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Looking Back at 2025
With the year nearing its end and our total flying hours crossing over 35,000 with days still to go, 2025 stands out as a year which was centred on execution at scale.
The year was marked by sustained training activity across both bases, higher daily flying volumes, and expanded instructional and operational responsibilities.
Chimes Aviation Academy was ranked No. 1 Flying Training Organisation in India in the DGCA’s first official FTO rankings in Oct ‘25. The ranking was based on a multi-parameter assessment that included safety, compliance, operational performance, and student support.
During the year, 185 CPL cadets completed training, positioning Chimes as the largest domestic contributor to India’s pilot training ecosystem in 2025. The academy also completed six years of continuous cadet training with IndiGo, reflecting the stability and longevity of the CAA–IndiGo Cadet Pilot Program.
Training intake continued at pace, with nearly 160 IndiGo cadets inducted over the course of the year. Instructor capacity was strengthened significantly through the rollout of the CAA–IndiGo Flying Instructor Program, which saw its first batch inducted in February. By year-end, 17 instructors had joined under the program, many of whom crossed 500 training hours within the same year.
Overall instructor strength more than doubled compared to 2024, enabling higher flying volumes and tighter training schedules. This was supported by induction of new 2 Tecnam P2010’s, and 1 Cessna 172 aligned with long-term planning, increasing annual training capacity to 250 cadets.
On the ground, the academy expanded the capacity of its Ground Training School, by approximately 30%.
While these outcomes are measurable, they only tell part of the story.
The day-to-day execution behind them involved instructors flying consistently, training leadership team maintaining standardisation, maintenance and CAMO teams ensuring aircraft availability, and operations, administration, and finance teams coordinating schedules, resources, and timelines.
As we approach 2026, our emphasis going forward remains unchanged: safety, training quality, and operational consistency.
Thank you to the entire CAA family for an extraordinary year.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a successful 2026 ahead!
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