Air India and Airbus have inaugurated an advanced pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. This state-of-the-art facility will train over 5,000 new pilots within the next decade to support the exponential growth of commercial aviation in India.

The Honourable Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, inaugurated the 50:50 joint venture facility. Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, and Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, attended the ceremony, along with other dignitaries from Tata Group, Air India, and Airbus.

The new 12,000 sq. m centre will feature 10 Full-Flight Simulators (FFSs), along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms. The facility trains pilots on the Airbus A320 and A350 families of aircraft. Both the DGCA and EASA approve its courses, ensuring that pilot training in India meets the highest global standards. The facility operates two Full Flight Simulators for Airbus A320 family aircraft. We will gradually install the remaining six A320 simulators and two A350 simulators.

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. The inauguration of the training centre 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, a 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.”

With this training centre, Air India is consolidating its pilot training infrastructure from across the country into the Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram.

The Air India Aviation Training Academy is the largest aviation training academy in South Asia. It was established in 2024 and is currently training over 2,000 aviation professionals daily. The academy plans to train more than 50,000 aviation professionals, including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling staff, engineers, and security personnel, over the next few years. With world-class equipment and the latest technology, the training academy currently offers immersive, industry-best training with a core focus on safety.

The aviation academy features best-in-class equipment for immersive training in Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP), along with service training, grooming, voice, and accent training for cabin crew. Training for ground and security staff encompasses key functions such as departure control, customer service, airport security, and refresher courses.

Additionally, Air India is establishing South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) 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.

Air India is establishing a new Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) near its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru, with plans to have the organisation operational by the end of the fiscal year 2027. The BMTO will offer a two-year integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program certified by DGCA, followed by two years of practical on-the-job training at the MRO.

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