their academic performance.

Below is an excerpt of Insights exclusive interview with Gokul Sudarsan.

Tell us about Felix Pilot Training Institute and its position in the market.

Felix is one of the best pilot training institutes in India with 20+ courses in aviation. The institute’s highly experienced professionals help students succeed in their careers and discover & lead their passion. There has been a growth in the aviation industry of over 36 percent in the number of passengers carried by Indian domestic carriers according to the 2022 records. Earlier, we had 600 to 700 flights per day in India which has gone up to 1875 flights per day. Moreover, the historical deal of Air India of the purchase of 470 aircraft from the manufacturer of the U.S. and France is going to create more than 9000 pilot job opportunities in the next two years. We, as a pilot training institute are looking forward to grabbing those opportunities to create as many pilots as possible and contribute to the better development of careers of Indian students and the aviation industry. At Felix, we don’t just believe in making a difference, but we make a difference.

What are the different courses offered by Felix Pilot Training Institute to ensure the growth and success of the students?
Felix Pilot Training Institute offers all the necessary training and placement needs under one roof. We provide our students with several key courses, including pilot training drone training, aircraft maintenance engineering, flight dispatcher, aero modeling, flight safety programs, and cabin crew training. What makes us unique is the fact that we provide ground class training in India and flying training abroad. Our aim is to give the best-in-class pilot training for Indian aspirants for which we have partnered with some of the best flight schools and aviation based education institutes across South Africa, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Australia.

Why was Chennai chosen to be the breeding ground of your company?
I always believed that if India wants to have a strong aviation market it has to take steps to build premium quality flying and ground training institutes. With abundant resources, North India has always been ahead in having some of the best flying schools in India which South India

lacked. My primary objective to set up Felix in Chennai was to give South India a world class pilot training institute and provide students with an adequate training infrastructure.

Today, we not only have students from all over South India but North India as well.

What is the motivation that helps you to deliver positive outcomes?
My students are my greatest motivation. I focus on being a role model in the aviation community, sharing knowledge and experience with my students, and creating opportunities for them to contribute to the growth of the Indian aviation industry.

What would be your message for young professionals looking for a career in the aviation industry?
The Indian aviation industry will continue to experience vigorous growth due to the rise in the passenger market. Soon, as per the government plans, India will turn into an international aviation hub. For this, it plans to invest $1.83 billion in developing airport infrastructure and navigation services by 2026. Looking at the bright prospects of the aviation industry, I believe it is going to create great opportunities for India to move its position from being the third-largest domestic aviation market to the number-one largest domestic aviation market in the world. We must aim for the same vision and work toward building an enriching future for our aviation industry.

Gokul Sudarsan, CEO, Felix Pilot Training Institute
With a Bachelor's degree focused in Aeronautics from Hindustan University and more than a decade of experience in the aviation industry, Gokul is currently leading a team of qualified professionals and helping students to fulfill their career needs in the aviation field and providing tailored training to meet those needs.

•Hobbies:Playing Cricket
•Favorite Books:Scientific Books
•Favorite Travel Destination: Dubai
•Awards & Recognition:Recognized with the Best Instructor Award for being a trainer and the Best CEO Award for delivering excellent services through his pilot training institute