17-Month Zero to Hero Relationship Continues Between Vero Beach School and Indian Airline

Skyborne has inked a contract extension with Indian carrier IndiGo to keep training their future A320 First Officers.

The school doubled down on searching for candidates, sending out notice that they continue accepting applications for those who want to join the IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme. Seating can be a bit tight at times, since there are only 100 slots per year, offered as an international program between FAA and Indian DGCA dual licensure. The course takes 17 months in total, with students flying out of Skyborne's Vero Beach, Florida home. For the first 12 students go through the Part 141 curriculum, ending with their multiengine instrument ratings. After that they begin their DCGA license conversion to Indian standards, eventually leaving school with a DGCA-approved A320 type rating. Selection is picked through the Symbiotics ADAPT aptitude testing system.

“The trust IndiGo has placed in Skyborne since 2019 is a huge source of pride and testament to our vision to redefine pilot training," said Rina Basu, Regional Director over the Asia Pacific region for Skyborne. “In 2023, IndiGo became the first airline in the country to welcome 100 million passengers in a single year. We remain committed to supporting this record-breaking mindset, delivering a pipeline of well-trained First Officers to fuel IndiGo’s ongoing success.”

Senior Vice President of Flight Operations at IndiGo Ashim Mittra said the combination is a pillar of their future pilot operations. “With the unprecedented demand for air travel in India, the extended partnership with Skyborne is valuable. With an academy’s airline-focused approach, international facilities, and an experienced team, Skyborne has proven to be a reliable partner time and again. The IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme offers a clear path to an exciting career, and we are pleased to continue this program with Skyborne. We appreciate their commitment to providing top-notch training and look forward to producing more skilled pilots through this partnership to fuel IndiGo’s growth through this decade.”

FMI: www.skyborne.com