The brave act of Air India pilots landing the aircraft safely in London’s Heathrow airport amidst the gusting winds of Storm Eunice on Saturday has won them huge applause on social media.
A video from a live streaming channel called Big Jet TV went viral on social media. The video was recorded by Jerry Dyers, the founder of the channel for aviation enthusiasts.
In the video, Dyers can be heard giving a live commentary when an Air India flight makes a risky landing at London’s Heathrow International Airport.
As the aircraft drifts slightly, facing strong winds as it approaches the runway, Dyers can be heard saying, “Just checking to see if he’s gonna land it looks like he’s got it; winds are gusting. Yeah, very skilled Indian pilot there.”
The United Kingdom has issued a “red alert” as Storm Eunice has hit parts of the country, causing massive destruction to life and property. The authorities have cancelled or diverted several flights due to safety issues and poor visibility. Despite the challenges, two Air India flights landed amid gusty winds on their first attempts. The flights were AI147 from Hyderabad and AI145 from Goa.
According to the reports, both the Air India aircraft were Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Captain Anchit Bhardwaj was commander of AI147, and Captain Aditya Rao was at the helm onboard AI145. The cockpit crew members on both flights included commander Captain Manmath Routray, First Officers Captain Rahul Gupta, Captain Sushant Tare, and trainee commander Captain V Roopa.
Recently, Tata Sons re-acquired Air India, almost seven decades after the Congress government had nationalised it.