Air India, Airbus set up pilot training facility in Haryana
Airbus to collaborate with local partners to provide world-class maintenance training
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Air India and Airbus have set up a joint venture training facility in Haryana that will train pilots of A320 and A350 family aircraft.
The advanced pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy will train more than 5,000 new pilots over the next decade, the airline said in a release on Tuesday. The equal joint venture facility, spread over 12,000 square metres, will have 10 full flight simulators along with advanced classrooms and briefing rooms. It was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday. Currently, it has two full flight simulators for A320 family aircraft. The remaining six A320 simulators and two A350 simulators will be installed progressively.
Jürgen Westermeier, President & Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, said 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, said the facility is a major step forward in its transformation journey and in making the airline and the Indian aviation industry more self-reliant.
The loss-making airline, which was taken over by Tata Group in January 2022, has placed orders for 570 new aircraft, including narrow-body and wide-body Airbus and Boeing planes.
With the training centre, the airline said it is consolidating its pilot training infrastructure at the Air India Aviation Training Academy, which is located in Gurugram, Haryana.
