News Analysis India

Tag: Pilots

  • Pilot shortage affects AI operations

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Air India, which has been sending evacuation flights to bring back Indians from Ukraine, sent its smaller aircraft (Boeing 787 Dreamliner) due to shortage of pilots who fly bigger aircraft, like the Boeing 747.

    Nearly 1,400 Indians have been flown back to India in the first six evacuation flights from Ukraine. More persons could have been evacuated had Air India been able to send a larger capacity aircraft like the B 747.While the Dreamliner has a capacity of 330 passengers, B 747s can fly up to 600 passengers. According to sources, this has happened due to shortage of pilots that fly this aircraft. It is reliably learnt that pilots who were flying B 744 (B 747-400) have been sent to fly B 777, B 787 and A 320.

    According to sources, the four B 747 aircraft that Air India has at present are being considered to be utilised later for cargo and Haj operations (two each). Since the B 747 pilots have been asked to fly B 744, in order to return back to flying B 747 they will have to do an extended ground refresher course, couple of simulator and route checks. The Boeing 744 simulator was decommissioned due to maintenance, and in the interim pilots were using simulator of Singapore Airlines. 

    Air India has refused to comment on the shortage of pilots. “Positioning of aircraft depends on various factors, including availability of aircraft, ground handling infrastructure at destination airports, fuel efficiency etc. Due to operational reasons and infrastructure feasibility. B787 aircraft are being used now,” an Air India spokesperson told TNIE.

    Air India operates 141 aircraft, including the Air India Express’s 24 Boeing B737-800s. Around 43 of these are on lease. The Air India fleet of aircraft includes Airbuses (A 319-100, A 320-200, A 320-200neo, A 321-200) and Boeings (B 747-400, B 777-200(LR), B 777-300(ER) and B 787-800. Meanwhile, more airlines from India will now fly back those stranded in Ukraine. 

  • Pilots’ body moves Bombay HC, seeks compensation for COVID-19 death, priority in vaccination

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: An association of Indian pilots has approached the Bombay High Court seeking schemes for adequate compensation for pilots who died of COVID-19 or got infected by it, priority in vaccination against the disease and insurance coverage for those working during the pandemic.

    The petition, filed by the ‘Federation of Indian Pilots’ on June 7, said pilots are providing essential services, and sought a direction to the Union government to provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 crore to the families of pilots who died due to COVID-19.

    As per the public interest litigation (PIL), since February 2021, 13 pilots have succumbed to COVID-19.

    The petition said since March 2020, all airlines and pilots are diligently working to operate the ‘Vande Bharat’ and other flights for evacuating Indian citizens stranded in other countries and also for the air transportation of medical supplies during the second wave of the pandemic this year.

    “In such times, several pilots have been infected by the coronavirus and many have lost their lives. Several pilots also face the risk of permanent or temporary disability due to the after-effects of COVID-19, like mucormycosis,” it said.

    The PIL further said pilots have operated flights during the pandemic with substantial risk to their personal and family safety.

    “Despite this, several pilots have been subjected to massive pay cuts since the beginning of 2020,” it said.

    As per the PIL, the petitioner and the Indian Pilots Guild had made a representation to the Centre, seeking that they be declared as frontline workers and given priority in vaccination against COVID-19.

    But, till date there is no scheme for adequate compensation for the families of pilots who died due to COVID-19, it claimed.

    The PIL has also sought a direction to the Centre to frame a comprehensive insurance policy for all pilots, and to create of a separate class of COVID-19 first responders as ‘Air Transportation Workers’ for the purpose of priority of vaccination.

    The petitioner and other airline pilot unions have their own individual welfare schemes for eventualities, but the same does not envisage or factor in the severity or probable death in the present pandemic situation, it said.

    The petition will be taken up for hearing in due course of time.

  • Indian Navy’s MiG-29K trainer jet crashes over Arabian Sea one pilot saved, another missing

    A MiG-29K fighter trainer jet of the Indian Navy met with an accident at sea on Thursday evening after which one of the two pilots has been missing while the other one has been recovered.

    Search is in progress to locate the pilot, who went missing after the accident, the Indian Navy said, while adding that an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident.

    “A MiG-29K trainer aircraft operating at sea met with an accident at about 1700 hrs on 26 November. One pilot has been recovered and search by air and surface units in progress for the second pilot. An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident,” the Indian Navy said.

    The Indian Navy has a fleet of over 40 MiG-29K fighter aircraft based out of Goa and also operated from the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier.