Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: A state-of-the-art pilot training centre has been inaugurated at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, which will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to meet the rising demand in India’s fast-growing aviation sector, the airline announced on September 30. The centre has been set up as a 50:50 joint venture between Air India and Airbus.
The facility was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in the presence of Christian Scherer, CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, Campbell Wilson, MD &; CEO of Air India, and senior officials from the Tata Group, Air India and Airbus. Spread across 12,000 square metres, the centre will house 10 full flight simulators (FFSs) along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms.
It will provide training for Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families and has been approved by both India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Currently, it is equipped with two A320 simulators, while six more A320 simulators and two A350 simulators will be added in phases. Airbus India and South Asia President Jurgen Westermeier said the facility is not just a joint venture but also a strategic investment in the future of the Indian aviation industry. He added that India is a strategic powerhouse for Airbus, and the centre reflects the company’s commitment to its potential.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said that with 570 new aircraft on order, the airline is in an expansion mode and the training centre will play a key role in upskilling pilots to support its transformation journey. He said the academy would help make Air India and the Indian aviation sector more self-reliant while ensuring world-class training standards. The training centre will consolidate Air India’s pilot training infrastructure in one location at Gurugram, which already hosts South Asia’s largest aviation training academy.
