Air India is to establish a new Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) in Bengaluru, the capital and largest city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, to train future aircraft maintenance engineers.
The Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) program, certified by the Indian aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will consist of two years of classroom study and two years of practical training, according to a press release, published on November 22, 2024.
According to the carrier, the aim of the BMTO facility is to “foster a workforce of skilled professionals for aircraft maintenance and engineering operations”.
“The BMTO will establish a pipeline of skilled engineers trained to Air India standards from the outset,” said Sunil Bhaskaran, Director of Aviation Academy, Air India. “This facility and program will enable our AME cadets to gain hands-on, real-world experience as part of their training.”
Air India has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), to create the facility. The BMTO will be located near Air India’s new 12-bay Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru, which is set to open in early 2026.
The BMTO, covering 86,000 square feet at the Kempegowda International Airport’s (BLR Airport) campus, should be operational by mid-2026.