A custom-made B777 plane by Boeing will arrive in the present day. Meant for President, VP, PM (Representational)
New Delhi:
A custom-made B777 plane, which will likely be used to fly the President, Vice President and the Prime Minister, goes to reach from the US in India in the present day, stated authorities officers.
The aircraft was scheduled to be delivered by plane producer Boeing to Air India in August however the supply was delayed on account of technical causes, the officers famous.
Senior officers of the nationwide service had reached the US through the first half of August to obtain the aircraft from Boeing, the officers stated.
Air India One, which is the decision signal of the plane, will land on the Delhi airport from Texas at round three pm this afternoon, they said.
One other custom-made B777 aircraft for the journey of VVIPs is prone to be obtained from Boeing throughout a later date, they famous.
It was anticipated that the supply of those two planes, that are earmarked for VVIP journey solely, can be completed by July. Nonetheless, on account of COVID-19, their supply has been delayed by a number of months.
Throughout the journey of the VVIPs, the 2 B777 plane will likely be operated by pilots of the Indian Air Drive (IAF) and never of Air India, an official stated.
Presently, the President, Vice President and the Prime Minister, fly on Air India’s B747 planes, which have the decision signal Air India One.
Air India pilots fly these B747 plane for the dignitaries and the Air India Engineering Providers Restricted (AIESL) maintains them.
When these B747 plane usually are not flying the dignitaries, they’re utilized by the Indian nationwide service for industrial operations.
The brand new planes will likely be used for journey of the dignitaries solely.
These two plane had been a part of Air India’s industrial fleet for a number of months in 2018 earlier than they had been despatched again to Boeing for retrofitting them for VVIP journey.
The B777 planes could have state-of-the-art missile defence methods known as Giant Plane Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-Safety Suites (SPS).
In February, the US agreed to promote the 2 defence methods to India at a price of USD 190 million.
The Centre has already initiated the method of divestment of its stake in Air India, which has a debt of over Rs 60,000 crore. Nonetheless, the method has been postponed as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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