Air India has placed an order for 34 advanced trainer aircraft to support its upcoming Flight Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra. This significant move is part of the airline’s efforts to expand its pilot training infrastructure, with the FTO expected to begin operations in the second half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
The aircraft order includes 31 single-engine models from Piper Aircraft, USA, and three twin-engine planes from Diamond Aircraft, Austria.Air India plans to use these aircraft to train cadet pilots as part of its ambitious plan to achieve self-reliance in pilot training, aligning with its broader transformation program, Vihaan.AI.
Located at Belora airport in Amravati, the FTO will be the largest of its kind in South Asia. The facility aims to graduate 180 commercial pilots annually, addressing the growing demand for skilled aviators in India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector.
The new trainer aircraft, set to be delivered starting in 2025, will feature state-of-the-art glass cockpits, G1000 avionics, and Jet A1 engines, which will ensure high-quality training for future pilots. Sunil Bhaskaran, Director of Air India’s Aviation Academy, emphasized that this initiative is a strategic move to enhance training infrastructure and create a self-reliant ecosystem of pilots for Air India and the broader Indian aviation industry.
In addition to the aircraft, the Amravati FTO will include a 10-acre training institute equipped with digitally-enabled classrooms, hostels, a digitized operations center, and an in-house maintenance facility, all designed to boost operational efficiency and support India’s vision of an “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
 in Amravati, Maharashtra. This significant move is part of the airline’s efforts to expand its pilot training infrastructure, with the FTO expected to begin operations in the second half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.){kind=link}