Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) under the leadership of Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu has released the second phase ranking (April 2026) of the DGCA Approved Flying Training Organizations (FTOs). The ranking framework was developed under the Minister’s guidance with the first phase of the ranking getting published on 1^st October 2025.

The FTO Ranking system compiled by DGCA is a landmark reform aimed at strengthening training standards, enhancing safety and promoting accountability across DGCA-approved flying training institutions. This data-driven framework ensures objective comparison and continuous monitoring of FTO performance.

Sharing his vision on the occasion, Minister said, “My core objective in introducing an FTO ranking system in the country is to make pilot training more transparent and flying a more attractive career option for the youth. Based on my interactions with aspiring cadets and their families, the idea was to institutionalize a system that brings clarity and conviction to their decision-making”.

Highlighting the growing opportunities in the sector, Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu said, “Driven by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s transformative outlook towards regional air connectivity, Indian skies are today brimming with opportunities. In the next 5 years, India’s aviation landscape will be leaping ahead with 50 more airports, Indian carriers inducting around 500 more aircraft and major Indian airports evolving into transit hubs through our Hub & Spoke Policy. Then with the historic outlay of 29,000 crores through Modified UDAN, there is a lot of scope for regional connectivity as well. So, Indian youth who are deeply passionate about aviation have a significant career opportunity, with an estimated requirement of nearly 30,000 additional pilots over the next decade.”

Since the introduction of the FTO ranking system, the Indian aviation training ecosystem has witnessed several positive developments such as Increase in Training Flying Hours from 32% to 50%, Expansion of Aircraft Fleet at FTOs and Improved Training Efficiency enabling reduction in time taken by cadets to complete flying requirements for obtaining CPL.

Additionally, the ranking system has empowered aspiring pilots to make informed decisions based on objective performance indicators. This initiative marks a significant step towards developing pilot training infrastructure in India, aligned with the country’s vision of becoming a global aviation hub.

Talking about broader measures taken for pilot training in the country, the Minister shared, “The bigger objective is twofold. First, to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian FTOs by encouraging them to align with international benchmarks. Second, to promote self-reliance in pilot training with a call for ‘Train in India, Fly in India’. And we have taken multiple measures to strengthen the ecosystem, including liberalizing the FTO policy, abolishing airport royalties and rationalizing land rentals. Further, to promote ease of doing business, DGCA has completely digitized the process of CPL examinations and with the rules of landmark Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam there is now a single window for both CPL and RTR licenses.”

Sharing the progress, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu stated, “With several encouraging interventions in flying training, the number of CPLs issued has increased by more than 2.5 times over the last eight years, with record numbers in 2024 and 2025. In the last 18 months, six new FTOs have been permitted and six more are in the pipeline.”

The second phase of the FTO ranking released today further reflects the Ministry’s vision to establish a transparent, performance-driven and quality-oriented framework for pilot training in India. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is committed to make the system more robust and transparent, ensuring healthy competition among FTOs and enabling students to make informed choices.

Key Highlights of FTO Ranking (April 2026)

• One FTO has achieved Category ‘A’, marking a significant improvement compared to the previous phase where no FTO qualified in this category.
• The number of FTOs in Category ‘C’ has reduced and Category ‘B’ have increased indicating overall improvement in performance standards of FTOs.
• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), FTO under MoCA has shown significant progress in ranking.
• Several other FTOs have demonstrated notable progress in operational efficiency, safety compliance, and training outcomes.

Rankings for DGCA approved Flying Training Organization (April 2026) is as follows:

Category	S. No.	Flying Training Organizations
Category ‘A' FTOs	1	Avyanna Aviation Pvt. Ltd
Category 'B'            FTOs	2	Academy of Carver Aviation
	3	FSTC Flying School Pvt. Ltd
	4	National Flying Training Institute Pvt. Ltd
	5	Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi
	6	Flytech Aviation Academy
	7	Skynex Aero Pvt Ltd
	8	Garg Aviation Ltd
	9	Chetak Aviation Pvt. Ltd
	10	Chimes Aviation Academy
	11	Dunes Aviation Academy
	12	Ekvi Air Training Organistaion  Pvt. Ltd
	13	Jet Serve Aviation Pvt. Ltd
	14	Alchemist Aviation Pvt. Ltd
	15	Ambition Flying Club
	16	Orient Flight Aviation Academy
	17	The Bombay Flying Club
	18	The Gujarat Flying Club
Category 'C’ FTOs	19	Sha Shib Flying Academy
	20	Indian Flying Academy
	21	The Madhya Pradesh Flying Club
	22	Wings Aviation Pvt ltd
	23	Asia Pacific Training Academy
	24	Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation
	25	Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology
	26	Telangana State Aviation Academy
	27	Nagpur Flying Club
	28	Banasthali Vidyapith Gliding & Flying Club
	29	Bihar Flying Institute
	30	Patiala Aviation Club
	31	SVKM NMIMS Academy of Aviation
	32	BlueRay Aviation Pvt Ltd
	33	Pioneer Flying Club  Academy Pvt Ltd
	34	Govt. Aviation Training  Institute
	35	Redbird Flight Training Academy Pvt. Ltd

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Divyanshu Kumar

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