Air India has announced a significant step in strengthening its pilot training capabilities with an order for 34 trainer aircraft. This move aligns with the airline's ongoing efforts to expand its training infrastructure, set to support the upcoming Flying Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra, which is slated to begin operations in the second half of 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

The order includes 31 single-engine aircraft from Piper Aircraft, based in the United States, and 3 twin-engine aircraft from Austria’s Diamond Aircraft. These aircraft will form the backbone of the FTO, which is poised to become South Asia's largest of its kind.