International flight simulator provider, Simaero, will invest $100 million in India to train up to 5,000 pilots over the next five years. The firm will bring in the investment in a phased manner to create training infrastructure and install flight simulators to meet the growing demand for pilot training in India and the South Asian region.

The move comes at a time when the Indian aviation sector is expanding exponentially as demand for air travel is increasing with rapid economic development across the Indian subcontinent.

Simaero’s decision to enter the Indian aviation market is driven by the record-setting aircraft orders, which have exceeded the current active fleet. Indian carriers have over 1,200 Airbus aircraft and 470 Boeing aircraft on order.

Nicolas Mouté, CEO of Simaero, said, “Our substantial investment in India reflects our confidence in the country’s strong economic foundation and the promising growth of its aviation industry. We are excited to be part of this dynamic market and contribute to its development. Khushbeg Jattana leads the team in India. His qualification, valuable aviation training experience, and knowledge of the Indian market will allow Simaero to offer tailored solutions for airlines;”

Khushbeg Jattana, General Manager of Simaero India, added, “We are committed to bringing top-notch training solutions to India, supporting the growth and operational efficiency of local and regional airlines. Our new training centre in Delhi NCR will set a new standard in aviation training in the region. We are poised to meet the growing needs of the aviation industry in Asia and are committed to enhancing the simulator fleet to meet the needs of the sector.”

India presently has approximately active 12,000 pilots. According to a recent study by Boeing, India will need approximately 3x the number of pilots over the next 20 years to accommodate this growth. Currently, India has limited aviation training infrastructure. With a growing demand many airlines are required to send their pilots overseas for training which increases costs in an industry which operates on minimal margins.

Simaero’s $100 million investment will be strategically allocated to the infrastructure for the training centre and the development of a trained local workforce. The development of a state-of-the-art training facility in Delhi is well underway, with construction expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2024. This centre, which is spread over 4,500 square metres, will feature eight full-flight simulators starting with A320 NEO and B737NG aircraft types. The facility will offer comprehensive training solutions, with devices certified by both DGCA and EASA authorities, and an in-house ATO covering all main pilot recurrent training programs, including initial type rating and recurrent training, with various aircraft-type simulators for airlines.