Gurugram (Haryana) [India], September 30 (ANI): Air India and Airbus have established an advanced pilot training center at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. The state-of-the-art facility will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to support the rapid growth of commercial aviation in India, according to an official release.
The 50:50 joint venture facility was inaugurated by Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, in the presence of Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus; Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India; and other dignitaries from the Tata Group, Air India, and Airbus.
The new 12,000-square-meter center will feature 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms. The facility is designed to train pilots for Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families, with courses approved by both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), ensuring India’s pilot training meets the highest global standards.
The facility currently houses two Full Flight Simulators for Airbus A320 family aircraft. The remaining six A320 simulators and two A350 simulators will be progressively installed, the release said.
In a post on X, the Union Minister wrote, “Had the honour of inaugurating the Air India-Airbus Pilot Training Centre at Air India’s Aviation Training Academy alongside Airbus Board Chairman Rene Obermann and Air India CEO Campbell Wilson.”
Jurgen 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. The inauguration of the training center is a testament to our shared vision for the future of Indian aviation. This is more than a joint venture; it is a strategic investment in the future of the Indian aerospace industry itself. India is a strategic powerhouse for Airbus, and this state-of-the-art facility is a testament to our belief in its immense potential.”
Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, said, “Air India is in an expansion mode with 570 new aircraft on order, and the new pilot training centre at our Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, part of which is being executed with Airbus, will help train and upskill pilots who will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline. This facility is a major step forward in our transformation journey and in making Air India and the Indian aviation industry more self-reliant. With our partners Airbus, we are playing our part in building the aviation infrastructure that India needs as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.”
The training center will consolidate Air India’s pilot training infrastructure across the country into the Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, the release added.
The Air India Aviation Training Academy is South Asia’s largest aviation training academy, established in 2024, currently training over 2,000 aviation professionals daily. Over the next few years, the academy is expected to train more than 50,000 aviation professionals, including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, engineering, and security staff.
The academy offers world-class training with a core focus on safety, providing immersive training on Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP), service training, grooming, voice and accent training for cabin crew, and ground and security staff training covering departure control, customer service, and airport security.
Additionally, Air India is setting up South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) at Amravati in Maharashtra. The DGCA-licensed FTO at Belora Airport aims to graduate 180 commercial pilots annually, helping meet the rising demand as Air India expands its fleet.
A new Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) is also planned near Air India’s upcoming Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru, set to be operational in FY27. The BMTO will offer a two-year integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program certified by the DGCA, followed by two years of practical on-job training at the MRO. (ANI)
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