Bengaluru: In a significant update, Air India has announced that it is setting up a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) in Bengaluru to train aircraft engineers. The Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) programme, certified by the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is aimed at an integrated 2+2 years training.
The company has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) for the same. According to a TOI report, under the AME programme, modern classrooms, well-equipped laboratories for practical training will be built and a team of qualified trainers would be taken onboard.
Air India BMTO is eyeing to build a robust, future-ready aviation ecosystem in India, the report added. The move is one of the steps in the airline's plan to transform itself and strengthen the availability of aircraft maintenance engineers. An official release added that this would help the airline's plan to expand its fleet and make it self-reliant.
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Large Campus To Be Ready By Mid 2026
As per the release, a large and hi-tech campus would be build by mid-2026 that will be spread over 86,000 square feet at Bengaluru Airport City. It will foster a workforce of skilled professionals for aircraft maintenance and engineering operations by providing the students hands-on experience and training, adhering to industry standards and Air India's specific requirements, the release further added.
Till the BMTO facility takes shape, Air India will begin a Cadet AME programme with other reputable institutions in Bengaluru and Hyderabad to ensure "continuity in its commitment towards AME education and workforce development as well as to support its requirements for aircraft maintenance engineers".
"The BMTO will establish a pipeline of skilled engineers trained to Air India standards from the outset. This facility and programme, combined with proximity to Kempegowda International Airport, will enable our AME cadets to gain hands-on, real-world experience as part of their training, supporting their future as industry-ready professionals aligned with Air India's ongoing fleet expansion needs," Air India, Director, Aviation Academy Sunil Bhaskaran said, quoted PTI.