'Strategic investment': Air India, Airbus set up state-of-the-art pilot training facility in Haryana

Air India and Airbus have launched a joint venture training facility in Haryana aimed at training pilots for A320 and A350 aircraft families. The advanced pilot training center, located at the Air India Aviation Training Academy, is expected to train over 5,000 new pilots over the next decade, according to a release by the airline on Tuesday.

The 12,000-square-meter facility, which is an equal joint venture between Air India and Airbus, is equipped with 10 full flight simulators, advanced classrooms, and briefing rooms. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu inaugurated the facility on Tuesday.

Currently, the center hosts two simulators for A320 family aircraft, with plans to progressively install six more A320 simulators and two A350 simulators. The advanced facility is part of Air India’s larger effort to enhance its pilot training infrastructure and provide state-of-the-art resources for its growing fleet.

Jürgen Westermeier, President & Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, described the training facility as a significant strategic investment, stating, "It 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 and CEO of Air India, emphasised that the facility represents a significant step in the airline's ongoing transformation and self-reliance. "This is a major step forward in our transformation journey and in making the airline and the Indian aviation industry more self-reliant," Wilson said.

The new training hub is part of Air India's broader strategy to strengthen its aviation capabilities. Since being acquired by the Tata Group in January 2022, the airline has placed orders for 570 new aircraft, including narrow-body and wide-body planes from both Airbus and Boeing.

The Air India Aviation Training Academy, located in Gurugram, will consolidate the airline's pilot training resources. In addition, Airbus will complement this training facility with its own four A320 simulators located at the Airbus India Training Centre in New Delhi. The combined effort will create a robust network, housing a total of 14 full flight simulators.

In a separate statement, Airbus also announced its collaboration with local partners to provide maintenance training, helping to build a strong pipeline of technicians and engineers to support the future fleet. 

The Air India Aviation Training Academy, which was established in 2024, plans to train over 50,000 aviation professionals, including pilots, cabin crew, ground handling, engineering, and security staff, over the coming years.

Additionally, Air India is setting up South Asia's largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra, and a new Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) near the airline's Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru, scheduled to open in FY27. The BMTO will offer a two-year Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program certified by DGCA, followed by two years of practical on-job training at the MRO.

(With inputs from PTI)