Air India's brand new 787 Dreamliner

[aeroblogger]

As we've been discussing Air India's (lack of) crappyness recently on various threads (like this, this, and this), I thought I'd share a trip report of Air India's brand new 787 Dreamliner aircraft. These aircraft are Boeing's newest aircraft, and are some of the most efficient and technologically advanced aircraft in the world. Air India will be operating these aircraft to Australia beginning this winter, but first it must conduct short familiarization flights for 2 months so that pilots can practice takeoff/landing and groundcrews and flight attendants can better understand the aircraft.

A tip for anybody flying Delhi-Bangalore, Delhi-Chennai, or Delhi-Dubai in the near future - try out the 787!

Trip Report: Flying The Dream – Air India 787

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Aeroblogger,

Is it fine clicking pics at the airport and in the aircraft in India, because I haven't seen people take pics of late since there was this notification of no pics being allowed to be taken.

 

[aeroblogger]

The ban on pictures at airports is only at military bases. So, for example, you could get thrown in jail for snapping pictures at Pune.

Since Delhi and Bangalore are not air force bases, photography is a bit of a grey area. There is a procedure to obtain clearance from DGCA, which I have gotten done through one of the companies I write for (and I provide laminated copies to all contributors to my site). This permit not only allows me to take pictures at non-AFBs, it also allows me to go into the secure areas (like tarmac) assuming I am accompanied by an employee with necessary permissions. However, there is no requirement in law which states that you are required to get this permit in order to take photos.

My advice is this: if you want to take pictures, feel free. However, if some pompous official shows up and tells you to stop, comply with their directions. There's no need to unnecessarily stir the pot, especially in this day and age where everyone is a "potential terrorist"

 

[aeroblogger]

Because advance booking has been strong on the Bangalore sector, AI will operate 787s on Delhi-Bangalore twice daily instead of operating to Dubai. In addition, AI will also operate these aircraft to Kolkata from Delhi.

Both these changes are effective tomorrow.

 

[sob]

I do not see the advantage of flying this magnificent aircraft on the short haul domestic sector. AI should immediately shift the fuel guzzling 777-300s that they are flying in the Gulf/European sector.

Or is it that this is a way of getting back at the AI pilots who had gone on strike and one of their demands was that the 787 to be flown only by the AI pilots and not by the erstwhile IA piolts.

 

[aeroblogger]

I do not see the advantage of flying this magnificent aircraft on the short haul domestic sector. AI should immediately shift the fuel guzzling 777-300s that they are flying in the Gulf/European sector.

Or is it that this is a way of getting back at the AI pilots who had gone on strike and one of their demands was that the 787 to be flown only by the AI pilots and not by the erstwhile IA piolts.

I answered this in the first post:

Air India will be operating these aircraft to Australia beginning this winter, but first it must conduct short familiarization flights for 2 months so that pilots can practice takeoff/landing and groundcrews and flight attendants can better understand the aircraft.

This is standard practice for all reputable airlines around the world. United Airlines will actually do it for 6 months, compared to AI's 2 months.

I don't think it has anything to do with IPG pilots - all 3 pilot groups (AI, IC, management) have operated flights already

 

[Blackwater]

I do not see the advantage of flying this magnificent aircraft on the short haul domestic sector. AI should immediately shift the fuel guzzling 777-300s that they are flying in the Gulf/European sector.

Or is it that this is a way of getting back at the AI pilots who had gone on strike and one of their demands was that the 787 to be flown only by the AI pilots and not by the erstwhile IA piolts.

777 is also very fuel efficient second after 787

 

[aeroblogger]

777 is also very fuel efficient second after 787

Not quite. On a fuel per passenger basis with a 2 hour stage legnth, AI's 777-200LRs are the least efficient aircraft they operate. There is a reason AI is trying to get rid of them

To be fair to the 77L, it is an excellent aircraft for what is designed for. Longhaul routes with high premium demand. The only problem is that AI doesn't operate any longhaul routes with lots of premium demand....

You may ask "why the **** did AI order the 77L?" - the answer is that they didn't. Air India's board repeatedly recommended against the order, and management tried to block it as well. Praful clearly regarded his bank account as more important...

You can read the recent audit to see what a massive scam the whole thing was: http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home...vil_ Performance_Audits/Report_18/exe-sum.pdf

That's just the summary - the actual report goes into more detail.

 

[Blackwater]

Not quite. On a fuel per passenger basis with a 2 hour stage legnth, AI's 777-200LRs are the least efficient aircraft they operate. There is a reason AI is trying to get rid of them

To be fair to the 77L, it is an excellent aircraft for what is designed for. Longhaul routes with high premium demand. The only problem is that AI doesn't operate any longhaul routes with lots of premium demand....

You may ask "why the **** did AI order the 77L?" - the answer is that they didn't. Air India's board repeatedly recommended against the order, and management tried to block it as well. Praful clearly regarded his bank account as more important...

You can read the recent audit to see what a massive scam the whole thing was: http://saiindia.gov.in/english/home...vil_ Performance_Audits/Report_18/exe-sum.pdf

That's just the summary - the actual report goes into more detail.

i thought u r talking about 777-300ER

 

[aeroblogger]

i thought u r talking about 777-300ER

I think OP was talking about 777-200LR because he said "fuel guzzling" and those words have only been applied by AI to the 77L recently.

I agree that the 777-300ER is incredible - probably the second best aircraft in AI's fleet after the 787.

 

[sob]

i thought u r talking about 777-300ER

My mistake I should have written 777-200 instead of 777-300

 

[Zebra]

New Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner performs near vertical take-off


Published on Jun 11, 2015, by MailOnline