Air India, MADC announce pilot training institute in Maharashtra

Tata-owned Air India is establishing a flying training institute in Amravati, Maharashtra, which is slated to commence operations by the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. Described as South Asia's largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO), it is a joint initiative with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). The MADC has already awarded the tender for the FTO's establishment and operation for a 30-year term.

This institute plans to annually train 180 commercial pilots, marking a significant effort to enhance India's pilot training capacity. The institute, licenced by the DGCA, will be located at Belora airport in Amravati. It will feature 31 single-engine and three twin-engine aircraft for training purposes.

Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, said, “The FTO at Amravati will be a significant step towards making Indian aviation more self-reliant and offering more opportunities to the youth in India to fulfil their ambitions of flying as pilots. The young pilots coming out of this FTO will fuel Air India’s ambition of becoming a world-class airline, as it moves ahead in its transformation journey."

Sunil Bhaskaran, director, Aviation Academy, Air India, said, “The FTO will be operational by Q1 FY26 and offer aspiring pilots an opportunity to undergo training with world-class curricula at par with best-in-class global schools."

The collaboration between MADC and Air India is expected to generate over 3,000 new jobs in the aviation sector and contribute significantly to Maharashtra's economy, including over ₹1,000 crore to the state GDP in the next decade.

"The collaboration will create employment in multifarious allied activities in skilling, technical and small entrepreneurial ventures culminating in an impressive contribution of over ₹1,000 crore to the state’s GDP over the next decade,” says Swati Pandey, vice chairman & managing director, Maharashtra Airport Development Company.

The institute will span 10 acres and feature advanced facilities such as digitally enabled classrooms, hostels, a digitised operations centre, and a dedicated maintenance facility to enhance operational efficiency. This initiative complements Air India's recently announced 600,000 sq ft training academy in Gurugram, which is set to be the largest in South Asia, Air India states.

Air India recently announced the introduction of its wide-body A350-900 aircraft on the Delhi-London route, with two daily flights commencing on September 1. This launch marks the A350-900's debut on international long-haul routes.

On June 19, Air India introduced a three-class configuration on its newly acquired narrow-body A320neo aircraft. This A320neo aircraft will now feature a business class, a new premium economy class, and an updated economy class for domestic and short-haul international routes.

Two A320neo aircraft, VT-RTW and VT-RTZ, have been retrofitted to include 8 business class seats, 24 extra legroom seats in premium economy, and 132 economy class seats, providing passengers with more options. This marks the first time Air India has offered premium economy cabins on its narrow-body aircraft.