Overview
Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA), a DGCA‑approved Flying Training Organisation with over 18 years of operation, announced the expansion of its in‑house, CAR‑145 certified maintenance capability at both of its operational airfields, including the Dhana airfield in Gurugram, Haryana. The maintenance units are fully integrated into the academy’s infrastructure, allowing all servicing, inspections, and airworthiness sign‑offs to be performed on‑site under DGCA oversight.
Maintenance Operations
The academy’s maintenance centres are each certified under the CAR‑145 regime, the same standard applied to independent approved maintenance organisations across Indian civil aviation. This eliminates dependence on third‑party vendors and ensures that aircraft are serviced by dedicated engineers employed directly by CAA. The organisation treats Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) as core operational hires, recruiting them alongside flight instructors and air traffic controllers.
Fleet and Training Metrics
CAA now operates a fleet of 33 aircraft, comprising Cessna 172s, Piper Archers, Tecnam P2010s and Diamond DA‑42 twin‑engine aircraft. The fleet size has grown to support expanding intakes, and the academy reports that the maintenance capability has scaled in parallel to accommodate the additional airframes. Since inception, CAA has accumulated over 200,000 total flying hours and trained more than 1,000 alumni. The year 2025 was a record year, with 35,000 flying hours logged, representing 6,000 more hours than the previous year.
Safety and Training Outcomes
CAA attributes its high aircraft availability and safety performance to its robust maintenance operation. The academy reports an average Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) training duration of 11 months, and it maintains among the lowest incident rates in the Indian FTO sector over its 18‑plus year history. Cadet testimonials frequently highlight the maintenance team as “unsung heroes” and credit them for “safe and uninterrupted flying.”
Workforce
The academy’s hiring strategy emphasizes the recruitment of qualified AMEs, reinforcing the view that engineering staff are integral to the training ecosystem rather than peripheral support. This approach provides a practical training ground for engineers, enhancing their expertise for future roles in airlines, MROs, and defence aviation.
Conclusion
By embedding CAR‑145 certified maintenance within its own airfields and treating engineering staff as core hires, Chimes Aviation Academy demonstrates that a strong maintenance backbone is essential for high‑utilisation training fleets, rapid turnaround, safety excellence, and efficient CPL completion timelines.