Air India, Airbus Launch Advanced Pilot Training Hub In Gurugram
Air India and Airbus on Tuesday have inaugurated an advanced pilot training center at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram. This state-of-the-art new facility will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India, according to an official release by Air India.
The 50:50 joint venture facility was inaugurated by Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in the presence of Airbus, Commercial Aircraft CEO, Christian Scherer; Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, and other dignitaries.
The facility is designed to train pilots for the Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families, the courses offered are approved by DGCA and EASA, the company stated.
The new 12,000 sq metre center will feature 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms.
Currently, the facility is equipped with two Full Flight Simulators for Airbus A320 family aircraft. The remaining six A320 simulators and two A350 simulators will be installed progressively, as per the release.
The Air India Aviation Training Academy, set up in 2024, is South Asia’s biggest aviation training academy. It currently trains over 2,000 aviation professionals every day, according to the release.
The academy is expected to train over 50,000 aviation professionals including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, engineering, and security staff, over the next few years. With world-class equipment and the latest technology, the training academy currently provides immersive industry-best training with safety as a core focus.
Additionally, Air India is also in the process of setting up South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation at Amravati in Maharashtra. The DGCA-licensed FTO at Amravati’s Belora airport will target to graduate 180 commercial pilots every year, helping fulfil demand for pilots as Air India expands its fleet.
According to an official release, a new Basic Maintenance Training Organization or BMTO is also coming up near Air India’s new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility in Bengaluru that will be operational in FY27.
The BMTO will offer a two-year integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or AME program certified by DGCA followed by two years of practical on-job training at the MRO.
