Airbus has inaugurated a world-class training centre for commercial pilots and maintenance engineers in the National Capital Region of Delhi, as part of its continuing efforts to support the exponential growth of the civil aviation sector in the country.

Airbus forecast a need for more than 25,000 new pilots in India over the next 20 years to keep pace with the current double-digit growth in its commercial aviation industry.

The training centre incorporates an A320 flight simulator for full-flight simulation, along with programmes on aircraft procedure training, computer-based classroom training, and standard pilot transition training, including an ‘Upgrade to Command’ course aimed at improving skills and maturity of co-pilots as they transition to commandership. The facility will complement Airbus India’s training centre in Bengaluru which has trained more than 4,500 maintenance engineers since its inception in 2007.

Anand E. Stanley, President and Managing Director, Airbus India & South Asia, said that providing a robust training infrastructure to support our customers’ businesses is a priority for them. One pillar of their customer services mission is proximity to the customer, and another one is safety. In that respect, having a training centre located in the country is proof of the company’s commitment towards both, he said.

Globally, Airbus has a comprehensive and a highly-customised training programme, aimed at pilots, maintenance crew and engineers. Its training facility in India is another testament to the company’s focus on making the most advanced training technologies accessible to the subcontinent while creating a highly skilled workforce in line with the government’s ‘Skill India’ initiative.

Michael Chemouny, Head of Training Services, Airbus Commercial Aircraft, said that the new training centre in India is part of our worldwide development plan to address the growing demand for pilots. Over 500,000 new pilots will be required worldwide over the next 20 years. Their increasing footprint also aims at providing service closer to airline customers, he said.