Simaero, a leading global provider of pilot training and simulation engineering solutions, has announced a significant investment of $100 million in India over the next five years. This strategic move aims to train up to 5,000 pilots, addressing the nation's growing demand for aviation professionals and positioning India as a regional hub for pilot training.
Boosting India's Pilot Training Capacity
According to Simaero CEO Nicolas Moute, India is projected to need over 22,000 pilots by 2030. Currently, a majority of Indian airlines send their pilots abroad for expensive training. Simaero plans to reverse this trend by establishing robust training infrastructure within India, offering more accessible and cost-effective solutions.
The Paris-headquartered company inaugurated its first Airbus A320 NEO full-flight simulator in Gurgaon. This facility marks the beginning of an ambitious expansion plan to install a total of eight such simulators across India within the next five years. This investment will be rolled out in phases to meet the escalating demand for pilot training in both India and the broader South Asian region.
India as a Center of Excellence
Moute emphasized India's long-standing strategic importance for Simaero, particularly given the success of the Airbus A320 segment in the Indian market. He noted that in the past, high-quality training capacity for modern aircraft was limited within the country, forcing pilots to seek training overseas.
“Our vision for India is that it should be a centre of excellence. And not only should all the Indian pilots be trained in India, but also India should be a centre of excellence attracting pilots from the region,” Moute stated. He highlighted the dual benefit of growing air traffic and the shift from outbound to inbound training, underscoring the substantial need for increased training capacity.
Many existing training facilities in India are equipped for older generation aircraft like the A320 CEO. However, the Indian fleet is rapidly modernizing with a greater number of A320 NEOs. Simaero’s investment focuses on providing training for these newer aircraft, ensuring pilots are equipped with the most current skills and certifications. Simaero Group incorporated Simaero India Pvt Ltd, based in New Delhi, in 2023, solidifying its commitment to the Indian market.