In response to an anticipated pilot shortage in the Indian aviation sector, Air India is establishing a pilot training academy in Amravati, Maharashtra, with a capacity to train 180 pilots annually, according to a report by The Economic Times.
Aspiring pilots with no flying experience can enter the full-time academy. They will have a direct pathway to Air India’s cockpit after completing the next stages of training.
This is a major shift in strategy on how Indian airlines have looked to train pilots- where till now major carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet have set up branded training programs affiliated with independent flight schools in India and abroad. For instance, IndiGo has a tie-up with seven flight schools.
The airline has opted for around 30 single-engine and four multi-engine aircraft from American company Piper and European manufacturer Diamond.
“Air India wants to be in control of the supply next generation of pilots which. The school will be a critical part of the national carrier’s long-term talent pipeline. Second is the airline wants to ensure quality of training. The quality of training in flying schools in India leaves a lot of gap forcing students to go abroad,” said a person aware of the development told ET.
Meanwhile, the government is encouraging pilot training within India, as currently, over 40 per cent of students pursue their training abroad at a cost of Rs 1.5-2 crore.
Initially, the academy will focus on meeting Air India’s internal needs, but the Tata group plans to eventually offer training to external candidates as well, the business-daily said.
Additionally, Air India has partnered with Airbus and US-based L3 Harris to establish a training centre in Gururgram, featuring six simulators for type-rated and recurrent training, the news report said.
Aviation training regulations require aspiring pilots to complete ab initio (from the beginning) training for a licence, type-rated training for specific aircraft like the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737, and annual recurrent training to maintain their licence endorsements.
Sunil Bhaskaran, former CEO of AirAsia India and a veteran of the Tata group, is leading the development of Air India’s training infrastructure, the newspaper report added.
The large aircraft orders by Indian airlines are expected to drive the demand for flight simulation centres, as carriers like IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa have collectively ordered around 1,250 aircraft which will be delivered over the next decade.
Passenger complaints against Air India
Recently, Air India faced scrutiny after journalist Mathures Paul reported finding a metal blade in his meal on flight AI 175 from Bengaluru to San Francisco. The passenger shared his ordeal on X (formerly Twitter) that he discovered the blade after chewing it for a few seconds. Air India contacted him later, offering a complimentary business class flight as compensation, which he declined, calling it a “bribe”.
Air India acknowledged the incident, confirming the presence of a “foreign object” in the meal.
Meanwhile, another passenger, Vineeth K, described his experience with Air India as a “nightmare”, citing issues with uncooked food and unclean, worn-out business class seats. Vineeth had chosen Air India for its direct flights to New York, Chicago, and London, but was disappointed with the service quality.
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