Air India and Airbus have inaugurated a pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. The facility, established as a 50:50 joint venture, aims to train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade.
The 12,000 sq metre centre will feature 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), classrooms, and briefing rooms. It is designed to train pilots for Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families, with courses approved by both the DGCA and EASA. At present, the facility has two A320 simulators installed, with the remaining six A320 simulators and two A350 simulators scheduled for progressive installation.
Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus, and Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, attended the inauguration alongside Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. Jürgen Westermeier, President & Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, said, “We are very proud to partner with Air India and the Tata Group on this critical infrastructure project.” Campbell Wilson added, “The new pilot training centre at our Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram…will help train and upskill pilots who will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline.”
The training centre consolidates Air India’s pilot training operations across the country into the Gurugram academy. The Air India Aviation Training Academy, established in 2024, currently trains over 2,000 aviation professionals daily and is projected to train over 50,000 aviation personnel, including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, engineering, and security staff, over the next few years. The academy provides training across Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP), cabin crew service, grooming, voice and accent, as well as ground and security operations.
In addition to the Gurugram facility, Air India is setting up a DGCA-licensed Flying Training Organisation (FTO) at Belora airport in Amravati, Maharashtra, which plans to graduate 180 commercial pilots annually. A Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) near Air India’s new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru is also under development and will offer a two-year integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme certified by DGCA, followed by two years of practical on-job training. The BMTO is expected to be operational in FY27.
Air India operates domestic and international passenger services and is part of the Tata Group. Its Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram provides training for pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, and engineering personnel, and is expanding infrastructure to support the airline’s fleet growth and aviation skill development in India.
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