Air India will require over 6,500 pilots to operate the 470 aircraft that it will receive from Airbus and Boeing following the mega deal between the three companies. The airline placed an order for 470 aircraft, with an option to buy 370 more planes, which could take the overall number to 840 aircraft. This deal is touted to be the largest aircraft order by any airline.
THE MATH
Of the orders, 40 A350 aircraft will be majorly used for ultra long-haul routes. Air India is likely to require 30 pilots, including 15 commanders and first officers each for every aircraft, meaning 1,200 pilots for A350s alone, as per news agency PTI.
As many as 26 pilots are required for a Boeing 777. The airline will induct 10 of such aircraft, meaning that it will require 260 pilots. Twenty Boeing 787s will require 400 pilots, considering that each plane requires 20 pilots.
Hence, the induction of 30 wide-body Boeings will require 660 pilots.
Narrow-body planes, whether Airbus A320 family or Boeing 737 Max, require 12 pilots. Four hundred of such planes will require 4,800 pilots.
Also read: Air India seals mega deals with Airbus, Boeing: Ten things to know about the record order
TATA PILOTS
To fly these 470 planes, Air India is believed to require more than 6,500 pilots. Currently the airline has 1,600 pilots to operate its 113 aircraft.
Its subsidiaries Air India Express and AirAsia India together have some 850 pilots for their 54-plane fleet. Meanwhile, Vistara has over 600 pilots for their 53 planes. All these airlines under the Tata Group have around 3,000 pilots to operate the 220-plane fleet.
AIR INDIA’S 470-PLANE DEAL
Tata Sons-owned Air India on Tuesday announced that it signed letters of intent with Airbus and Boeing to acquire both widebody and single-aisle aircraft. The order comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s widebody aircraft, as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft.
The A350 aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines, and the B777/787s by engines from GE Aerospace. All single-aisle aircraft will be powered by engines from CFM International.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said Airbus and Tata are working on bigger partnerships, including an ambition "to bring in commercial aircraft manufacturing at some point in time in the future".
(With agency inputs)
Also read: '70 widebodies, 400 single-aisle jets': Air India on mega deal with Boeing, Airbus for 470 planes
Also read: Is Air India's mega deal with Airbus and Boeing of 470 or 840 aircraft?