Air India places order for 34 trainer aircraft

New Delhi: Air India has placed an order for 34 trainer aircraft, including 31 single engine planes, for its flying training organisation in Maharashtra that is expected to come up by the second half of 2025.

The order includes 31 single-engine aircraft from piper aircraft in the US and three twin-engine planes from Austria-based Diamond Aircraft, the airline said in a release on Thursday.

The Flying Training Organisation (FTO) is being set up at Belora airport in Amravati, Maharashtra. It is expected to be operational by the second half of next year post-regulatory approvals.

Sunil Bhaskaran, Director of Air India's Aviation Academy, said the FTO will help in building a self-reliant ecosystem of qualified pilots for both Air India and the country's aviation industry.

The Tata Group-owned airline has opened its new Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana.

Air India group is expanding its fleet and network.