Air Deccan plans $30mn capex

Deccan Aviation is planning to set up Airbus A320 and ATR simulators for training its pilots in Bangalore, and hangars in Bangalore and Chennai for maintenance of its aircraft.

"We are going to invest around $25-30 million towards the A320 and ATR simulators and other infrastructural facilities including a hangar in Bangalore and Chennai, respectively, within the next one year," Deccan Aviation MD G R Gopinath said today.

While the ATR simulator will be a joint venture, the A320 facility is yet to be decided as negotiations are still continuing, he said after flagging off the Mumbai-Nasik flight today.

The airline has recruited 150 pilots as part of its expansion plan as it intends to add 30 A320s and ATR-72 aircraft within the next two years, Gopinath said.

The airline presently has a fleet of 5 A320s and 13 ATR-42s, and operates 106 flights.