Airbus and Tata-owned Air India will setup a new world-class pilot training center in India for A320 and A350 flight training.

The announcement was made on the inaugural day of the Wings 2024 commercial aviation airshow being held in the Indian city of Hyderabad. 

Airbus and Air India have entered into a 50:50 joint venture to launch the Tata Airbus Training Centre which will be located in in Gurugram, Haryana. 

The 3,300 sq.mt. center is being setup to offer A320 and A350 flight training to approximately 5,000 new pilots by 2025. 

The new pilot training facility is slated to begin operations early next year, with four A320 Full Flight Simulators (FFS). Speaking to CAT, Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia said the Tata Airbus Training Centre will eventually have eight A320 FFS and two A350 FFS. Maillard added that as the fastest expanding aviation market in the world, India would need 41,000 pilots and 47,000 technicians in the next 20 years to support its civil aviation growth.

In addition to FFS, the training center will have training classrooms and briefing and debriefing rooms as part of the complete Airbus Flight Training Device setup. The Tata Airbus Training Centre will offer courses approved by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).  

Airbus also announced at the show, that is partnering with Indian firm GMR Aero Technic to offer Aircraft Maintenance Engineering training courses at the latter’s facility in Hyderabad. Training material such as trainee handbooks, examination database, will be provided by Airbus, in addition to online access to Airbus customised training modules and Airbus Competence Training (ACT) for Academy media package. GMR instructors will also be trained by Airbus which will also undertake continual assessments of the training center.