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Less pilots to fly AIE's Boeing 737

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

Many airlines use the new generation aircraft leading to shortage of pilots

Thiruvananthapuram : Air-India Express is facing shortage of pilots to fly its Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

``We need commanders to fly the fleet of Boeing 737-800. We have shortage of 22 pilots now and steps have already been initiated to overcome the shortage," Chairman and Managing Director of Air-India V. Thualsidas told The Hindu here.

Deploying of Boeing 737-800, a new generation aircraft, by the AIE, the Jet Airways, the Sahara and other airlines in the domestic sector, is cited as one of the main reason for the shortage of pilots. Commanders who can fly Boeing 737-800 were not available even abroad, Mr. Thulasidas said.

He said other airlines in the country deploying the Boeing 737-800 for its operations were also facing the shortage. The airline decided to impart training to co-pilots of Air India as commanders of AIE to overcome the shortage.

With Air-India going for Rs.35,000-crore fleet acquisition, it is estimated that the national carrier will need 700 additional pilots in the next seven years. Air India has already placed orders for one of the largest commercial aircraft orders in civil aviation history of the country. Of the 68 aircraft, 50 will be for Air-India and 18 for Air-India Express.

To overcome the pilots' shortage, the national carrier is trying to rope in foreign pilots on contract basis, giving extension of service up to 65 years to pilots in Air-India and taking pilots of Indian Air Force on deputation.

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