Air India and Airbus have inaugurated a state-of-the-art pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, with plans to train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade to meet the growing demands of India’s fast-expanding aviation sector, the airline said Tuesday.
The training facility has been set up as a 50:50 joint venture between Air India and Airbus.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu formally inaugurated the centre 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 feature 10 full flight simulators (FFSs) along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms. It has been approved by both India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The centre currently has two A320 simulators installed, with six additional A320 simulators and two A350 simulators set to be added in phases. Training will cover Airbus A320 and A350 aircraft families.
Airbus India and South Asia President Jurgen Westermeier said the centre was not only a joint venture but also a strategic investment in the future of India’s aviation industry.
“India is a strategic powerhouse for Airbus, and this facility reflects our commitment to its potential,” he said.
Campbell Wilson, CEO of Air India, said the new facility would play a key role in preparing pilots for the airline’s ambitious growth plans, with 570 new aircraft currently on order.
“The academy will support Air India’s transformation journey, help make the Indian aviation sector more self-reliant, and ensure world-class training standards,” Wilson said.
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The new training centre consolidates Air India’s pilot training infrastructure at Gurugram, which already hosts South Asia’s largest aviation training academy.
Established in 2024, the academy trains over 2,000 aviation professionals daily and is expected to train more than 50,000 professionals in the coming years, including pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff.
Alongside the Gurugram facility, Air India is also establishing South Asia’s largest flying training organisation at Amravati in Maharashtra, which will train 180 commercial pilots annually.
In addition, a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) is being set up near Air India’s upcoming MRO facility in Bengaluru, expected to be operational by FY27.
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