(GURUGRAM, HARYANA, INDIA) Air India and Airbus have launched a joint venture to expand aviation training in India, opening a large pilot training center inside the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram. Built as a 50:50 partnership, the center spans 12,000 square meters and is designed to serve India’s fast-growing commercial aviation market with a steady pipeline of skilled pilots and technical staff.
As of October 2025, two Airbus A320 full flight simulators are active, with more devices set to follow in phases as the program scales. The facility is approved by both India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). That dual approval is central to the venture’s pitch: pilots trained here can meet global standards that airlines and safety regulators expect across borders.
The DGCA’s oversight is a core legal requirement in India; readers can find official regulatory information at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Strategic intent, leadership views, and targets
Leaders of both companies frame the joint venture as a long-term investment in people and safety.
- Jürgen Westermeier, President & Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, emphasized the strategic importance of building skills at scale in India and noted Airbus’s belief in the country’s potential in aerospace.
- Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, said the facility supports Air India’s drive to become a world-class airline while adding capacity to India’s wider training ecosystem.
Key scale targets highlighted by the partners:
- Train more than 5,000 pilots over the next decade
- Support 50,000 aviation professionals (cabin crew, engineers, ground staff) over the next few years
VisaVerge.com reports that such multi-track programs can help airlines synchronize hiring across flight operations, maintenance, and customer service, reducing bottlenecks that often delay fleet growth.
Training Center details and scale
The Gurugram site is designed for a large simulator fleet and broad course delivery:
- Planned capacity: 10 Full Flight Simulators (FFSs) for Airbus A320 and A350 families once fully built out
- Currently operational: 2 A320 simulators (type-rating and recurrent training already underway)
- Regulatory approvals: DGCA and EASA approvals cover course content, training hours, assessment standards, and safety procedures
Important features and goals:
- 10 FFS devices planned for A320/A350 families, with staged activation
- DGCA and EASA approvals in place for course delivery and standards
- 5,000+ pilots targeted for training over the next 10 years
- 50,000 total aviation professionals targeted across roles in the near term
The center’s DGCA and EASA approvals align the curriculum with international norms, helping graduates meet cross-border compliance expectations.
Expansion into pilot and maintenance pipelines
Air India is building complementary training pathways beyond simulator-based instruction to create an integrated workforce pipeline.
- Flying Training Organisation (FTO) — Amravati, Belora airport, Maharashtra
- Developing South Asia’s largest FTO
- DGCA-licensed
- Expected to graduate 180 commercial pilots per year
- Graduates can progress to type-rating on Airbus fleets at the Gurugram center
- Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) — Bengaluru (near upcoming MRO)
- Will offer a two-year integrated Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program certified by DGCA
- Followed by two years of practical on-the-job training
- Aims to produce maintenance personnel ready for immediate hands-on work
This two-step pilot pathway (ab initio flight training → type-rating) and the AME + practical training structure are intended to align entry-level supply with airline operational needs.
Systems thinking and operational benefits
The partners emphasize a systems approach rather than siloed programs:
- FTO → Gurugram simulator center: feeds trained commercial pilots into aircraft-specific type-rating
- BMTO → MRO: creates maintenance talent that applies skills in operational heavy-check environments
- Airbus contributes global training practices and device support, aligning training content with aircraft requirements
Centralizing training yields operational advantages:
- Standardizes quality across courses and assessments
- Improves scheduling, device uptime, and instructor availability
- Enhances data tracking for safety audits and continuous improvement
- Shortens waiting times between training phases for pilots
- Supports predictable crew planning as new aircraft arrive
Rollout approach and local economic impact
- The partners have not published a detailed rollout calendar for the remaining FFS units; devices will be added in phases.
- Typical phased activities include device delivery, installation, calibration, and regulatory checks — each step can take months.
Local economic effects:
- Employment of instructors, evaluators, technicians, and support staff
- Trainees spending on housing and services during multi-week or multi-month programs
- Multiplied impact when connected to the FTO and MRO, reinforcing Gurugram’s role in India’s aviation cluster
Market context and strategic implications
The joint venture’s timing aligns with rising travel demand and fleet growth across India. Training capacity can become a hidden bottleneck if not scaled in step with aircraft and route additions.
- By pairing Air India’s growth plans with Airbus’s training technologies and standards, the venture aims to prevent that bottleneck.
- For trainees, the partnership offers a structured pathway from first license to type-rating to line operations, backed by a major carrier and a manufacturer.
- For global observers, the collaboration tests how quickly an airline can expand training while maintaining safety and quality.
If the facility reaches its target of 10 simulators and the FTO and BMTO meet their intake goals, India could produce more homegrown pilots and engineers who move directly into frontline roles on Airbus fleets — supporting smoother operations and better passenger experiences as airlines add frequencies and city pairs.
Summary of the integrated training plan
- Approvals: EASA and DGCA
- Device coverage: A320 and A350 families
- Simulator target: 10 FFS (2 currently active, phased additions)
- Pilot output: 180 FTO graduates per year → part of 5,000+ pilots targeted over 10 years
- Maintenance pipeline: Two-year AME program + two years on-the-job training (BMTO)
- Broad workforce goal: 50,000 aviation professionals across roles in the near term
For Air India and Airbus, the immediate work is to keep building capacity — device by device and cohort by cohort — as India’s skies get busier.
This Article in a Nutshell
Air India and Airbus have established a 50:50 joint training center in Gurugram spanning 12,000 square meters to expand India’s aviation training capacity. Operational since October 2025 with two Airbus A320 full flight simulators, the center aims for a phased build-out to 10 FFS covering A320 and A350 families. It holds DGCA and EASA approvals, enabling trainees to meet domestic and international standards. The venture is integrated with a DGCA‑licensed FTO in Amravati and a BMTO near Bengaluru to create pipelines for pilots and maintenance personnel. Targets include training over 5,000 pilots in ten years and supporting 50,000 aviation professionals, easing potential workforce bottlenecks as India’s fleet and travel demand grow.
