Air India: DGCA nod: Air India becomes first Indian carrier to have its own flying school

AI Flying Academy will operate a fleet of 31 single-engine and three twin-engine aircraft for pilot training.

NEW DELHI: Air India has become the first Indian carrier to get the clearance to launch its own flying school. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Friday approved Air India Flying Academy at Amravati’s Belora Airport in Maharashtra, strengthening pilot training capacity in India. AI Flying Academy will operate a fleet of 31 single-engine and three twin-engine aircraft for pilot training.Spread across 10 acres, the academy will feature digitally enabled classrooms, student accommodation, a digital operations centre, and a dedicated maintenance facility, providing aspiring pilots with world-class training infrastructure while maintaining the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.The Air India Flying Academy complements the airline’s commitment to developing aviation talent and infrastructure in India, including its 6 lakh square feet training academy in Gurugram, which is the largest aviation training institution in South Asia.Together, these investments are expected to support India’s growing demand for pilots and contribute to building a more self-reliant aviation ecosystem.AI said on X: “We are proud to receive DGCA approval for the Air India Flying Academy at Amravati’s Belora Airport, making it the first flying academy established by an Indian airline in the country. ld-class training infrastructure and a planned fleet of 34 training aircraft, the academy will help strengthen India’s pilot training capacity and support the nation’s rapidly growing aviation sector.”