Air India's Amravati flying academy moves closer to training cadets

Air India announced in December 2024 that it would build what it called South Asia's largest flying training organisation at Amravati in Maharashtra. In 2026 the project passed an important regulatory milestone.

The August 2026 approval

On 5 August 2026, the DGCA granted Air India Flying Academy CAR-CAO approval (continuing airworthiness organisation) to maintain its training aircraft. Without this approval a flying school cannot keep its fleet legally airworthy.

The academy at a glance

• Fleet: 34 trainers: 31 single-engine Piper Archers and 3 twin-engine Diamond DA42 NGs
• Simulators: two single-engine Frasca devices and one Diamond multi-engine device
• Capacity: up to 180 cadets at a time
• CPL syllabus: 200 flight hours (185 single-engine, 15 multi-engine) over an estimated 18 months
• Full pathway: about 26 months, including ground school, licensing, ATPL ground school and type rating
• Campus: about 10 acres with its own hangar, dispatch centre, classrooms and residences

As of August 2026, Air India described the academy as progressing towards operational flight training, so flying had not yet begun.

What it means for Air India cadet applicants

Air India selects cadets through its Cadet Pilot Program. Selection typically includes online aptitude and technical tests, psychometric assessment and interviews. An airline-owned academy gives the carrier direct control over training quality and the number of pilots it produces.

Preparing

Air India's selection rewards a strong grasp of physics, mathematics and basic aviation knowledge, plus aptitude and communication skills. Our Air India Cadet Program Prep course covers each stage, and DGCA ground classes give you the theory you will need anyway.