On Monday, Air India declared that it would establish a flying training organization (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra, and begin operations there by the beginning of 2026. It will be the biggest of its kind in South Asia, according to the company.
The DGCA-licensed FTO at Amravati’s Belora airport will be active by the first quarter of FY26, and the FTO aims to operationalize 180 commercial pilots annually.
According to a statement from the airline, Air India FTO will be the first in the nation to have 31 single-engine and 3 twin-engine aircraft for training.
Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, expressed that the Flight Training Organization (FTO) in Amravati represents a crucial stride towards enhancing India’s aviation self-sufficiency. He added that it will provide increased opportunities for Indian youth to realize their dreams of becoming pilots.
The Maharashtra Airport Development Company has issued a tender for Air India to develop and operate this 30-year-licensed Flight Training Organization (FTO) in Amravati under a DGCA license.
The FTO will provide prospective pilots with the chance to train using top-notch curricula on par with those of the greatest international schools. Sunil Bhaskaran, director of the Aviation Academy of Air India, stated, “We are thrilled to be supporting the government’s vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and to be contributing to the building of the aviation infrastructure India needs as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.”
The aviation consultancy CAPA raised concerns about the industry’s labor scarcity in its outlook published last month.
Kapil Kaul, the CEO of CAPA India, highlighted the severe shortages of pilots, AMEs (aircraft maintenance engineers), cabin crew, flight dispatchers, and other aviation professionals. He mentioned that the labor shortage is more critical than currently perceived and is likely to worsen due to Middle Eastern carriers poaching employees and the new flight duty time limitations guidelines anticipated to be implemented this year.
Earlier this year, Air India had announced the opening of its new training school in Gurugram, which occupies 600,000 square feet and is the largest in South Asia.
