Thales, Axis JV to set up flight training centre in Bangalore

Bangalore: Thales, Europe’s biggest maker of defence electronics, is floating a joint venture with Axis Aerospace & Technologies (AAT), an Indian engineering services company, with an initial investment of $50 million to set up state-ofthe art flight training centre in Bangalore.
Axis, which is backed by member of parliament and former telecom entrepreneur Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s private equity fund Jupiter Capital , will house simulators in a facility at the Devanahalli Aerospace Park.
The first of its kind joint venture in India, will initially have three full flight simulators which have a capacity to train around 2,000 pilots a year. Thales will supply the simulator equipment and provide management expertise in establishing and maintaining the centre, while AAT will operate the centre locally.
“The facility will help domestic airlines realize significant cost savings and better manage the scarce pilot resources which the aviation industry is at present facing due to growth in the aviation sector. Two international airlines have agreed to use this facility ,” said Sudhakar Gande, vice-chairman of AAT.
11/02/11 Peerzada Abrar/Economic Times