Air India gets DGCA approval for flying academy in Maharashtra

Air India has received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to establish its flying academy at Belora Airport in Amravati, Maharashtra, as the airline looks to strengthen pilot training capacity and support the growth of India's aviation sector.

The Air India Flying Academy will be the first such academy established by an Indian airline in the country. It will operate a fleet of 31 single-engine and three twin-engine aircraft for pilot training.

In an official statement on Friday, the company stated, “Air India has received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its Air India Flying Academy at Amravati’s Belora Airport in Maharashtra”

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The company also highlighted that spread across 10 acres, the academy will have digitally enabled classrooms, student accommodation, a digital operations centre and a dedicated maintenance facility. The infrastructure is aimed at providing aspiring pilots with training facilities while maintaining high standards of safety and operational excellence.

The DGCA approval marks an important step in the airline's plan to develop aviation training infrastructure in India. The academy is expected to contribute to building a larger pool of trained pilots as the country's aviation sector expands.

Air India said the flying academy is part of its broader commitment to developing aviation talent and infrastructure within the country.

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Alongside the Amravati facility, the airline has also invested in a 600,000 sq. ft. training academy in Gurugram, which is the largest aviation training institution in South Asia.

The two facilities are intended to support India's growing demand for pilots and strengthen the country's aviation training ecosystem.

With the Amravati academy, Air India is looking to build training capacity through its own aviation training infrastructure, including aircraft, classrooms and maintenance facilities.

The airline said these investments would contribute to creating a more self-reliant aviation ecosystem in India while supporting the development of aviation professionals.