Air India is establishing South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) at Amravati, Maharashtra, in collaboration with the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). This initiative is part of Air India's transformation journey, aimed at enhancing the country's pilot training capacity. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-licensed FTO at Belora airport in Amravati is set to become operational by the first quarter of FY26, with a goal of graduating 180 commercial pilots annually.
Air India's Flying Training Organisation (FTO), the first of its kind among Indian airlines, will feature 31 single-engine aircraft and 3 twin-engine aircraft dedicated to training purposes. The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has awarded Air India a 30-year tender to establish and manage this DGCA-licensed FTO at Amravati, marking a significant milestone in aviation training within the country.
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 fulfill 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”.
“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. We are delighted to be playing a part in building the aviation infrastructure India needs as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets and to support the government’s vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat”, said Sunil Bhaskaran, Director, Aviation Academy, Air India.
“This collaborative initiative between MADC and Air India will not only boost the economy of Maharashtra by focusing on over 3,000 new employment opportunities within the aviation sector but also create employment in multifarious allied activities in skilling, technical and small entrepreneurial ventures culminating in an impressive contribution of over Rs 1,000 crore to the state’s GDP over the next decade. The establishment of South Asia’s largest FTO will certainly encourage students in Maharashtra to pursue careers in aviation which would further instill a deep sense of inspiration and pride for the state of Maharashtra and the Indian citizenry”, said Swati Pandey, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Company.
At the Amravati FTO, Air India will establish a cutting-edge training institute spanning 10 acres. It will feature digitally equipped classrooms, world-class hostels, a digitized operations center, and its own maintenance facility to enhance operational efficiency. The FTO is designed to uphold the highest safety standards and deliver superior training experiences. Earlier this year, Air India also announced its new Training Academy in Gurugram, covering 600,000 sq ft, making it the largest in South Asia. This new FTO in Amravati underscores Air India's commitment to bolster India's aviation sector in the years ahead.
