Market Intelligence: Indian Subcontinent

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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“India Will Lead South Asia To Become Fastest-Growing Commercial Aviation Market” – Boeing

  • India’s robust economy and emerging middle class driving annual traffic growth of 8%
  • South Asian carriers to add more than 2,700 planes over 20 years — quadrupling the region’s current fleet

Boeing forecasts the South Asia region will become the fastest-growing commercial aviation market with more than 8% annual traffic growth over the next 20 years. Supported by a strong economy, India’s rapidly expanding middle class will drive growth in regional air travel.

To meet rising passenger and cargo demand, South Asian carriers are projected to quadruple the size of their fleets over the next two decades. Carriers will require more than 2,700 new airplanes to address growth and fleet replacement, according to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), an annual forecast of 20-year demand for commercial airplanes and related services.

“Indian low-cost carriers continue to stimulate demand and connect emerging regions with low fares, holding nearly a 90% share of all domestic seats in the region. This reflects the rapid pace of the region’s recovery and economic activity, as traffic and capacity now exceed pre-pandemic levels,” said Darren Hulst, Boeing vice president of Commercial Marketing.

“Similarly, long-haul traffic and capacity to and from India and South Asia lead the way globally, relative to 2019, as nonstop services to North America, Europe, East Asia and Oceania continue to be added. Strong economic growth and confidence in the commercial aviation market have led to record orders for new, more efficient airplanes in India.”

The South Asia market is expected to quadruple its fleet over the next two decades to meet passenger demand. Boeing forecasts the region will require 37,000 pilots and 38,000 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years, driven primarily from growing demand in India.

The South Asia CMO includes these projections through 2042:

  • Of 2,705 new deliveries, 72% will support fleet growth while 28% will replace older jets with more fuel-efficient models.
  • Single-aisle airplanes will account for more than 85% of new airplane deliveries.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

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