NEW DELHI: Barely a month after Tata Sons took over Air India in Feb 2022, Airbus flew in its latest long range jet Airbus A350 to Mumbai for a demo flight as it knew the airline desperately needed new planes. Ratan Tata wasn’t keeping too well at that time. Still given his passion for aviation , the veteran not only came to see the new plane but also went for a short sortie.
“Ratan Tata Sir boarded the aircraft at Mumbai Airport using an ambu-lift. He went to the flight deck and sat on the jump seat (the seat behind pilots’ seats). We left him there with the Airbus captains who were piloting the aircraft. The aircraft went for an about 40-minute flight. He really enjoyed the experience and was thoroughly knowledgeable about planes. On return, he alighted using an ambu-lift,” said senior pilots.
Everyone present on the aircraft was full of admiration for the legend. “He was not very comfortable walking given his frail health but he wanted to fly; be in the cockpit and experience the flight of the new bird upfront from there. It was like seeing JRD once again,” said a senior pilot.
Air India eventually ordered 40 A350s as part of its 470-aircraft order placed less than a year later in Feb 2023.
Ratan Tata was a licensed pilot. In 2007 at the age of 69 years he had flown the F-16 fighter jet at the Bangalore air show. This feat had made him the oldest Indian to fly a F-16.
He used to fly as a pilot till his health allowed. In 2013, when Ratan Tata flew into Delhi from Mumbai with AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes for the final preparations of the launch of AirAsia India — Tata’s first airline venture after AI — he flew the plane. Tony Fernandes had later tweeted, "My new Pilot Sir Ratan Tata flying me to Delhi. Another way AirAsia cuts costs. The advisor is a pilot.”
Air India founder JRD Tata — also known as the father of Indian civil aviation — had got the first pilot license issued in the country on Feb 10, 1929. RNT, as Ratan Tata is known, clearly got his love for aviation from JRD.
“The biggest homage Air India can pay to the illustrious JRD & RNT is by fulfilling their vision for the airline. JRD founded AI and the Nehru Govt took it from him. RNT brought AI back into the Tata fold almost seven decades later,” said a senior pilot. In fact, RNT had tried to acquire Air India at least thrice in the last 30 years and that finally happened in 2022.
“Ratan Tata Sir boarded the aircraft at Mumbai Airport using an ambu-lift. He went to the flight deck and sat on the jump seat (the seat behind pilots’ seats). We left him there with the Airbus captains who were piloting the aircraft. The aircraft went for an about 40-minute flight. He really enjoyed the experience and was thoroughly knowledgeable about planes. On return, he alighted using an ambu-lift,” said senior pilots.
Everyone present on the aircraft was full of admiration for the legend. “He was not very comfortable walking given his frail health but he wanted to fly; be in the cockpit and experience the flight of the new bird upfront from there. It was like seeing JRD once again,” said a senior pilot.
Air India eventually ordered 40 A350s as part of its 470-aircraft order placed less than a year later in Feb 2023.
Ratan Tata was a licensed pilot. In 2007 at the age of 69 years he had flown the F-16 fighter jet at the Bangalore air show. This feat had made him the oldest Indian to fly a F-16.
He used to fly as a pilot till his health allowed. In 2013, when Ratan Tata flew into Delhi from Mumbai with AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes for the final preparations of the launch of AirAsia India — Tata’s first airline venture after AI — he flew the plane. Tony Fernandes had later tweeted, "My new Pilot Sir Ratan Tata flying me to Delhi. Another way AirAsia cuts costs. The advisor is a pilot.”
Air India founder JRD Tata — also known as the father of Indian civil aviation — had got the first pilot license issued in the country on Feb 10, 1929. RNT, as Ratan Tata is known, clearly got his love for aviation from JRD.
“The biggest homage Air India can pay to the illustrious JRD & RNT is by fulfilling their vision for the airline. JRD founded AI and the Nehru Govt took it from him. RNT brought AI back into the Tata fold almost seven decades later,” said a senior pilot. In fact, RNT had tried to acquire Air India at least thrice in the last 30 years and that finally happened in 2022.
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