India – IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share and fleet size, has announced plans to implement Evidence-Based Training (EBT) for its flight crew — a next-generation pilot training framework designed to strengthen safety, decision-making, and performance competencies through data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI).
The move represents a major evolution in IndiGo’s flight training philosophy as it transitions from its current Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) model toward a fully integrated, evidence-driven program aligned with global best practices in airline pilot development.
- A senior IndiGo official confirmed that the airline is in the process of “baselining CBTA”, a necessary step before full adoption of EBT, which uses operational performance data to tailor training to actual in-flight challenges faced by pilots.
- “When you become CBTA-compliant, you eventually end up, once you mature, you become EBT-compliant,” the official said. “Now, with all the data we are going to use, and with the help of the world’s best practices and consultants, we need to see how we can eventually reach the EBT stage.”
- IndiGo will leverage its vast operational database — drawn from over 2,300 daily flights and a fleet exceeding 400 aircraft — to develop training profiles informed by real-world evidence.
- The EBT system will integrate AI-driven data validation and analytics to identify behavioural patterns, performance trends, and areas for skill reinforcement across core competencies such as situational awareness, decision-making, and crew resource management (CRM).
- The airline anticipates a 12–18 month implementation timeline for the program, which will be developed in collaboration with global training consultants and OEM partners.
The airline’s pilot workforce, now numbering over 5,300, is expected to double by 2030, supported by a growing order book of 900+ aircraft, including upcoming wide-body additions for long-haul operations.
Source: Indigo and Media Reporting
