Air India to open flight training centre in Amravati

Flight Training Organisation (FTO) will be set up in Amravati. Representation pic

Air India is setting up a Flight Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra, to train 180 pilots per year. This initiative, part of a collaboration with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), will be located at Amravati's Belora airport and will be operational by Q1 FY26.

The FTO will have 31 single-engine aircraft and three twin-engine aircraft for training. Air India has been awarded a 30-year tender by MADC to establish and operate this DGCA-licensed facility.

Swati Pandey, vice chairman and managing director of MADC, said, "This collaborative initiative will boost Maharashtra's economy by creating over 3,000 new jobs contributing over R1,000 crore to the state's GDP."

Campbell Wilson, MD and CEO of Air India said, "The FTO will help make Indian aviation more self-reliant and provide more opportunities for youth to become pilots. These young pilots will support Air India's goal of becoming a world-class airline."

Sunil Bhaskaran, director of Air India's aviation academy, added, "The FTO will offer aspiring pilots world-class training and support India's vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat."

An Air India spokesperson said, "The FTO will deliver the highest safety standards and top-notch training. This complements Air India's commitment to enhancing India's aviation infrastructure, alongside our new training academy in Gurugram, the largest in South Asia."

180
No. of pilots Air India will train every year