Avion has secured a deal to provide eight Airbus A320 full flight simulators to upcoming training facility Gen24 Flybiz. Located in Mumbai, the company will add all eight simulators in the next eighteen months in a bid to become a major pilot certification operation. Avion's systems are Level D certified by EASA, the highest rating given to a simulator and indicating the greatest closeness to an actual aircraft.
Deal signed
In a statement today, Avion confirmed that it has signed a deal to supply eight Airbus A320 simulators to a startup training firm in Mumbai. The first two systems have already been shipped and are awaiting approval from regulator DGCA before operating with pilots in India. The remaining six will be delivered over the next eighteen months, by roughly July 2024.
Gen24 Flybiz will open its doors in July, becoming one of the growing providers of full flight simulators to airlines looking to train their pilots. For years, carriers were forced to send cadets abroad to complete their type rating, adding time and expense to the pipeline for students. However, with more simulators now available, carriers will be excited to train more talent locally and induct them into operations.
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In a statement, Manoj Pandey, CEO of Gen24 Group, said,
"Avion’s unique simulator design combined with the team’s expertise offers a great opportunity for Gen24 to rapidly expand our footprint in professional flight training and simulator manufacturing. The synergies shared between Gen24 and Avion make it an ideal acquisition and impeccable match.”
A strong market
The market for aircraft simulators is a bustling one, especially as airlines pull out all the stops to avoid a full pilot crisis in the next few years. With five or six-figure salaries and bonuses for pilots, simulators are a crucial part of the training procedure for any cadet, spending dozens of hours in these machines to achieve licenses.
For years now, Indian airlines have been sending cadets across the globe to study as part of their programs. However, simulator training is the most expensive part of the process. For instance, IndiGo's self-funded cadet program costs $51,000 for all ground and flying training, and simulators alone cost a whopping $31,500.
Indeed, these Type D rate systems are extremely life-like and are used to prepare pilots for every eventuality while flying. With senior pilots heading training facilities, time spent on the simulator is critical for all pilots, including for those obtaining their first license, retraining for experienced piilots, and for anyone looking to switch type ratings.
The A320 in India
It's no surprise that Gen24 FlyBiz has chosen an A320 full-motion simulator for its new facility. Barring SpiceJet, Air India Express, and Akasa, which together have less than 100 aircraft, all other commercial Indian airlines use the Airbus A320 family for their operations. With nearly 500 in service today, the demand for pilots has never been higher, meaning strong business for these new facilities. Last year, the DGCA broke the record for the most licenses issued in a year, with nearly 1,100, setting up a long run of success.