Airbus is planning to establish a pilot and maintenance training centre in the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, in order to fulfil the region’s requirement for new Airbus pilots.

According to the recent global market forecast of Airbus, India needs more than 1,600 passenger and freighter aircraft in the next two decades until 2034, with simultaneous demand for new pilots and maintenance engineers.

Expected to be built in a modular concept to house four A320 full-flight simulators, the proposed centre is in line with India’s ‘Skill India’ programme launched last year by the government to build up various advanced competencies.

Once completed, Airbus Group India will fully own the centre, where the training will be provided by the company’s specialised instructors.

Airbus is likely to expand the centre in future and has already shortlisted suitable sites for the centre near the airport area of Delhi with expectation to finalise the agreements for land, construction and simulator installation by next year.

Airbus currently has similar centres in the Americas, Europe and Asia covering its range of aircraft, while the proposed India centre is expected to join this current network in 2018.

Upon completion, the new pilot training centre will train more than 8,000 pilots and 2,000 maintenance engineers over ten years.Airbus is planning to invest $40m in the pilot and maintenance training centre, reports PTI.

Airbus strategy and marketing EVP Kiran Rao said: “Our new training centre underscores Airbus’ long-term vision to equip pilots and engineers with superior flying and maintenance skills to operate and maintain contemporary and next-generation Airbus aircraft to be delivered to the airlines of India.”

Since 2007, the company has been providing maintenance training from its existing centre in Bangalore, India and with the proposed centre Airbus expects to expedite the training to help match the A320neo deliveries to India.

Airbus India president Srinivasan Dwarakanath said: “On an average, one Airbus aircraft per week is expected to be delivered to Indian carriers over the next ten years. The need for top quality training will be perpetual.”