Air India is starting a flying school in Amravati, Maharashtra, to help solve the upcoming shortage of pilots. This new school will train up to 180 pilots every year, giving people with no flying experience a direct path to become pilots for Air India after completing further training.
To ensure the best training, Air India has chosen about 30 single-engine and four multi-engine planes from Piper, an American company, and Diamond, a European company. This shows Air India’s commitment to providing excellent training facilities and equipment for its students.
The Indian government supports this move as they want more pilots to be trained within the country. Currently, over 40% of aspiring pilots go abroad for training, which can be very expensive, costing between Rs 1.5 to 2 crore. By opening this school, Air India and the government hope to reduce these costs and keep talent within India.
A source explained, “Air India wants to control the supply of new pilots and ensure they get high-quality training. Many flying schools in India don’t meet the best standards, forcing students to go abroad.”
One of the main reasons for starting this school is to improve the quality of pilot training in India. Many Indian flying schools aren’t up to international standards, so students often go overseas for better training. Air India wants to change this by offering top-notch training in India.
This flying school is a long-term plan to secure Air India’s future supply of pilots. With the global aviation industry needing more pilots, having their own training school will ensure Air India always has well-trained pilots ready to fly.
By running their own training school, Air India can make sure their pilots are trained to meet the airline’s specific needs and safety standards.
Air India’s new flying school in Amravati is a smart move to address the pilot shortage and improve pilot training in India. It aligns with the government’s goal to have more pilots trained locally and helps ensure that Air India has a steady stream of highly trained pilots for the future. The school will play a key role in shaping the future of aviation in India and provide aspiring pilots with a more affordable way to achieve their dreams.
