01The academy
The academy behind the standard.
A small ground school in Bengaluru, built around one instructor and an unfashionable idea: teach aviation properly, and the results will follow.
Founded
2005
Location
Jakkuru, Bengaluru
Cadets mentored
1,000+
Cohort size
15–20
01 / The idea
Small batches. High standards. No shortcuts.
CEFAT began in 2005 with a classroom in Bengaluru and a stubborn belief: cadets deserve to understand aviation, not simply pass an examination. Two decades later, the classroom is still small, the captain still teaches, and the syllabus still starts with first principles.
The academy prepares pilots for the DGCA ground examinations, for licence and rating courses, and for the interview room. It also does the less visible work: helping a student choose a flying school, reading a medical report, or rehearsing the answer to a question that will decide a career.
“CEFAT doesn't just educate you, it helps build character.”
Understand first
Every subject begins with the why: the physics, the weather, the regulation behind the procedure. Memory follows understanding, not the other way round.
Practise the standard
Practice papers and mock interviews are marked against the airline standard — not a curve. Cadets know exactly where they stand.
Stay for the career
The relationship does not end at the exam. A thousand pilots still call the academy for advice on type ratings, interviews and command.
Ground school · Jakkuru, Bengaluru
“We are not preparing cadets for a paper. We are preparing them for the day the paper stops mattering.”
Capt. TPS Gill · Founder
02 / The captain
A flying career, still teaching.
Founder · Chief Instructor
Capt. TPS Gill
47
Years flying
31
Years IAF
18k+
Hours
15
Types
Capt. TPS Gill has spent a working lifetime in the air — as a fighter pilot, an air force examiner, an airline captain, and now as the instructor cadets remember.
He was adjudged the Best Flying Professional of the Indian Air Force in 1989 and served 31 years in the IAF, flying 27 aircraft variants. His career includes an exchange with the Royal Air Force and a master’s at the RAF College in the United Kingdom, followed by appointments as an examiner at the Aircrew Examining Board and an instructor at the Flying Instructors’ School.
In the airline world, he has flown as a captain and check pilot, and today is a current Airbus A320 instructor and examiner. He is a DGCA-approved CRM instructor and an EU-certified aircraft accident investigator — the latter a reminder that safety is not a subject he teaches from a distance.
At CEFAT, he teaches every cohort personally. The material is concise because it has been distilled over decades; the classes are small because attention does not scale.
Credentials
- Top Gun — Best Flying Professional, Indian Air Force (1989)
- 31 years in the Indian Air Force; 27 aircraft variants
- 18,000+ hours of accident-free flying
- Examiner, Aircrew Examining Board; instructor, Flying Instructors’ School
- A-2 instructional rating; alumnus, RAF College, United Kingdom
- Current Airbus A320 instructor & examiner (TRI / TRE)
- DGCA-approved CRM instructor
- EU-certified aircraft accident investigator
A career in five lines
Royal Air Force exchange
Served alongside the Royal Air Force; later mastered at the RAF College in the United Kingdom.
Top Gun, Indian Air Force
Adjudged the Best Flying Professional of the Indian Air Force.
Air Force examiner
A-2 instructional rating; examiner at the Aircrew Examining Board and instructor at the Flying Instructors’ School.
CEFAT founded
A ground school built around one idea: knowledge, taught properly, is the pilot’s best instrument.
A320 instructor & DGCA CRM trainer
Current Airbus A320 instructor and examiner, DGCA-approved CRM instructor, and EU-certified accident investigator.
03 / In their words
What cadets carry forward.
“"HARDER I work LUCKIER I get!" is what Capt. Gill engraved in me. His contribution is immense; I just had to trust him. Despite getting my license in 2009, I faced years of waiting. Capt. Gill gave me confidence, and I'm now flying since June 2018. He's incredibly knowledgeable and always available, even at odd hours. He motivates and guides not just what to study, but how, making a huge difference. He helped me balance everything. I'm eternally grateful!”
Capt. Ragi Dubey
“Captain Gill, I'm blessed to have been your student. In 2010, as a First Officer, I learned your guidance was key to passing the ATPL. Your advice, systematic approach, and vast experience helped me pass on my first attempt. Even with 7000+ hours as an A320 Commander and Check Pilot, your knowledge is unmatched. Your dedication has shaped our successful careers. For aspiring pilots, I say: start your journey with Captain TPS Gill. Thank you!”
Capt. Sushant Laxman
Commander & Check Pilot, A320
“Dear Sir, I fondly recall our first flight in 2011 and our successful ATPL exams, a testament to your dedicated teaching. Your inspiring commitment included long sessions despite your busy schedule. Your dynamic and unique approach was remarkable. Having navigated the challenges of an aviation job, I deeply appreciate your invaluable guidance and constant encouragement throughout my pilot career. I'm truly thankful and wish you great success in your new venture. Your students are fortunate.”
Capt. Vishnu Nair
The academy · Jakkuru, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560064 · Est. 2005
Lessons and support that stay with you
“These are not just aviation skills, but life skills.”
“My time at CEFAT gave me lessons that will stay with me for life — both in and out of the cockpit.”
“And even after the batch concluded, Capt. Gill and Lakshmi ma’am are there to help.”
Next step
Come and see the classroom.
Visit the academy in Jakkuru, sit in on a session, and ask the questions that matter to you.