Redbird: Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Redbird flight training & Singapore firm form JV for pilot training | India News

NEW DELHI: India’s biggest flying school, Redbird Flight Training Academy, and Singapore’s Aviation Safety and Training (AST) have formed a JV to establish a “comprehensive cadet pilot programme in India.” AST is a subsidiary of Singaore-based Haite Group. Redbird currently has six flying schools, five in India and one in Sri Lanka. The Modi government has focussed on creating adequate flying schools in India over the past few years so that students do not need to go abroad — as a majority of them have been doing over the years — for getting commercial pilot licences (CPL). The government wants India to be “a

atmanirbhar

” (self reliant) in the field of CPL training and then for type-rating too.

“With Redbird’s facilities in India, aspiring pilots can now complete their CPL training before transitioning smoothly to Singapore for specialised type rating instruction under the supervision of Aviation Safety & Training Pte. Ltd. The collaboration offers a one-stop solution for cadet pilot training, combining world-class commercial pilot licence training in India with advanced type rating training in Singapore,” the two entities said in a joint statement.
RedBird Flight Training Academy director (corporate affairs) Parvez Damania said: “We are excited to embark on this transformative journey with Aviation Safety & Training. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in shaping the future of aviation training in India… has the potential to completely transform aviation training sector within the country. RedBird’s (presence) across all regions will contribute to the production of a larger number of cadet pilots, meeting the nation’s upcoming demand.”

Aviation Safety & Training GM Peter Zhao Shi Shan said: “We are committed to providing a one-stop solution for cadet pilot training, offering the best of both worlds – world-class CPL training in India and specialised type rating training in Singapore.”
Being the fastest growing aviation market globally, India will require thousands of trained professionals to meet the rising demand for air travel. Indian carriers have hundreds of planes on order — with almost 1,500 from Tata Group’s Air India and IndiGo. Boeing India, for instance, expects India will require over 31,000 pilots and 26,000 aircraft maintenance professionals over the next 20 years to take care of the already ordered aircraft which will be delivered.