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

Airbus forecasts 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.

Airbus has operated a flight training centre in New Delhi since 2013, providing flight training for A320 Family jetliners to operators in India. The ground-breaking ceremony for the new facility was held in March 2017.

The centre is the latest addition to the global Airbus flight crew training network, alongside Toulouse, Miami, Beijing and Singapore.