 IGRUA'sTrinidad TB-20 aircraft taking off | |
| Motto | "Provide wings to dreams" |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 7 November 1985; 40 years ago (1985-11-07) |
| Accreditation | Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) |
Academic affiliation | Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University(B.Sc) |
| Director | B.N Singh |
| Ex-officio chairman | Rajiv Bansal(Secretary,Ministry of Civil Aviation) |
| Students | 125 (CPL, 2023) |
| Address | ,,, 229302 ,India 26°15′02″N81°22′36″E / 26.2505°N 81.3767°E /26.2505; 81.3767 |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | igrua |
 | |
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) is apublicpilot training institute located atFursatganj Airfield inUttar Pradesh, India. Established in 1985, it is an autonomous institution under theMinistry of Civil Aviation,Government of India.[1]
IGRUA was established by theGovernment of India in 1985 atFursatganj Airfield as an autonomous institution under theSocieties Registration Act, 1860, administered by a Governing Council under the ex-officio chairmanship of Secretary,Ministry of Civil Aviation.[2]
The institute initially offered training for bothcommercial pilot license (CPL) for fixed-wing aircraft and commercial helicopter pilot license (CHPL) for rotary-wing aircraft.[3]
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IGRUA's infrastructure consists of its own independent airfield and airspace, 6080 feet runway,taxiway,apron,air traffic control, navigation and landing aids,hangars, fire fighting, aviation fuel station, hostels/mess, residential campus, sports facilities, auditorium among others.[2]
IGRUA has three flying operations bases, one is its ownFursatganj Airfield,Uttar Pradesh, one inGondia,Maharashtra, and other atKalaburagi Airport,Karnataka.[4] Flight training base is shifted to Gondia and Kalaburagi during winter season.[5]
In 2013, theMinistry of Civil Aviation proposed a National Aviation University to be set up within the IGRUA compound.Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University opened in 2018.[6]
IGRUA conducts all-India entrance examinations for selection of cadets, shortlisted candidates then undergo pilot aptitude test / WOMBAT and finally a personal interview. Government'sPress Information Bureau describes IGRUA as the "IIT of aviation".[2]
The institution conducts flying training leading to the award ofcommercial pilot license. IGRUA also offers ancillary courses such asmulti-crew cooperation andcrew resource management.[7] IGRUA is also one of the approved institutes to carry out Certified Flying Instructors Refresher course by Ministry of Civil Aviation for Chief Flight Instructors, Flight Instructors, and Assistant Flight Instructors.
IGRUA also offers their commercial pilot license cadets the opportunity to pursue a three-yearB.Sc.degree in aviation concurrently. Prior to 2021, this program was affiliated withChhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University,[8] but as of 2022, the degree program is affiliated withDr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University.[9]
IGRUA also conducts drone training for RPAS pilots, and English Language Proficiency course. On-job practical training are given to students undergoing diploma inaeronautical engineering andAircraft Maintenance Engineering.[2]
Besides training IGRUA's own cadets, the campus also gives pilot training to cadets ofIndian Air Force,Indian Navy,Indian Coast Guard,Border Security Force, and Indian airlines.[10]
IGRUA has been a site forcampus placements by various airlines, includingAir India,IndiGo, andAir India Express.[11][12] In 2005,Qatar Airways made a few recruitments as part of bilateral negotiations between India andQatar.[13]
In 2007, IGRUA signed amanagement contract withCAE Inc. to manage IGRUA's flight school activities, including maintenance of aircraft, flying operations, air traffic control, runway, NAV aids, fire fighting facilities, medical facilities, security, staff and student facilities, and transportation.[14]
Delhi-based remote pilot training organization, Drone Destination, in association with IGRUA, opened four drone pilot training schools in India situated inGurugram,Bangalore,Gwalior, andDharmashala.[15] In 2021, IGRUA signed amemorandum of understanding with Indian Aviation Academy to "impart quality education to budding pilots and prepare them for regulatory examination".[16] In 2022,Boeing made astrategic collaboration with IGRUA "to further emphasize safety and quality to aspiring airline cadets".[17] In the same year, IGRUA signed MoU with theTamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and De Drone World Solutions, with a target to produce 2500 drone pilots a year.[18]
In Aero India 2023 exhibition, IGRUA signed a MoU with Flight Simulation Technique Centre (FSTC) to givetype rating training to their cadets inAirbus A320,Boeing 737,ATR 72, andQ-400 aircraft.[19]
The IGRUA fleet comprises 13 aircraft, consisting of 11Diamond DA40 and twoDiamond DA42.
In the 2021-22 academic year, IGRUA achieved its highest-ever flying hours with a fleet of 18 aircraft, totaling 19,110 hours. The per aircraft utilization also reached 1062 hours per annum. This surpassed the previous record set in 2013-14, where 18,776 flying hours were logged with 24 aircraft, resulting in an average of 782 hours per aircraft.[20]
