Market Intelligence: Indian Subcontinent

US Aviation Training Group and Flight School, International Aero Academy, Expands Presence with New Office in India

International Aero Academy, an aviation training group and charter operator based in Lakeland, Florida, United States has officially inaugurated its new office in Mumbai, India. This expansion marks a strategic move by the academy to enhance its services and cater to the growing demand for pilot training in India.

One of the key offerings from the newly established office is the introduction of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) ground school as well as providing FAA ground school theory training in India, providing aspiring pilots with a comprehensive foundation in aviation theory. Additionally, International Aero Academy is set to facilitate license conversion assistance for Indian students, streamlining the process for those aspiring to pursue an aviation career.

Acknowledging India’s future position as the largest foreign consumer of U.S.-based primary flight training, the International Aero Academy expressed its honor in contributing to the training of India’s new generation of professional pilots. The academy is poised to play a crucial role in meeting the increasing demand for skilled aviators in the Indian aviation sector.

Source: International Aero Academy
Photo Credit: International Aero Academy (shown as meta image)

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Boeing Announces Latest Appointment for Managing Director of Boeing Defence India

Boeing has appointed Nikhil Joshi as the Managing Director of Boeing Defence India (BDI) in an effort to strengthen operations and accelerate growth in India.

With over 25 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, including service in the Indian armed forces, Joshi will lead current and future programs for BDI, focusing on improving the mission readiness and modernization of India’s defense forces. He will report to Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India and South Asia, and collaborate closely with Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) and Boeing Global Services (BGS).

“We are delighted to welcome Nikhil to our team. His wealth of experience and strong leadership will drive our growth strategy in India and strengthen our commitment to continue serving our defence customers in the country,” said Scott Carpendale, vice president, Asia Pacific, Boeing Global Services ‘ Government Services (BGS-GS).

“Efficient solutions, timely support, and flawless execution are critical elements of BDI’s commitment to our customers and the Indian aerospace and defence industry,” said Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India and South Asia.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing (shown as meta image)

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Regional Aircraft Manufacturer, ATR, Delivered 36 Aircraft in 2023

ATR, the world’s leading regional aircraft manufacturer, announced its 2023 annual results, highlighting a robust growth through increased deliveries and sales, strong performance of support and services, acquisition of new customers and route creation.

  • ATR delivered 36 aircraft in 2023, a 44% increase from 2022. This reflects a positive momentum, while the year was still beset by lingering supply chain disruptions, with raw material and component shortages slowing down the manufacturer’s ambition to ramp up.
  • With 40 new aircraft sold in 2023, a 53% rise from the prior year, the company achieves a book-to-bill ratio at over 1.
  • ATR welcomed 11 new customers in 2023, of both new and pre-owned aircraft, and recorded over 100 transactions on the second-hand market, demonstrating the strong demand for ATR’s advanced, low-emission and cost-effective turboprops.
  • While Asia remains ATR’s most dynamic market, the company also secured orders from Latin American and European customers in 2023, for both fleet growth and replacement.
  • Overall, 160 new routes were opened by ATR aircraft last year, up from 150 in 2022.
  • ATR achieved almost $1.2 billion in revenues for the first time since the pandemic, also supported by a record year for services with revenues over $400 million.

Looking at the regional market, the company sees further demand in the next years, with expected fleet growth mainly in:

  • South Asia (India)
  • South-East Asia (Indonesia, Philippines)
  • Brazil

New regulations related to rising environmental pressure also create opportunities for ATR to capture a significant portion of the replacement market, especially in Europe, Japan, Canada and the United States, as ATR aircraft offer an immediate solution to cut down emissions dramatically compared to similar-size regional jets.

Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, ATR’s CEO, commented “2024 will be a year of stabilisation, paving the way for future growth, and we have already delivered two aircraft since the beginning of the year, which sets a promising pace for ATR.” She added: “Our 2023 results underscore the value and relevance of our products and services and our ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. Our turboprops remain the backbone of many regional airlines’ fleets, praised for their fuel efficiency, low emissions, cost-effectiveness and versatility.”

Source: ATR Press Release
Photo Credit: ATR Press Release

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L3Harris Commercial Aviation’s Academy Selected by Indian Flag Carrier Air India for its Newly Launched Cadet Pilot Program

United Kingdom headquartered L3Harris Commercial Aviation which offers pilot training including flight training from its bases in the United States and the United Kingdom has shared that it has been selected by India’s flag carrier Air India as a flight training partner for the airlines Fly High Cadet Pilot Program.

David Coward, VP and GM of Training Services, said: “We are delighted to be working with Air India on this program and in doing so further strengthen the partnership between our two companies. The launch of this program is testament to Air India’s confidence in our Academy to deliver the quantity of pilots that will support their significant planned growth.”

Source: L3Harris Commercial Aviation

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Global Pilot Training Group AeroGuard Flight Training Center Selected by Indian Flag Carrier Air India for its Newly Launched Cadet Pilot Program

Phoenix, United States-headquartered global flight training provider AeroGuard Flight Training Center shared that it has been selected by India’s flag carrier Air India as a flight training partner for the airlines Fly High Cadet Pilot Program.

AeroGuard’s Chief Executive Officer Joel Davidson stated “We are very excited to support Air India in its efforts to train and develop Indian pilots and to contribute to strengthening Indian aviation expertise. AeroGuard Flight Training Center is fully committed and focused on helping Air India to achieve its vision as the premier airline in India and one of the leading airlines in the world.”

He further shared “AeroGuard Flight Training Center has built significant capacity to support Air India’s needs, and we look forward to assisting in the further development of Indian aviation training capability. Congratulations to Sunil Bhaskaran, Manish Uppal, and the rest of the Air India on achieving this important milestone in the Air India Limited training journey.”

As Air India expands its fleet with nearly 500 new planes on order, it will need to hire thousands of pilots to support this growth and re-establish its presence as a leading airline in the region. AeroGuard is committed to providing the capacity and training that establishes a consistent pipeline of professional pilots who have the skills, confidence, and experience for successful careers at the airline.

Source: AeroGuard Flight Training Center
Photo Credit: AeroGuard Flight Training Center

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CAE’s Flight Training Center in India, NFTI, Visited by Airline Partner IndiGo

National Flying Training Institute (NFTI), CAE’s flight training organisation in India, was visited by its airline partner IndiGo including Senior Vice President Flight Operations Capt. Ashim Mitra, Capt. Rajeev Singh, Capt. Rajiv Bhalla, and Mr. Tapas Dey.

Earlier in February Honorable Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, interacted with the cadets of the National Flying Training Institute (NFTI).

Established in 2007, CAE Gondia, also known as National Flying Training Institute (NFTI) is a joint venture between CAE and the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

In January 2023 IndiGo announced the extension of its service agreement with CAE, IndiGo’s Cadet Pilot Programme. Under this agreement, IndiGo will expand its partnership with CAE for a tailormade pilot career programme to meet the needs of future Junior First Officer (JFO) requirements and contribute to IndiGo’s strategic expansion plans.

The partnership with CAE started in 2011 and till December 2023, IndiGo has inducted close to 941 Cadets as Junior First Officers from this programme. CAE offers end-to-end pilot training solutions at their state- of-the-art training facility in Gondia, Maharashtra, which is a fully equipped Flight Training Organisation (FTO) equipped with modern glass cockpit and Diamond training aircraft. IndiGo’s cadet pilots have also been trained at CAE international locations such as Phoenix in USA, Melbourne, and Tamworth in Australia.

Captain Ashim Mittra, Senior Vice President Flight Operations, IndiGo, said, “We are delighted to further strengthen our long-standing association with CAE for our Cadet Pilot Programme. This partnership has helped us in establishing a strong backbone of well-trained cadet pilots, who are crucial for our existing needs and long-term growth plans. As India’s largest airline, we are expanding our network both within India and overseas, and this extended partnership will be key to creating a pool of skilled young pilots trained from the ground-up. CAE has a demonstrated history of world class infrastructure and curriculum that is critical for the level of excellence needed for a world class airline culture like IndiGo’s.”

The IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme was initiated in 2006, as the airline began commercial operations. The first batch of 39 cadet pilots were trained in the USA. Over the years, the programme has been a major success, with some from the first batch going to become Captains, Trainers and even taking on leadership roles within IndiGo.

Source: Chuck Pulakhandam (CAE)
Photo Credit: Chuck Pulakhandam

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CAE’s Flight Training Organisation in India, NFTI, Receives Praises from Regulator Airworthiness Inspector

National Flying Training Institute (NFTI), CAE’s flight training organisation in Gondia, India, has received praises from Raju Kethavath, Airworthiness Inspector at the Indian DGCA.

“In recent months, NFTI CAE, (Flying Training institute) located in beautiful place Gondia, Maharashtra, was under rigorous Audits by their customers and their own Management teams beside periodic Surveillance inspections done by DGCA, have really polished their Policies and helped them in establishing various processes. Today, witnessed a great sign of improvement during our inspection. Kudos to their Engineering & Maintenance team.” shared Mr Kethavath.

Source: Raju Kethavath (DGCA)
Photo Credit: Raju Kethavath

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Air India Launches Abinitio Fly High Cadet Pilot Program to Support Growing Fleet

India’s flag carrier Air India which is planning to grow its fleet by 3x and which according to its CEO Campell Wilson will on average, induct one aircraft joining the fleet every six days throughout 2024, has launched a dedicated abinitio cadet pilot program with two international pilot training groups.

The program named “Fly High Pilot Cadet Program” will see training begin at the Air India Training Academy in Gurgaon, India (Ground School) before flight training at one of its training locations/training partners before completing the type rating in the Air India Aviation Academy simulator training center.

Air India has partnered with two international flight training organisations:

Air India has partnered with a financial institution for cadets to avail financing for training. However, cadets are free to choose any other financial partner as per their convenience.

Eligibility for Cadet Pilot Program

  • Must be a citizen of India
  • Shall demonstrate good command of written and spoken English
  • A minimum height requirement of 158 cm
  • Age eligibility: 18 to 30 years
  • Candidates should be in good physical and mental health
  • Must have the following educational qualification
    • High School Education Certificate (National Institute of Open Schooling is also accepted) with 60% in 10+2 including 60% marks in each of the following subjects English, Mathematics & Physics
  • Candidates will be required to clear a medical test (DGCA Class 1 Medical) prior to starting flight training.

The whole program will take “approximately 24 months (inclusive of the type rating)”.

Source: Air India

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