France's Simaero to invest $100 million in India for pilot training, aiming to train 5,000 pilots in 5 years

France's Simaero, the France-based full flight simulator provider, has declared an investment of $100 million in India to train up to 5,000 pilots in the next five years. The company plans to establish a training infrastructure and simulators in the country. This investment is made to fulfil the increasing demand for pilot training in India and the South Asian region.

The French company is currently involved in the development of a state-of-the-art training centre near the main terminals of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi, the completion of the project is scheduled for the latter half of 2024. with an area of 4,500 square metres, the facility will feature eight full-flight simulators for A320, B737 Max, and ATR 72-600 aircraft types.

France's Simaero Invests in India for Pilot Training Expansion

"The facility will offer comprehensive training solutions, with devices certified by both DGCA and EASA authorities, and an in-house ATO (Approved Training Organisation) covering all main pilot recurrent training programmes, including initial type rating and recurrent training, with various aircraft-type simulators for airlines," the company stated in a release.

The company's arrival in the Indian aviation market is driven by record-setting aircraft orders, surpassing the current active fleet. Indian carriers have over 1,200 Airbus aircraft and 470 Boeing aircraft on order.

Currently, India has around 12,000 active pilots and according to a study by US aircraft maker Boeing, the demand for pilots is expected to triple up to 31,000 pilots by the next 20 years. Additionally, there will be a need for around 26,000 mechanics due to the increasing number of aircraft orders.

The company mentioned that Khushbeg Jattana will lead the team in the Country as the General Manager of Simaero India.

"Our substantial investment in India reflects our confidence in the country's strong economic foundation and the promising growth of its aviation industry," said Simaero CEO Nicolas Moute.

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