Approval of Dy.CFI on eGCA: the FTO nomination process explained

A Deputy Chief Flying Instructor (Dy.CFI) supports the Chief Flying Instructor in running the training operation at a DGCA-approved Flying Training Organisation (FTO). When an FTO wants to put a qualified instructor into that role, it does not happen with a letter or an email. The nomination runs through eGCA, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) online platform, as a specific service called Approval of Dy.CFI.

This guide explains who can be nominated, what the FTO and the instructor need to have in place first, and how the nomination moves through eGCA step by step. It is written for the person inside an FTO who actually files the application, so the focus is on the practical workflow rather than the policy background. If you are looking for the separate Chief Flying Instructor approval instead, that is a different eGCA service, covered in our guide on CFI application approval on eGCA.

What the Approval of Dy.CFI service does

The Approval of Dy.CFI service on eGCA lets an approved FTO nominate a Flight Instructor Rating (FIR) holder for the position of Deputy Chief Flying Instructor at that organisation. It is an FTO-initiated service: the application is raised by the FTO account, names the instructor being put forward, and is then routed to DGCA for review and approval.

Two things are worth being clear about from the start. First, the service is tied to a specific FTO. A Dy.CFI is approved to hold the post at the organisation that nominated them, not as a portable personal rating that follows the instructor elsewhere. Second, this is distinct from the CFI approval. The two roles sit side by side in an FTO, and DGCA treats them as separate eGCA services with their own applications, so do not assume that clearing one covers the other.

Who can be nominated as Dy.CFI

The candidate has to be a Flight Instructor Rating holder before the FTO can put them forward. If the instructor you want to nominate does not yet hold a valid FIR, that has to be sorted first through the apply for Flight Instructor’s Rating (FIR) in eGCA process. The Dy.CFI nomination builds on that rating rather than replacing it.

Beyond holding an FIR, DGCA applies experience and instructional criteria to Dy.CFI candidates, including a minimum amount of flight instruction experience. [VERIFY] These eligibility thresholds are set in the relevant Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) and the FTO approval rules, so confirm the current numbers in the applicable CAR before you nominate, because they are updated from time to time. [VERIFY] Getting the eligibility check right before you file saves a rejection later.

Before you apply: prerequisites

Both sides of the nomination need to be set up on eGCA before the application can be raised. Have the following in place:

1. eGCA registration for the FTO. The organisation must be a registered, approved FTO on eGCA with an active account. If your organisation is not yet on the system, start with the new Flying Training Organisation registration process on eGCA.

   

   

   

2. eGCA registration for the instructor. The FIR holder being nominated must have their own eGCA account and a valid eGCA ID. If they have not registered yet, our guide on how to get your eGCA ID walks through it.

3. A valid FIR held by the candidate. The instructor must hold a current Flight Instructor Rating, since the Dy.CFI role is built on it.

4. Current contact details. Both the FTO and the instructor should have a working email address and mobile number recorded on eGCA, because the system sends application updates and any clarification requests to those contacts.

   

5. Supporting documents ready. Have the candidate’s licence, FIR, logbook summary, and experience records to hand so you are not chasing paperwork mid-application.

Document checklist

The exact set of uploads is defined by the service form in eGCA and can change, so always check the on-screen requirements when you open the application. [VERIFY] In practice, FTOs filing a Dy.CFI nomination are generally asked to provide:

• The candidate’s CPL or ATPL and current medical details as held on eGCA. [VERIFY]
• The candidate’s valid Flight Instructor Rating. [VERIFY]
• Evidence of flight instruction experience, typically drawn from the instructor’s logbook records. [VERIFY]
• The FTO’s recommendation or nomination letter for the candidate. [VERIFY]

Because several of these items come straight from the instructor’s logbook, the nomination goes more smoothly when the candidate’s hours are already clean, totalled, and easy to summarise. A digital logbook helps here, which we come back to below.

How to apply for Approval of Dy.CFI on eGCA

Work through these steps with the eGCA portal open in another tab. The exact menu labels can shift between portal updates, so treat the wording below as a guide and follow the on-screen path. [VERIFY]

1. Log in to eGCA as the FTO. Go to the eGCA external portal and sign in with the FTO account credentials, not the individual instructor login, since this is an organisation-initiated service.

2. Open the Approval of Dy.CFI service. From the FTO services area, find the Approval of Dy.CFI service and open it to start a new application. [VERIFY]

3. Identify the candidate. Enter the FIR holder’s eGCA ID so the system links the nomination to the correct instructor record. Check the details that come up match the person you intend to nominate.

4. Complete the application form. Fill in the required fields about the candidate and the role. Review every entry, since an error here is a common reason for a query or rejection.

5. Upload supporting documents. Attach the documents the form asks for, in the formats and size limits the portal specifies. Make sure scans are legible.

   

6. Submit the nomination. Submit the application for DGCA processing. The portal generates a reference you can use to track progress, so note it down.

7. Track and respond. Watch the application status on the FTO dashboard and on your registered email. If DGCA raises a query, respond promptly through the portal, because an unanswered query holds up the approval.

Nomination flow

Processing time and what to expect

DGCA does not publish a single fixed turnaround for the Dy.CFI approval, and the time taken depends on how complete the application is and on DGCA’s review queue. [VERIFY] The most reliable way to keep it moving is to file a clean application with all documents attached the first time and to answer any clarification quickly. Track the status through the portal rather than re-submitting, since a duplicate application can confuse the record.

For the official wording on the service, prerequisites, and document list, refer to the DGCA eGCA service documentation on the portal itself, which supersedes any third-party summary including this one. [VERIFY]

Keeping the instructor’s logbook ready for nomination

The Dy.CFI nomination leans heavily on the candidate’s flight and instruction records. The cleaner those records are, the easier the application is to prepare and the less likely it is to attract a query about hours. This is where a digital logbook earns its place. Wingman is a pilot logbook used by 30,000+ pilots across 400+ airlines, and it keeps hours, instruction time, currency, and licence details in one place across iOS, Android, and Web.

Wingman is a global product rather than an India-only tool, and it supports DGCA among regulators including the FAA, EASA, UK CAA, GCAA, GACA, NZCAA, HKCAD, CASA, and CAAS. For instructors building records toward roles like this in India, there is a focused walkthrough on keeping a DGCA pilot logbook in India. There is a free tier up to 250 hours, so an instructor can keep an accurate running total without committing anything up front, and regulator-compliant exports make it straightforward to produce a clean summary when the FTO files the nomination.

How this fits the wider eGCA picture

The Dy.CFI approval is one of a cluster of FTO and instructor services on eGCA. If you are setting up or staffing a training organisation, it sits alongside FTO registration, the FIR application, and CFI approval, and an account on the platform is the starting point for all of them. If you are new to eGCA, the pilot registration process with eGCA and the guide on DGCA approved flying schools in India give useful context for where this nomination fits.

Frequently asked questions

Who raises the Approval of Dy.CFI application, the FTO or the instructor?

The FTO raises it. Approval of Dy.CFI is an organisation-initiated service on eGCA: the FTO logs in with its own account, nominates an FIR holder by their eGCA ID, and submits the application to DGCA. The instructor must already be registered on eGCA, but they do not file the nomination themselves.

Does a candidate need a Flight Instructor Rating before being nominated?

Yes. The Dy.CFI role is built on a valid Flight Instructor Rating, so the candidate must already hold an FIR. If they do not, that has to be obtained first through the apply for Flight Instructor’s Rating (FIR) in eGCA process before the Dy.CFI nomination can be raised.

Is the Dy.CFI approval the same as the CFI approval?

No. The Chief Flying Instructor and Deputy Chief Flying Instructor are separate roles, and DGCA handles them as separate eGCA services with their own applications. Clearing one does not cover the other, so file the correct service for the role you are nominating. [VERIFY]

How long does the Dy.CFI approval take?

There is no single published turnaround. Processing time depends on how complete the application is and on DGCA’s review queue. [VERIFY] A complete application with all documents attached, and a prompt response to any query, is the most reliable way to keep it moving.

Is the Dy.CFI approval tied to a specific FTO?

Yes. The approval is for holding the Dy.CFI post at the FTO that nominated the candidate. It is not a portable personal rating that follows the instructor to another organisation, so a move would mean a fresh nomination by the new FTO. [VERIFY]