NEW DELHI: Artificial intelligence is being used by airline operators and Flight Training Organisations in India to collate data, which could offer insights and enhance the quality of training, airline executives said. However, its application remains limited and cannot extend to operating civilian aircraft without human beings, they said.
Responding to an audience query on Artificial intelligence and its impact on aviation during Aviation India 2026, Air India’s Senior Vice President of Flight Operations, Manish Uppal, said, “There is constant discussion on the future of aviation. There will not be pilot-less operations of planes.”
Khusbheg Jattana, General Manager, India, of Simaero, a major flight simulator and pilot training centre in Gurugram, said, “We need a human in the cockpit. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has extensively examined this aspect for many years and finally decided this was not possible.”
Rajiv Singh, Vice President, Flight Operations Training, at IndiGo, said, “Artificial Intelligence is useful in the Training Management System presently. It helps collate data and mark observable behaviour.”
Responding to a query about several unusual incidents in the cockpit, Uppal said, “It was very unfortunate that some incidents have taken place of late, causing trust issues. Pilots are very professional and leave behind their personal lives when they enter the cockpit. Their only goal is to take the passengers to their destination.”
Earlier, during a discussion on Multi Crew Licence (MCL) training, Jattana said India currently had 39-40 simulators and needed 40 more. India could emerge as a pilot training hub for neighbouring countries such as Nepal and Bhutan, which lack training infrastructure, he added.
Y N Sharma, CEO of Chimes Aviation Academy, called for making the entire system of pilot training more efficient. “It is not exactly a perfect system. It is a work in progress,” he said.