Air India Delegation Attends Amravati Airport Anniversary

India – a delegation from Air India, including Chief Operating Officer Capt. Basil Kwauk, took part in the Amravati Airport one-year anniversary of operations event, held by Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC).

• The visit featured an on-site walkthrough of Air India's flight training organisation (FTO) at Amravati Airfield in Maharashtra..
• The Air India Flying Training Academy, which Air India describes as the first airline-operated FTO in India, will operate a fleet of around 34 aircraft comprising 31 single-engine Piper Archers and 3 twin-engine Diamond DA42 NG aircraft.
• The FTO is being developed across a 10-acre site at Amravati with digitally enabled classrooms, hostels, a digitized operations center, and a dedicated maintenance facility, with a target to graduate 180 commercial pilots annually at scale.
• In December 2025, Air India took delivery of its first two Diamond DA42 NG trainer aircraft for the Amravati FTO, part of a 34-aircraft order placed in December 2024. Thirteen single-engine Piper Aircraft trainers had already been shipped to India as part of the same program.
• Upon completion of flight training at Amravati, cadets progress to Air India's Training Academy in Gurugram for airline-specific type rating training prior to operating commercial flights.

Statements

• "Celebrating a milestone: One year of Amravati Airport with MADC VC Ms. Swati Pandey and Air India COO Capt. Basil Kwauk and leadership team. The visit featured an on-site walkthrough of Air India FTO tailored for the delegation," said Pawan Dhariwal, Head of Operations – Cadet Pilot School at Air India Flying Training Academy.

Source: Air India Flying Training Academy (Pawan Dhariwal)