Pilot

IndiGo suggests step-by-step hike in pilot rest period from June 2025

Airline opposes DGCA plan to extend 'night duty window'

Pilot aspirants should look at fascinating Indian market: IATA chief

Bullish on the aviation growth prospects in the "fascinating" Indian market, IATA chief Willie Walsh on Tuesday said somebody with an ambition to be a pilot should be looking at India, considering the large number of aircraft orders placed by the domestic airlines. The Director General of the global airlines' grouping, which has been flagging issues about high airport charges in India, also mentioned that Indian regulators seem to be more open to listening to the voices of airlines with respect to airport charges. "(We are seeing) some good economic regulations," Walsh said in response to a query from PTI related to airport charges. India is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets and airlines are expanding their operations, with Air India and IndiGo placing significant orders for aircraft, including wide body A350s. Noting that India is going to see significant growth in the domestic market, Walsh said that aircraft orders have been announced by the local carriers, wit

Air India's new fatigue policy under fire: Is pilot safety at risk?

Under the new policy, fatigue reports will be reviewed by multiple departments, and if deemed unsubstantiated, will be marked as 'sick'

Air India to set up flying training organisation in Maharashtra's Amravati

To meet the growing demand in the country's air travel market, Indian carriers have made four significant aircraft orders since last year

Air India pilots join Vistara crew in voicing concerns over fatigue, pay

The pilots said they're made to rack up maximum flying hours, face difficulties in having leave approved and deal with unstable rosters, according to the letter dated April 4

'Bonded labour': Air India pilot unions extend support to Vistara

Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Air India is a completely owned airline of the Tata Group. Vistara is in the process of being merged into Air India

Baku-bound IndiGo plane takes off without ATC clearances, pilots grounded

According to the DGCA, the Baku-bound IndiGo plane took off without ATC clearances

DGCA issues decade-high commercial pilot licenses for second time in a row

GCA said the number of CPLs given to women rose by 22.5 per cent year-on-year

Proud moment: Family of pilot flying maiden passenger plane to Ayodhya

It is a proud moment for the family, says 75-year-old Mukteshwar Singh as his son in the next few hours will pilot the first commercial passenger plane to the new airport here after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. Forty-three-year-old Captain Ashutosh Shekhar is a pilot with Indigo, and after the airport is opened, his flight from New Delhi (2:40 pm) is schedule to land here at 4 pm. Besides the airport, Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate the city's railway station, days ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple. The event on January 22 is expected to be attended by thousands of people. "Lord Ram has been kind to us," said Shekhar's mother Madhurani Singh (68). "Since the day he entered the aviation sector, it was my dream to see him flying an aircraft to Ayodhya. It has come true after 12 years. What could be more joyous than seeing a dream being fulfilled," she said. This is a "divine moment" also, said Mukteshwar Singh. He added that his .

IAF trainer aircraft crashes during sortie in Telangana, 2 pilots dead

: A trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force with two officers on board crashed in Medak district of Telangana on Monday morning, according to the police. The incident occurred in Toopran mandal of the district, they said adding a trainer and a trainee pilot were inside the aircraft while it crashed. Their condition was still not known, police added. The aircraft took off from Air Force Academy (AFA) at Dundigal near here, a senior police official told PTI. The AFA authorities reached the spot, the officer said.

Staff shortage at DGCA delaying issuance of trained pilot licences

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is taking at least a couple of months to issue licences to trained pilots as the regulator is grappling with the shortage of staff at key positions, according to sources. After training, individuals need to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) to be eligible to fly commercial flights. Sources in the civil aviation ministry said that at present, a pilot has to wait for a couple of months to get his or her licence and the pendency time is likely to go up in the coming months. "The Directorate of Training and Licensing (DTL), under the Operations Department which deals with licensing, has a total of 129 sanctioned posts of assistant directors. Of those, 92 posts or almost 72 per cent of the total strength are lying vacant," one of the sources said. Till July 2022, the DGCA had only 72 sanctioned posts of assistant directors. In August 2022, the ministry created 57 new posts and the sanctioned strength rose to 129 positions. "However

DGCA issues 993 commercial pilot licences this year Jul 24: Govt data

A total of 993 commercial pilot licences have been issued this year till July 24, the government said on Thursday. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh informed the Lok Sabha that currently, there are 36 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) operating at 57 bases. According to data provided as part of a written reply, 993 Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) and 407 Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) have been issued this year till July 24. In 2022, a total of 1,165 CPLs and 720 ATPLs were issued. An individual is eligible to apply for CPL after completing at least 200 hours of flying and fulfilling other conditions. Besides, the individual has to clear theory papers and once successful, the CPL is given for a period of five years subject to complying with various requirements. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issues three types of licenses -- CPL, Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and Private Pilot Licence (PPL). While CPL allows a pilot to start flyi

Domestic help abuse case: IndiGo derosters pilot, matter being investigated

Amid a social media uproar over a pilot and her husband being beaten up for allegedly abusing a minor domestic help, IndiGo on Wednesday said it has derostered an employee from duties and the matter is being investigated. Without specifically mentioning about the case, an IndiGo spokesperson said it is aware of a video circulating on social media that allegedly involves an individual employed by the airline. "We are currently investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the employee has been derostered from official duties," the spokesperson said in a statement. A 10-year-old girl working as a domestic help at a couple's house in southwest Delhi's Dwarka was allegedly beaten up by the two on Wednesday, following which a mob manhandled the duo, police said. The accused Kaushik Bagchi (36) and Poornima Bagchi (33) have been arrested for assaulting the minor, they said. According to the police, the woman works as a pilot in a private airline while her husband is deployed as a ground staff

Pilot, husband beaten up by mob for thrashing minor domestic help in Delhi

A 10-year-old girl working as a domestic help at a couple's house in southwest Delhi's Dwarka was allegedly beaten up by them on Wednesday, following which a group of agitated people manhandled the duo. The accused -- Kaushik Bagchi (36) and Poornima Bagchi (33) -- have been arrested in connection with the incident, they said. Police said the woman works as a pilot with a private airline while her husband is deployed with the ground staff in another private airline. After the incident came to light, the couple was confronted by the victim's relatives and others who also manhandled them. The minor girl was employed at the couple's house through the victim's relative who also works in a nearby house, they added. In a purported video, the alleged couple could be seen manhandled and beaten up by a mob. Some of the women were also seen slapping and pulling the hair of the accused woman who was in her uniform. Poornima was heard apologising in the video while Kaushik was seen shielding

Boeing to invest $100 mn in infrastructure, pilot training in India

This comes on the heels of Air India signing firm orders of over 200 jets earlier this week from Boeing, which include 20 787 Dreamliners, 10 777Xs, and 190 737 MAX narrowbody aircraft

As Go First seeks to plug exit, 200 pilots accept Air India's job offer

Go First CEO announces retention allowance and longevity bonus

Air India pilot union not keen on accepting revised compensation structure

Members of Air India's two pilot unions held a joint meeting on Tuesday to discuss the airline's revised compensation structure, and a large section of them remained firm on their stance of not signing the new contracts, according to a source. The airline has given more time till the end of this week for pilots to decide on signing the new contracts. The initial deadline for accepting the revised compensation structure ended on April 30. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) held a joint virtual meeting of their members to discuss the new service terms as well as the future course of action. On April 17, the Tata Group-owned carrier came out with a revised compensation package and new service terms and conditions for pilots and cabin crew of Air India, Air India Express and AIX Connect. The two unions had rejected the new service terms, saying they were unilateral, draconian and anti-labour. "At the meeting on Tuesday, largely the view w

Trainer aircraft overturns at Thiruvananthapuram airport, pilot safe

A flight training aircraft for student pilots overturned at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport here on Wednesday, an airport official said. The pilot is safe, the official said. The incident occurred at 11.36 am when the training aircraft of the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology, while taking off on a solo flight veered off from the runway and overturned.

DGCA action 'excessive', we stand by suspended pilot, says Air India

The airline will assist the pilot in appealing against the order

Chinese intercept over South China Sea could have caused air collision: US

The US military says a Chinese navy fighter jet flew dangerously close to an Air Force reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea earlier this month, forcing the American pilot to maneuver to avoid a collision. US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement Thursday that the incident occurred December 21 when the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy J-11 flew in front of and within 6 metres (20 feet) of the nose of an RC-135, a type of large reconnaissance plane operated by the US Air Force. The US plane was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, the statement said. Its pilot was forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision," it said. China frequently challenges military aircraft from the US and its allies, especially over the South China Sea, which China claims in its entirety. Such behaviour led to a 2001 in-air collision in which a Chinese plane was lost and pilot killed. The US Indo-Pacific Joint Force is dedicated t