PM's new aircraft to be flown by IAF but maintained by Air India

Two custom-me B777 planes, which will be used to fly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and or top Indian dignitaries from July next year, will be operated by pilots of Indian Air Force and t of Air India, said a senior official on Wednesday. However, new wide-body planes will be maintained by Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), which is a subsidiary of Indian national carrier, he said.

Air India pilots fly current aircrafts

Currently, prime minister, President Ram Nath Kovind, and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu fly on Air India's B747 planes, which have call sign 'Air India One'. Air India pilots fly se B747 aircraft for dignitaries and AIESL maintains m. When se B747 aircraft are t flying dignitaries, y are used by Indian national carrier for commercial operations.

" two new B777 planes will come to India from US facility of Boeing by July next year. y will have call sign 'Air India One'. Only IAF pilots will be flying two new aircraft for PM, president and vice president," a senior official of national carrier said.

official said 4-6 pilots of IAF have alrey been trained by Air India to fly B777 planes. "Some or pilots of IAF will come for training soon," he ded.

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About new B777 planes

new planes will be used for travel of dignitaries only. B777 planes will have state-of--art missile defence systems called Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS). In February, US agreed to sell two defence systems to India at  cost of total USD 190 million. Centre is planning to initiate process of divestment of its stake in Air India, which has a debt of over Rs 60,000 crore, from vember this year.

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